Sgt. 1st Class Calvin Rockward, a Green Beret with 1st Special Forces Group, died during a physical training exercise Wednesday, Oct. 27, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. According to 1st Special Forces Command, he suffered a “sudden, unexpected medical event” during PT. Photo courtesy of the US Army.
A Washington-based Green Beret collapsed and died during morning physical training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Wednesday, Oct. 27.
Sgt. 1st Class Calvin T. Rockward, 38, was attending the Special Forces Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification Course when he experienced a “sudden, unexpected medical event,” according to a 1st Special Forces Command statement. Rockward enlisted in the Army in 2004 and was assigned to 1st Special Forces Group at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.
Col. Ryan Ehrler, commander of 1st Special Forces Group, said Rockward was a valued member of his team.
“Cal was also kind-hearted and cared deeply about his family,” Ehrler said, according to the 1st Special Forces Command statement. “He always put a smile on the face of every person he encountered. We collectively mourn the loss of our brother and honor his service to the nation, and our deepest condolences go to Sgt. 1st Class Rockward’s family.”
Rockward’s awards included a Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Korean Defense Service Medal.
He is survived by his wife and daughter.
Rockward’s death is the third instance of a Special Forces soldier dying during training in recent months. In September, a soldier died during a swim-training event in a small lake on Fort Campbell. In July, a soldier from the 10th Special Forces Group died while attending the Army’s Combat Diver Qualification Course in Key West, Florida.
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Dustin Jones is a former senior staff writer for Coffee or Die Magazine covering military and intelligence news. Jones served four years in the Marine Corps with tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. He studied journalism at the University of Colorado and Columbia University. He has worked as a reporter in Southwest Montana and at NPR. A New Hampshire native, Dustin currently resides in Southern California.
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