Ft. Jackson trainee hijacks school bus, all kids safe and suspect arrested

Its been awhile but isn't every soldier at basic issued a rifle and its with you everywhere you go during your training?
I do remember landNav training... that could give you about a 2 hour head start before anyone knew you were missing. I have never been to Relax'n Jackson so I'm not sure how far you would have to walk in order to get off post where he did but some sort of situation like that is what I'm going with.

SSG(P) (Join to see) we certainly did. But the investigation is going to be a bear no matter how the Army slices it.

SSG(P) (Join to see) sgt we were issued rifles but they were locked in the gun cage in our barracks at night. We marched everywhere with our rifle but we wasn't allowed to take off the BFA until we went to the range in white phase. I think an important question to ask is where was his battle buddy. At no point while in IET are you ever without a battle buddy.

He is going to federal prison. He is getting a kidnapping charge per child. This troop will be in prison forever.

How did he get a weapon? He's a basic trainee. I never been to Jackson, but as a trainee at Benning, I got issued my M4 week 1. That seems pretty typical. He's the only at this point deserving of disciplinary action