Drill sergeant at Columbia’s Fort Jackson has died, US Army says

A decorated soldier stationed at Fort Jackson in Columbia has died, according to the U.S. Army .

Staff Sgt. Corey R. Brown, a 34-year-old drill sergeant, was found unresponsive in his home Sunday and later died, an Army official at Fort Jackson said Wednesday in a news release.

No cause of death has been determined for Brown, who served with the 4th Battalion, 39 ^th Infantry Regiment, according to the release.

There was no word if foul play was suspected in the High Point, North Carolina, native’s death, but Army officials said that Fort Jackson is cooperating with an investigation. Information about which agency is leading the investigation was not available.

Brown served for more than 13 years, according to the release. Among various awards and decorations Brown received include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

“This is a solemn day for Team Jackson as we mourn the loss of a teammate and friend,” Fort Jackson commander, Maj. Gen. Jason E. Kelly said in the release. “We are providing comfort and assistance to his family and fellow cadre members and extend our deepest sympathies to all who knew him.”

Fort Jackson is the nation’s largest military basic training base , with more than 50,000 recruits assigned there each year to train to be soldiers.

Multiple deaths

Other deaths have been reported at Fort Jackson this year, and multiple drill sergeants from the Army installation have died since June 2023.

That includes Sgt. 1 ^st Class Joshua A. Alfieri, who was found dead at Fort Jackson on March 21, according to the Army. Fort Jackson emergency personnel responded to an on-post housing unit after receiving a 911 call where they discovered the 36-year-old Alfieri, the Army said.

On April 29, Pfc. Veronica L. Wynn became unresponsive during structured and disciplined pickup in the company area, according to the Army. Emergency personnel performed life saving measures on the 39-year-old basic combat training trainee and took her to a local hospital, where she died, the Army said.

In late February, 2nd Lt. Pascal Buma, 38, a chaplain-in-training at the fort, collapsed during a physical training run and later died at MUSC Health . Buma had been a student at Fort Jackson’s Institute for Religious Leadership, according to the Army.

At least three members of the Army based at Fort Jackson died in 2023.

In June 2023, Army Sgt. Jaime Contreras died during a training exercise at Fort Jackson. The 40-year-old also was a drill sergeant.

In December, two drill sergeants were found dead at Fort Jackson in little more than a week-long span.

On Dec. 8, 2023, Staff Sgt. Allen M. Burtram, a 34-year-old with 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment was discovered shortly after he failed to report for work, according to the Army.

The body of Staff Sgt. Zachary L. Melton, a 30-year-old with the 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment , was discovered Dec. 16, 2023, Army officials said.

There was no information connecting the deaths of the drill sergeants at Fort Jackson.