A junior soldier assigned to 7th Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, died Monday and two more were injured in a single-vehicle accident during a training exercise, a division spokesperson said.
Pfc. Joseph A. Marquez, from Dover, Delaware, was killed in the Yakima Training Area mishap, according a release from 7th Infantry Division spokesperson Lt. Col. Travis Dettmer.
The soldier was a member of 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry, part of 2nd Infantry Division’s 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. The 7th ID controls JBLM-based 2nd ID units, as the latter headquarters is permanently stationed in South Korea.
Marquez, who joined the Army in 2021, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, said a post on the brigade’s Facebook page.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Pfc. Marquez,” said Lt. Col. Michael Filanowski, his squadron commander. “Blackhawk Squadron sends its deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. Our prayers and thoughts are with them during this difficult time.”
A Facebook post from the squadron’s official page memorialized him as a soldier “ known for his laughter and the light he spread everywhere he went.”
Dettmer added that the two injured troops, who were not identified for privacy reasons, have “minor injuries” and were treated and released from Yakima Memorial Hospital.
It’s unclear what kind of vehicle was involved in the incident, nor is it clear how the accident occurred. Officials with 7th ID did not immediately respond to questions from Army Times concerning the accident’s circumstances.
Squadron officials indicated they will share details about Marquez’s memorial ceremony on the unit Facebook page as they become available.
Davis Winkie covers the Army for Military Times. He studied history at Vanderbilt and UNC-Chapel Hill, and served five years in the Army Guard. His investigations earned the Society of Professional Journalists' 2023 Sunshine Award and consecutive Military Reporters and Editors honors, among others. Davis was also a 2022 Livingston Awards finalist.
