An Army ROTC cadet died during summer training at Fort Knox in Kentucky, according to the U.S. Army Cadet Command.
Neil Edara, a 22-year-old student at Rutgers University from Ridgewood, New Jersey, died on July 24 while attending a Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, officials said in a statement over the weekend.
Edara allegedly became “unresponsive while conducting Land Navigation Training,” received “immediate medical attention and was medically evacuated by helicopter to the University of Louisville, where he was pronounced deceased by medical professionals,” authorities said.
Officials noted that Edara’s cause of death is under investigation.
Edara joined ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) at Rutgers in September 2021 and was attending the Cadet Summer Training as part of the 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, officials said.
The 35-day camp — which is considered to be the largest annual training event in the U.S. Army — “tests cadets’ leadership and soldiering skills” and is required to be commissioned as a second lieutenant, according to a press release obtained by ABC News. Over 7,000 cadets “from the nation’s many colleges and universities” attend the camp each year, the press release said.
Lt. Col. Timothy Sorenson, a military science professor at Rutgers, said Edara was “one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I’ve had the privilege to know.”
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“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,” Sorenson said.
While training still continues for other cadets at Fort Knox, Army ROTC officials said the safety of cadets is their “top priority.” They said cadets will have access to “religious affairs or spiritual counseling and support” during this time as well.
A private memorial service for Edara is scheduled for July 28, according to officials.
