Another Fort Hood soldier has died after collapsing during a training exercise, becoming the 28th death at the army base so far this year....
Another Fort Hood soldier has died after collapsing during a training exercise, becoming the 28th death at the army base so far this year.
Pvt. Corlton L. Chee, 25, died Wednesday after he collapsed following physical fitness training on August 28, Fort Hood officials said Friday.
His death came the same day a welcoming ceremony was held for the base's new commander Major General John Richardson IV, who is taking over the role after Deputy Commanding General Scott Efflandt was removed from the position Tuesday.
The decision comes following a string of tragedies and suspicious deaths at the base, with foul play suspected in at least five of the deaths.
Last week, the body of Sgt. Elder Fernandes, 23, was discovered after he went missing back on August 17 after he claimed he was being sexually abuse.
This came after the dismembered body of Sgt. Vanessa Guillen, 20, was discovered a month earlier after she vanished after telling family she was being sexually harassed.
Pvt. Corlton L. Chee, 25, died Wednesday after he collapsed following physical fitness training on August 28, Fort Hood officials said Friday
Chee was taken to Carl R. Darnall Medical Center last Friday when he fell ill after the training exercise.
He was then transferred to Baylor Scott and White in Temple, Texas, on August 30, where army officials said he died with his family by his bedside.
'Every loss effects every single person in this Battalion because we a family of warriors, but this is exceptionally heartbreaking,' Lt. Col. Ron Sprang, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment.
According to Army officials, Chee was from Pinehill, New Mexico, and entered the Army in February as a tank crewman.
He was assigned in July to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.
His awards include the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.
An autopsy will be done by the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas to determine cause of death.
Army officials said his death is currently under investigation.
Chee was taken to Carl R. Darnall Medical Center last Friday when he fell ill after the training exercise. He was then transferred to Baylor Scott and White in Temple, Texas, on August 30, where army officials said he died with his family by his bedside
Chee becomes the 28th death at the army base so far this year with five suspected foul play
Chee is the 28th soldier from the Central Texas base to die this year, according to data obtained by the Associated Press from Fort Hood officials.
The same day as Chee's death, Major General John Richardson was treated to a welcome ceremony as he took over the role of base commander from Efflandt.
Richardson vowed to reestablish trust between soldiers, army leaders and the public after the base has been addled with suspicious deaths and allegations of harassment.
'We need to teach young leaders how to ask hard, difficult questions,' he said.
'Those are the one that then allow relationships to build.'
He added: 'Trust is strong in the army, but we have individual instances where they trust is broken and one break in that link is one too many.'
The new commander announced the launch of Operation Phantom Action, a plan to open up conversations and counseling between soldiers and their chains of command on issues such as sexual harassment.
General John Murray (left), the head of the Army’s Futures Command, will conduct a new investigation into how leaders at Fort Hood handled Vanessa Guillen's reports of sexual harassment, as well as her disappearance and death. Major General Scott Efflandt (right) has been removed from his post following the deaths and disappearances of soldiers connected to the troubled army base
The Army also announced General John Murray, the head of the Army’s Futures Command, will conduct a new investigation into how leaders at Fort Hood handled Vanessa Guillen's reports of sexual harassment, as well as her disappearance and death.
The probe will assess Efflandt’s actions, who will remain at Fort Hood in a supporting role until the investigation is completed.
The investigation will also be separate from the Independent Review of Fort Hood, which began back in August.
Efflandt will also no longer take on the role of commander of a division at Fort Bliss.
The leadership shake-up and news of yet another soldier death comes as the troubled base faces mounting scrutiny following numerous deaths and disappearances of soldiers this year.
Vanessa Guillen, 20, vanished from the base after telling her family she was being sexually harassed. Her body was discovered in July
Last week, the body of Sgt. Elder Fernandes, 23, (left) was discovered after he went missing back on August 17. Fort Hood soldier, Pfc. Gregory Morales, right was reported missing from the base a year ago on August 20, 2019. The 24-year-old's remains were found on June 21 in a field in Killeen
In May of this year the body of Army Pfc. Brandon S. Rosecrans, pictured, was discovered with gunshot wounds and his Jeep was found three miles away engulfed in flames
Pvt. Mejhor Morta, 26, of Pensacola, Florida was found dead July 17 in the vicinity of Stillhouse Hollow Lake, around 15 miles from the Fort Hood base
The body of Spc. Francisco Gilberto Hernandezvargas, 24, left, was recovered from Stillhouse Hollow Lake following a boating incident. Shelby Tyler Jones, right, was shot dead at a convenience store in Killeen in March
US Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said in a visit to Fort Hood earlier this month that the Central Texas base had some of the highest numbers of sexual assault, harassment and murder.
The body of missing Fort Hood soldier Sgt. Elder Fernandes, 23, was found last week 30 miles from the Texas base where he was stationed.
Killeen police said he had not been seen since August 17 when his staff sergeant dropped him off at home.
Fernandes was not reported missing for two days. His body was found on August 29.
Fort Hood public affairs officer Lt. Col. Chris Brautigam later confirmed Fernandes had reported sexual abuse before his disappearance and was transferred to another unit, 'to ensure he received the proper care and ensure there were no opportunities for reprisals.'
Khawam, a lawyer representing the family of Vanessa Guillen, another Fort Hood soldier who went missing and was found dead, and now the Fernandes family, told ABC News that Elder got 'very, very depressed' after being sexually harassed while working in a supply room in April.
'I am saddened that another soldier who served the country has been destroyed by sexual assault and sexual harassment and this toxic culture in the military that exists,' Khawam added.
Fernandes' disappearance comes a year after the disappearance of Pfc. Gregory Morales, 24, a Fort Hood soldier who was reported missing on August 20, 2019.
His remains were found June 21 in a field in Killeen, near Fort Hood. Killeen police and Army officials are still investigating his death and foul play is suspected.
Vanessa Guillén's body was found a week later in July after her disappearance in April.
Fellow soldier Spc. Aaron Robinson, 20, killed and dismembered Guillén and had the remains disposed of in nearby woods, federal and state investigators said.
Robinson killed himself July 1, the day Guillén's remains were found, officials said.
Cecily Aguilar, 22, of Killeen, has been accused of disposing of Guillén's remains for Robinson and has been charged with three federal conspiracy counts related to the soldier's death.
She has pleaded not guilty.
Guillén´s family has said she was sexually harassed by the soldier suspected of killing her, but the Army has said there is no evidence to support that. There is an ongoing investigation.
Other soldiers to have died this year include: Pvt. Mejhor Morta; Spc. Francisco Gilberto Hernandezvargas; Pfc. Brandon Scott Rosecrans; Spc. Freddy Delacruz Jr; Spc. Christopher Wayne Sawyer; and Spc. Shelby Tyler Jones.
The two most recent deaths linked to the base include Sgt. Bradley Moore, 36, who died at the base during a training exercise last week.
He was with the Texas Army National Guard.
Spc. Cole Jakob Aton, 22, was also killed last week while assisting at the scene of a car accident near the base.
He had been standing on the road trying to direct traffic around the crash when he was hit by a car.
Aton had previously shared petitions and posts on social media demanding answers into the deaths and disappearances at the Fort Hood base.
No comments