A 43-year-old Active Guard Reserve Staff Sergeant assigned to the Army National Guard, Kapolei, Hawaii, on temporary duty assignment, died in an off-duty other ground mishap in Motootua, Samoa, at local. The Soldier received a tattoo and experienced post-procedure complications. He was transported to the local hospital, where he died. The cause of death is undetermined.
Since FY19, the Army has lost an average of two Soldiers a year to off-duty other ground mishaps. This mishap was the second off-duty other ground fatality of FY24 and above the number of fatalities for the same time last year.