The Marine Corps has identified the service member killed over the weekend following a vehicle rollover at the Twentynine Palms combat center in California.
Staff Sgt. Jerry L. Betzold, 26, of Avon, Indiana, died Sunday after being injured Saturday when a Humvee rolled over during an exercise at the installation. He was an infantry Marine assigned to the Tactical Training Exercise Control Group, or TTECG, which helps facilitate training exercises at Twentynine Palms.
A social media post from the installation said that Betzold sustained "severe injuries" as a result of the rollover. He was initially transported to a naval hospital and then medically evacuated to a regional hospital in Palm Springs, California, where medical personnel, despite their efforts, pronounced him deceased, the base said in a release Monday night.
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"Staff Sgt. Jerry Betzold represents all that is good and pure in our nation and Corps," TTECG Director Col. David Hart said in a statement that was part of the press release. "He tragically lost his life while working to ensure our combat formations remain ready when the nation needs them."
According to recently released Naval Safety Command statistics, the rollover was the first ground vehicle mishap in the Corps this year. The last known fatal ground vehicle mishap occurred in December when an amphibious combat vehicle, or ACV, rolled over at Camp Pendleton, California, killing one and injuring 14 other Marines.
"His loss is deeply felt across our Marine Corps family," Hart said of Betzold. "Our hearts and full support will remain with his family and friends as we all navigate this extremely difficult time."
Betzold joined the Marine Corps on Aug. 15, 2016, and was promoted to staff sergeant on March 1, 2024, according to the Monday press release. He earned three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, two Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, four Sea Service Deployment Medals, and a Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, among other accolades.
The incident is under investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, or NCIS. Military.com reached out to the law enforcement service on Tuesday afternoon, but did not hear back by publication. The publication also attempted to contact Betzold's family, but was unsuccessful.
The Humvee rollover occurred Saturday. Betzold was transported to the Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital, which is located on Twentynine Palms. He was then evacuated to Desert Regional Medical Center, a civilian medical facility that is located southwest of the installation.
While it is unclear what led to the incident, rollovers are a top risk during training events in the military, according to a 2021 Government Accountability Office report, which said that more than 120 soldiers and Marines have died in the last decade due to noncombat vehicle incidents.
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