Recruit from Wisconsin found dead in Fort Jackson barracks

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A basic combat training soldier has been found dead in his barracks at a South Carolina base.

Officials at Fort Jackson in Columbia said that the 29-year-old recruit from Wisconsin was found on Saturday morning.

The exact cause of death is under investigation. Officials said that it was not related to COVID-19 or to an active field training exercise.

One training battalion at Fort Jackson had 50 coronavirus cases; basic combat training to continue

“Even those who we tested after we one or two positive cases, the ones we found out, were mostly asymptomatic," the Army chief said.

Kyle Rempfer

April 16

Other soldiers have died at Fort Jackson this year. A 19-year-old Army National Guard soldier from Minnesota was found unresponsive at a Fort Jackson field location in January and later died. A 29-year-old Army National Guardsman from Connecticut died in March after suffering a medical emergency during a “non-strenuous activity.”