A 1st Infantry Division soldier was found dead on post Thursday, according to a press release from Fort Riley Friday afternoon.
Spc. Kashyap Bhakta, a combat engineer with Company B, 82nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div., was found deceased in his car Thursday afternoon in the Warner-Peterson neighborhood on post.
Bhakta is the seventh solider to die in such unexpected fashion since the end of July.
Before Bhakta, a Fort Riley soldier died after a training accident at Fort Hood in Texas on Sept. 12.
“The soldiers, families and friends of the 1st Infantry Division are deeply saddened by the loss of Spc. Bhakta,” Col. Charles Masaracchia, 1st Inf. Div. chief of staff, said in the release. “This great division is only great due to the soldiers and families who comprise it. When we lose one of those fine soldiers, it strikes the heart of the entire formation. But what’s more heartbreaking are the loved ones left in the wake of this tragedy. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family whom we’ll continue to support as they move through this difficult time.”
Bhakta joined the Army in March 2015 and arrived at Fort Riley in July 2015. He was 21 years old. He deployed to Kuwait from October 2015 to July 2016.
Bhakta’s home of record is Prescott Valley, Arizona. His awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Medal.
The incident remains under investigation by the Fort Riley Criminal Investigation Command office.
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