Active duty Army Ranger Nicholas D. Goshen, who set physical fitness records in the 75th Ranger Regiment, died of “natural causes” last week.
LTC Goshen reportedly died after having a heart attack during a routine physical fitness test while deployed to Romania.
Apparently, the U.S. Army now classifies young servicemembers dying of a heart attack as “natural causes.”
Goshen served in the 101st Airborne Division’s intelligence directorate during its current deployment to Eastern Europe.
He passed away on September 6th.
It has been confirmed that LTC Goshen died after having a heart attack during a routine physical fitness test while deployed to Romania.
When a servicemember dies from a heart attack, the Army now classifies that death under “natural causes.”
— BowTiedRanger (@BowTiedRanger) September 13, 2022
From Army Times:
Lt. Col. Nicholas D. Goshen had recently completed a tour with the Joint Staff at the Pentagon and returned to the Fort Campbell, Kentucky-based division where he began his career as an infantry officer in 2004, according to the release. He deployed to Iraq once with the 101st and deployed to Afghanistan six times during his tours with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, 75th Ranger Regiment and 10th Mountain Division.
More than 4,000 troops from the 101st Airborne are currently deployed to Europe as part of the U.S. military’s increased commitments in the region after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. The division’s headquarters replaced that of the 82nd Airborne Division in recent months.
Goshen was serving in the division’s intelligence directorate at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, during the deployment. Division officials did not provide additional details on the circumstances of his death.
The lieutenant colonel’s division commander, Maj. Gen. JP McGee, remembered him. as “a valued member of the team whose passion and commitment to the division and our Soldiers was extraordinary.” McGee added that he “can personally attest to [Goshen’s] exceptional talent. He will be missed.”
Stars and Stripes added:
A graduate of The Citadel in South Carolina, Goshen was commissioned into the infantry in 2004. Past assignments included stints in a number of the Army’s leading infantry units, including the Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade and the 75th Ranger Regiment.
He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Army said. During his career, Goshen deployed seven times, spending 42 months overseas on various combat missions. Among his awards were the Bronze Star with “V’ device for valor and the Purple Heart.
Goshen is survived by his wife of 14 years, Megan Epner, the Army said.
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