An 18-year-old recruit died last month after collapsing during training at Marine Corps base camp Camp Pendleton in southern California, military officials said in a statement Saturday.
The soldier Javier Pong "became unconscious and did not respond" to the stimuli when he "carried out scheduled training" on September 27 at this base, located north of San Diego, according to AP.
The young man died at Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital.
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Brigadier General Jason Morris, commanding general of the San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot, explained that the Marines are investigating his death.
"We are very saddened by the untimely passing of Private Javier Pong as he continued on his path to becoming a United States Marine," he said.
“We are committed to honoring his memory, supporting those with whom he served, and investigating the cause of his death to ensure that we can safely transform civilians into Marines and retain the trust of the American people,” he promised.
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Pong was a native of the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and had graduated from high school in May, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
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The Marines did not respond to questions from the Union-Tribune about the type of training the recruits were participating in when Pong collapsed.
and they also did not clarify why it took 11 days to announce his death.
The military body took 11 days to announce his death.
According to the newspaper, deaths that occur during training are usually reported within 24 hours.
According to Capt. Joshua Collins, a spokesman for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, the news was delayed "out of a desire to give the family time to grieve."