Two U.S. Army soldiers sustained injuries during an encounter with a brown bear while participating in a training exercise in Alaska, military officials reported.

The incident occurred at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson's Arctic Valley training area near Anchorage. Both soldiers were injured during the encounter with the brown bear, though the extent of their injuries was not immediately disclosed.

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is a major military installation that serves both the Army and Air Force, located in the Anchorage area. The Arctic Valley training area is used regularly for military exercises and training operations.

Brown bears are common throughout Alaska and encounters with military personnel during outdoor training exercises have occurred previously in the region. The military typically provides guidance to personnel on wildlife safety protocols when conducting operations in areas with known bear populations.

Further details about the soldiers' conditions and the circumstances surrounding the encounter were not immediately available from military officials.