A cadet has died during summer training at Fort Knox.
Cadet Neil Edara became unresponsive while conducting Land Navigation Training on July 24, according to the Army ROTC.
In a post on Instagram, the Army ROTC said Edara “received immediate medical attention” and was “medically evacuated by helicopter” to the University of Louisville, where he was pronounced dead.
His cause of death is under investigation.
Land Navigation training, according to the military’s website, “develop, assess and train Cadets in basic dismounted land navigation skills. Cadets demonstrate their ability to perform basic land navigation skills during day and night conditions on a verified course in varied terrain. Cadets are also taught advanced land navigation skills and associated tasks, which include mounted land navigation, range estimation, terrain analysis, and call for fire.”
The Army did not share what time of day or what exact portion of land navigation training in which Edara was involved.
Edara is originally from Ridgewood, New Jersey. He joined ROTC at Rutgers University and was at Fort Knox in Kentucky for Cadet Summer Training as part of the 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, according to the Army. The camp is composed of 10 regiments, totaling more than 6,000 cadets.
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“Cadet Edara was one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I’ve had the privilege to know,” Lt. Col. Timothy Sorensen, professor of military science, Rutgers University, said in a statement shared by the Army. “His calm collected demeanor and unwavering commitment to excellence left a lasting impact on everyone around him. His loss is deeply felt across the entire ROTC and Rutgers community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
The Army ROTC’s largest annual training event is Cadet Summer Training, with thousands of cadets at Fort Knox. Advanced Camp is a 36-day training “designed to develop a Cadet’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and to forge them into tough, adaptable leaders who can thrive in ambiguous and complex environments,” according to the Army ROTC.
An M1 Abrams tank sits on a pedestal above the entrance signage to Fort Knox, a US military installation, on May 31, 2021 in Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Stephanie Kuzydym is an enterprise and investigative sports reporter. Reach her at skuzydym@courier-journal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Army ROTC Cadet Neil Edara dies following summer training at Fort Knox