The Army has identified the soldier who died on Friday during a training incident on the rifle range at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
Pvt. Andrey Okunev, an 18-year-old National Guardsman assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment, suffered a “fatal injury” while training on the range on Sept. 5. Medical personnel from General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital tended to the soldier, who was pronounced dead at 10:33 a.m. No others were injured.
“We are deeply saddened and truly heartbroken by the loss of Pvt. Okunev, and our deepest condolences and sincerest sympathies are with his family, friends and unit,” Maj. Gen. Chris Beck, the commanding general for the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood. “During this difficult time, our chaplains, grief counselors and other medical professionals are providing comfort, care and support to those affected by this tragedy.”
Fort Leonard Wood leadership did not provide any additional information on how Okunev died or the nature of the incident on Monday, save for identifying Okunev. Fort Leonard Wood law enforcement, as well as the Army Criminal Investigation Division, are investigating the soldier’s death.
Okunev and the rest of the soldiers training in his unit were set to finish basic combat training soon, with a graduation ceremony set for Oct. 2, according to the calendar of events on Fort Leonard Wood’s website.
Top Stories This Week
Okunev was from the Long Beach, California area. He regularly participated in youth soccer as a referee, according to a local soccer group, who said in a memorial that “Andrey gave his time generously to our kids and our community, season after season. His kindness, patience, and dedication touched so many lives on and off the field.”
1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment is a training unit based out of Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, where new soldiers go through 10 weeks of basic combat training. The base has nearly three dozen ranges. Tens of thousands of service members go through training at the base each year.
