A soldier assigned to Fort Wainwright, Alaska, died Sunday at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle from “natural causes,” according to Army Alaska officials.
Spc. Wyatt Xavier Moore, 21, died from an “illness," John Pennell, a spokesman for the command, wrote in an email. He added that “due to HIPPA restrictions, I cannot specify the illness.”
Pennell did say the soldier’s death was not related to alcohol or the novel coronavirus and the soldier was only hospitalized for a short time.
Moore served as an intelligence analyst with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
Moore joined the Army in June 2018 out of Brandon, Florida. He trained at Fort Jackson, South Carolina; Fort Huachuca, Arizona; and Fort Benning, Georgia, before arriving to Alaska in May 2019.
Moore deployed to Iraq as part of the Operation Inherent Resolve mission targeting the Islamic State group from August 2019 to June 2020. His battalion commander praised him as a volunteer “who served both in and out of combat.”
“He was goal-oriented and a hard worker, a great intelligence analyst, and a dedicated friend. His kind character helped others through tough situations, and he was there for his friends when needed," Lt. Col. Matthew Chase said in a prepared statement. "He will be truly missed.”
Moore’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.
Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. Before entering journalism, Kyle served in U.S. Air Force Special Tactics and deployed in 2014 to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq.
