A decorated soldier who served eight tours overseas died in a free-fall training exercise in Arizona, Army says

A 36-year-old soldier who served eight tours overseas, including four deployments to Afghanistan, died on Tuesday during a training incident in Arizona, the US Army said.

Master Sgt. Nathan Goodman died during a free falling training exercise in Eloy, Arizona. The type of exercise typically includes soldiers jumping from an aircraft and deploying their parachutes.

Details on how Goodman died is under investigation, Army Special Operations Command spokesman Lt. Col. Loren Bymer said.

A Military man

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Loren Bymer said Goodman was a native of Pasadena, California, and was raised near Chicago. He enlisted in 2002.

Goodman, a 3rd Special Forces Group’s 2nd Battalion, deployed four times to Afghanistan, two to Africa and once to both Iraq and Kyrgyzstan, officials say.

He was promoted to be the Special Warfare Training Group’s chief airborne instructor in 2016, and more recently to master sergeant.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (2OLC), the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Parachutist’s Master Rated Military Free Fall Badge. The free fall badge indicates he was a Jumpmasters — an expert Paratrooper responsible for train other soldiers to jump from airplanes.

“Nathan was a beloved member of 3rd Special Forces Group and an exceptional leader in the Special Operations community,” Col. Nathan Prussian, Commander, 3rd SFG (A) said in a statement.

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to his Family during this difficult time and our priority now rests with taking care of them and our Soldiers,” he said.

Goodman was working at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where two Fort Bragg soldiers — Sgt. Ian Paul McLaughlin and Pfc. Miguel Angel Villalon — were killed earlier this week by an explosive device in Afghanistan.