Public Affairs Office
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Aug. 24, 2021) A Fort Leonard Wood Soldier was found unresponsive Monday, Aug. 23, at approximately 3 p.m. at a training area here, according to Fort Leonard Wood’s Directorate of Emergency Services.
Emergency personnel arrived on scene within minutes and transported the Soldier by ambulance to the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital where the Soldier was pronounced deceased at 7:32 p.m. by GLWACH personnel.
The Soldier, Staff Sgt. Robert Early, 34, whose home of record is listed as Gifford, Illinois, was a combat medic with Fort Leonard Wood’s General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our teammate, Staff Sgt. Robert Early. As a committed Soldier, medic, friend and valued member of our team, his loss is not just felt within our formation, but across the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence, Fort Leonard Wood and our Army,” said Maj. Gen. James Bonner, MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general. “As we mourn Staff Sgt. Early’s passing, our sincere thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and the GLWACH team during this difficult time.”
An investigation surrounding the circumstances of this incident is ongoing.
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About Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post more than 75 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains more than 80,000 military and civilians each year.
Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.
Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.
More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission