HEADQUARTERS, U.S. ARMY ALASKA, JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – A U.S. Army Alaska soldier died during an on-duty accident Monday, Jan. 23.
The incident is under investigation by the Army Criminal Investigation Division and U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center.
Spc. Karolina Ferrer-Padilla, 20, was an Army petroleum supply specialist with the 6th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
Ferrer-Padilla, from Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico, joined the Army in September 2019 and trained at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Fort Lee, Virginia, before completing the Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, and reporting to Alaska in August 2020.
“Spc. Ferrer-Padilla was a dedicated professional, loving wife, and faithful friend,” said Lt. Col. Justin Pritchard, 6th BEB commander. “An aspiring leader, she brought joy and inspiration to all her fellow paratroopers. The Oak Battalion and Spartan Brigade grieve alongside her family and friends, and offer our sincere condolences.”
Her awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Parachutist Badge.
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