Hegseth Ripped for ‘Pointless’ Military Stunt That Killed Airman

Kylie Cooper / REUTERS An airman has died after falling while rappelling from the rafters at a college football game in Texas.

The service member died at a hospital following a rappelling demonstration ahead of the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Salute to Armed Forces & Veterans game, a spokesperson for Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs told CBS 8.

The airman’s name has not been released.

“We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at the start of tonight’s football game.

Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the soldier who was affected, his family and his military colleagues,” a UT San Antonio spokesperson wrote in an Instagram post Saturday evening.

The rappelling team consisted of members of the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, Task & Purpose reported .

The unit trains air traffic controllers.

“Thanks @PeteHegseth @SecWar for yet another pointless and tragic recruiting spectacle,” Jackie Singh, an aide on President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign, wrote on X .

Rappelling demonstrations are an annual feature of the game.

The spectacle comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has emphasized a renewed “warrior ethos” within the U.S. military, which often translates to flashy spectacles.

Dem strategist Chris D.

Jackson called the stunt “absolutely sickening.” “This ridiculous military showboating at football games needs to STOP,” he wrote on X.

“Now a man could lose his life, all because some Hegseth-like official apparently thought putting on a macho spectacle for people who came to watch FOOTBALL was a brilliant idea.

These men are human beings, NOT props for someone’s political theater.” This is a breaking story, and will be updated.