Sergeant Colin Arslanbas, a Reconnaissance Marine with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), tragically lost his life during a training exercise in North Carolina, the Marine Corps confirmed. An unnamed Marine was “involved in a parachute mishap, died at scene” late Thursday night in the vicinity of Marine Corps Outlying Landing Field Atlantic, North Carolina, as per a listing by the Naval Safety Command. II Marine Expeditionary Force spokesperson Lt. Col. Cassandra Stanton confirmed the incident involved Sgt. Arslanbas during the MEU’s Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPUTEX), the final certification exercise before deployment with the Navy’s Wasp Amphibious Ready Group.
The Naval Safety Command’s documentation aligns with prior disclosures about the event that led to Sgt. Arslanbas’s passing. His death occurred during a training exercise in Carteret County, where Marine Corps Outlying Landing Field Atlantic is located. This tragic event is currently under investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), as stated by Marine spokeswoman Capt. Emma Thompson.
Sgt. Arslanbas, a Missouri native, had recently been promoted to sergeant on April 1, just weeks before the fatal accident. His service and sacrifice were recognized with the awarding of the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and National Defense Service Medal. Col. “Words cannot convey our sorrow for the tragic loss of one of our MEU family members,” Col. Todd Mahar, 24th MEU commanding officer, said in the news release. “The 24th MEU family mourns the loss of an outstanding Marine and leader. We offer our deepest condolences and unwavering support to his family during this most difficult time.”
It is noteworthy that Sgt.Cpl. Alejandro Romero, 22, passed away in January 2018 when his primary and backup parachutes failed to deploy properly during the Multi-Mission Parachute Course in Coolidge, Arizona. Another Marine corporal was left permanently disabled in November 2018 during the same jump course. This event highlights the inherent risks involved in military training exercises. A Military Times investigation in 2017 revealed that between 2011 and 2016, 11 special operators from various branches of the military lost their lives in parachute accidents. Previous years have seen other parachute-related fatalities and disabilities among service members.
The Marine Corps emphasizes safety and rigorous training to mitigate such risks, yet training accidents continue to express the potential for loss even outside of combat zones. In the wake of Sgt. Arslanbas’s death, the 24th MEU temporarily paused training to provide the personnel with time to process and mourn.
Relevant articles:
– Parachute mishap resulted in Marine’s North Carolina training death, Marine Times, 04/27/2024
– Parachute Mishap Cited as Cause of Death for Camp Lejeune Marine Who Was Training in North Carolina, Military.com, Wed, 24 Apr 2024 21:44:00 GMT
– U.S. Marine Dies in Parachute Accident at Camp Lejeune, USNI News, Thu, 25 Apr 2024 21:54:00 GMT
– 2 Marines have died within a week while on duty, Task & Purpose, Thu, 25 Apr 2024 18:52:30 GMT
– Marine Killed During Operation at Camp Pendleton, Marking Second Training Death for Service in a Week, Military.com, Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:39:11 GMT