FORT JACKSON, S.C. -- The Fort Jackson community will remember one of its Soldiers at a memorial service scheduled for 9:30 a.m., Friday at Bayonet Chapel.
Pvt. Jordan Chase, a 19-year-old Soldier in Basic Combat Training with Company A, 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, died Sunday at Palmetto Richland Hospital from complications associated with pneumonia. Chase started basic training Jan. 10 and did very well until he got ill, said Capt. Ryan Reay, commander of Co. A, 3-34th.
"He (was) a very motivated, very dedicated Soldier who was very involved in the training, very involved with his battle buddies. He was a very caring Soldier," Reay said. "In fact, the day of Victory Tower, he was really excited about completing his training. He wanted to rappel and do the rope obstacles, and that's what he did."
Lt. Col. Bryan Hernandez, commander of the 3-34th, said the Soldiers in Chase's unit remain focused on completing basic training despite the loss of one of their battle buddies.
"In order to cope with the loss, the Soldiers in the company have been addressed by the unit's leadership and our battalion chaplain," Hernandez said. "We have counselors available to those (Soldiers) who request such services, however, they seem calm and determined to complete basic training."
Reay said he hopes that Chase will be an inspiration to his battle buddies.
"It's been difficult, but what I put out to the Soldiers is, 'Follow Pvt. Chase's example. Understand the dedication that he had to the unit and to the mission and continue to train as if he were still with us, because that's what he would want,'" Reay said.
Chase, a native of Lewiston, Maine, is survived by his mother, Rhonda Tilley, and father, Tom Chase.
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