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American Military News
a day ago
- American Military News
Pic: Army ROTC cadet dies suddenly during training
A U.S. Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadet died suddenly on Thursday during Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox in Kentucky. In a Saturday statement on Facebook, U.S. Army Cadet Command confirmed that 22-year-old Cadet Neil Edara was killed during Thursday's Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox's Land Navigation site. U.S. Army Cadet Command noted that Edara joined the ROTC in September of 2021 at Rutgers University and confirmed that Edara was participating in Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox as part of the 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp. 'Edara became unresponsive while conducting Land Navigation Training. He received immediate medical attention and was medically evacuated by helicopter to the University of Louisville, where he was pronounced deceased by medical professionals,' U.S. Army Cadet Command stated. 'At this time, the cause of death is under investigation.' According to WLKY, Cadet Summer Training is the largest annual training event for U.S. Army cadets. The outlet noted that over 7,000 ROTC cadets from various universities and colleges participate in Basic Camp or Advanced Camp training each year. WLKY reported that the Cadet Summer Training Advanced Camp lasts 35 days and is required if cadets want to be commissioned as a second lieutenant. READ MORE: Army meets recruiting goal 4 months early under Trump admin Following Thursday's incident with Edara, U.S. Army Cadet Command said, 'Safety of cadets and cadre remains U.S. Army Cadet Command's top priority as training continues. Cadets have access to religious affairs or spiritual counseling and support as required.' In Saturday's statement, Lt. Col. Timothy Sorensen, a military science professor at Rutgers University, said, 'Cadet Edara was one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I've had the privilege to know.' 'His calm collected demeanor and unwavering commitment to excellence left a lasting impact on everyone around him,' Sorensen added. '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.' A picture of Edara was shared Saturday on X, formerly Twitter. This is tragic. The job that Soldiers do is dangerous. The training is dangerous. Losing Soldiers and Cadets in training shouldn't happen. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and ROTC program. Here is part of the official statement from Cadet Command: 'Cadet Neil Edara,… — Happy Captain (@EODHappyCaptain) July 26, 2025
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Army ROTC cadet from Rutgers dies in training at Fort Knox
An Army ROTC cadet died during training last week in Kentucky, officials said. Neil Edara, 22, of Ridgewood, New Jersey, was killed during land navigation training at Fort Knox last Thursday, the Army said in a statement. He received some medical training at the scene before being flown to University of Louisville Hospital — about 40 miles northeast — where he was pronounced dead. Edara was attending Cadet Summer Training. Land navigation training involves reading maps and traveling through unfamiliar areas. No other information was given about the incident, but the area was under a heat advisory at the time, according to National Weather Service data. The cause of death remains under investigation. 'Safety of cadets and cadre remains U.S. Army Cadet Command's top priority as training continues,' the command said in its statement. The command said he joined ROTC at Rutgers University in New Brunswick in 2021. The biology major was slated to graduate next year. He was also a volunteer EMT in Ridgewood. 'Cadet Edara was one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I've had the privilege to know,' Lt. Col. Timothy Sorensen, a Rutgers professor of military science, said in the command's statement. 'His calm collected demeanor and unwavering commitment to excellence left a lasting impact on everyone around him.'
New York Post
2 days ago
- General
- New York Post
Army ROTC cadet from NJ dies during land navigation training at Fort Knox
An Army ROTC cadet from New Jersey died during a land navigation training at Fort Knox last Thursday, officials said. Neil Edara, a 22-year-old Ridgewood native who joined Rutgers University's ROTC in 2021, was in the middle of the training exercise at the Kentucky base when he became unresponsive, according to the US Army Cadet Command. Edara received immediate medical attention and was airlifted to the University of Louisville's medical center, where he was pronounced dead, according to the US Army Cadet Command. Advertisement '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 at Rutgers University, said in a statement. 4 22-year-old Neil Edara died during land navigation training at Fort Knox. Linkedin '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,' said Sorensen. Advertisement 4 Edara's cause of death is still under investigation. Bloomberg via Getty Images The land navigation training drops the cadets in an unfamiliar terrain at the military base with nothing but a map, compass, protractor and pencil that they must use to find set points, according to the Army ROTC website. The land navigation test is one of the few where cadets are not permitted to work together, according to the website. It's unclear if the restrictions are looser during the training. Edara was set to graduate from Rutgers University in 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, according to his LinkedIn. He also worked at the school as an emergency medical technician and had previously completed flight and scuba training. Advertisement His cause of death is under investigation. Last Thursday, the heat at the Kentucky military base peaked at 93 degrees by 4 p.m. with about 54% humidity, according to Weather Underground. 4 Edara was an ROTC student at Rutgers University. AP The Army Cadet Command assured that the safety of its cadets would remain a top priority as the summer training continues. Advertisement During the land navigation training, the ROTC's Cadre, the group of Army professionals that lead and oversee the cadets, monitor the young trainees' voices and locations through a tracking system while driving through the course to ensure that they are safe, according to the ROTC website. 4 The land navigation is one of few ROTC tests that requires the cadets to work alone. Bloomberg via Getty Images Part of that supervision includes making sure the cadets are hydrated in the extreme heat, according to the website.
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Army ROTC cadet from New Jersey dies during training at Fort Knox
An Army ROTC cadet from New Jersey died during a summer training incident at Fort Knox, the U.S. military training program announced. Cadet Neil Edara, a Rutgers University student from Ridgewood, was conducting land navigation training at the base in Kentucky on July 24 when he became unresponsive. Edara received immediate medical attention and was taken by helicopter to the University of Louisville, where he was pronounced dead, the U.S. Army Cadet Command said in a post on social media. The cause of his death was under investigation. Edara was training as part of the 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, after joining ROTC at Rutgers in 2021, the social media post said. "Cadet Edara was one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I've had the privilege to know," Lt. Col. Timothy Sorensen, a military science professor at Rutgers, said in a statement. "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 Cadet Command said safety would remain a top priority as training continues.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
ROTC cadet, 22, dies during summer training program in Fort Knox
A U.S. Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadet died during a training camp at Fort Knox, officials say, as a heat wave swept across parts of the South and the Midwest. Neil Edara, 22, of Ridgewood, New Jersey, became unresponsive during land navigation training on Thursday at the Kentucky military base, located about 35 miles south of Louisville, according to the U.S. Army ROTC Cadet Command. The Rutgers University-New Brunswick student was attending Cadet Summer Training as part of the 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, the command stated in a press release on Saturday. He was at the installation's land navigation site, where cadets practice what the ROTC website describes as an 'essential skill,' which involves learning how to determine locations and distances for travel and targeting. Upon falling unconscious, Edara received medical attention at the scene and was evacuated by helicopter to the University of Louisville, where he was pronounced dead. The cause of Edara's death was not immediately clear, and the incident is under investigation. 'Cadet Edara was one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I've had the privilege to know,' Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Sorensen, professor of military science at Rutgers University, said. 'His calm, collected demeanor and unwavering commitment to excellence left a lasting impact on everyone around him. Sorenson said the loss has been deeply felt across the ROTC and Rutgers University communities. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,' he added. The command's news release did not mention the heat wave gripping portions of central Kentucky, as temperatures soared past 90 degrees at Fort Knox late last week. They are expected to continue climbing until Wednesday, according to AccuWeather. The National Weather Service released a heat advisory on Monday morning, which is expected to remain in effect until Wednesday evening. 'Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun,' it advised. According to his LinkedIn, Edara was majoring in biology and was due to graduate next year. Edara was also a volunteer with the Ridgewood Ambulance Corps before he joined the cadets, Ridgewood Mayor Paul Vagianos said, according to He was a very special young man who showed us all the true meaning of service,' Vagianos said. 'And while I did not know him, I will never forget him.'
