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Wisconsin Marine Recruit Dies in Basic Training
San Diego Union-Tribune ^ | 14-Dec-2002 | Jeanette Steele

Posted on 12/14/2002 12:36:54 PM PST by Ben Chad

Wisconsin recruit was training in pool

By Jeanette Steele UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

December 14, 2002

A 19-year-old Marine recruit died Thursday after survival training at a base swimming pool, officials at Marine Corps Recruit Depot said yesterday.

Pvt. Samuel J. Bruss of Kenosha, Wis., is the second San Diego-based recruit to die after training since late last month.

He had exited the pool and reported chest pains to a nearby medical corpsman just before 2:30 p.m. Despite emergency care on the base and at UCSD Medical Center, Bruss died at 3:45 p.m. A Marine official said there is no indication yet as to the cause of death.

Bruss had no known health problems and was an avid outdoorsman, said his uncle, Jim Jansen, in Wisconsin.

"He was extremely active, not so much with traditional sports of football and basketball, but all-terrain sports and volleyball," Jansen said. "That's part of the reason for the (family's) shock. . . . Everyone's reaching out for answers."

An autopsy and an investigation are planned, officials said.

Bruss was in the third phase of water-survival classes, during which Marines learn to float while weighted down with gear. They start dressed in camouflage fatigues and add packs, boots, weapons and helmets as the training progresses, said 1st Lt. Mike Friel of the recruit depot.

The training is conducted in an Olympic-size swimming pool heated to about 80 degrees, he said.

Jansen said his nephew was a good swimmer and that his parents have an outdoor pool at their home.

Bruss is the sixth Marine recruit in San Diego to die during or resulting from training since 1995. Most of the others collapsed during training runs or obstacle-course work.

The cause of death for Pvt. Neal Edwards, 18, who died Nov. 23 after completing a base obstacle course, is still unknown, Friel said. Toxicology reports from the autopsy are not finished.

Recruits undergo at least one physical examination before they enter boot camp, Friel said.

Bruss is survived by his parents, two sisters and an older brother who is a Marine serving in Bahrain.

A base official said Bruss was a promising Marine.

"I can tell you that recruit Bruss was doing well in his training," said Lt. Col. William Walsh, recruit regiment executive officer. "He worked hard, was dedicated and would have made a fine U.S. Marine."


TOPICS: Front Page News
KEYWORDS: death; marine; military; recruit
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Heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Samuel Bruss of Kenosha, Wisconsin. God bless the surviving patriots in basic training at Camp Pendelton, including my son, who are mourning their second loss in less than a month.
1 posted on 12/14/2002 12:36:56 PM PST by Ben Chad
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To: Ben Chad
Prayers for the family of Pvt. Bruss.
2 posted on 12/14/2002 12:45:50 PM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: Ben Chad
May God Bless them all. With new technology, marines and all branches should be administering strigent health tests, not just the usual physical.
3 posted on 12/14/2002 12:48:20 PM PST by D. Miles
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To: Ben Chad
How sad. Condolences to the family and friends.
4 posted on 12/14/2002 12:53:47 PM PST by Dante3
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To: Ben Chad
Heartfelt sorrow for the loss of this fine young man. A loss to his family and to our country.
5 posted on 12/14/2002 12:59:49 PM PST by Bahbah
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To: D. Miles
Looks like the BigMac culture may be causing heart disease even in the young. Best to his parents.
6 posted on 12/14/2002 1:01:25 PM PST by willyone
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To: willyone
Looks like the BigMac culture may be causing heart disease even in the young.

You're a brilliant one, aren't you? Next time do a little research before you open your brainless mouth.

Condolences to the family and thank you Pvt. Neal Edwards for volunteering to serve our country.

7 posted on 12/14/2002 1:07:08 PM PST by lindor
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To: lindor
So sad when a young healthy man who is doing his best for his country just dies. The poor poor family. This just happens ,,like a reallly nice baseball player who died recently, LSU player, just died while sleeping. It must just torment the family wondering what happened.
8 posted on 12/14/2002 1:10:49 PM PST by cajungirl
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To: Ben Chad
It's a very sad day when an enthusiastic volunteer is hurt or killed. Not everyone, it's clear, can be a Marine. Those who train recruits have a special responsibility to carefully separate those who can from those who can't.

I'm not blaming anyone but responsibility is on the training staff for everyone's safety.

9 posted on 12/14/2002 1:18:58 PM PST by muir_redwoods
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To: Ben Chad; ChadGore; archy
Wisconsin heartfelt prayers for Private Bruss and his family. God Bless him.
10 posted on 12/14/2002 1:19:52 PM PST by MotleyGirl70
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To: Ben Chad
My condolences to the family of Pvt. Bruss.

Good luck to your son, Ben Chad.

Sad Regards

alfa6 ;>}
11 posted on 12/14/2002 1:22:42 PM PST by alfa6
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To: cajungirl
About seven years ago a guy I went to highschool with who was one grade behind me died in his sleep. He was at deer camp and went to lay down and he passed away in his sleep.

At the time he was 23. Young and healthy. He had heart failure. It was just the most weird thing. I guess it happens without warning. Sad.

12 posted on 12/14/2002 1:23:38 PM PST by MotleyGirl70
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To: MotleyGirl70
Perhaps the Lord had need of Pvt. Bruss in his spiritual army. G-d bless and comfort his family.
13 posted on 12/14/2002 2:12:22 PM PST by widowithfoursons
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To: muir_redwoods
I'm not blaming anyone but responsibility is on the training staff for everyone's safety.

Recruits undergo at least one physical examination before they enter boot camp, Friel said.

My deepest condolences to this young man's family.

The U.S. Navy medical personnel first pokes and prods every recruit till he screams for combat. Then it is up to the D.I.'s to mold him into a US Marine. This poor kid obviously was up to snuff in all departments but something gave out. It's not a "first" and unfortunately it won't be the last.

The weeding out of medically unsound recruits is supposed to take place long before he is sent to boot. The D.I.'s don't have time to babysit unhealthy recruits. When it is discovered, they will immediately remove the recruit from training and place him under medical care and advise ment as to furthering his training.

But from experience I can tell you that you do not always report personal physical problems for fear of harsher treatment. My personal exp was torn ankle tendens in both ankles during my boot camp time discovered during a 5miler and the treatment was more of an embarrasment with side effects of borderline mistreatment from my DI then any cure. So I, like many others before me and after me kept our mouths shut. I would suspect the same here.

God Bless Pvt. Samuel J. Bruss of Kenosha, Wis.

Semper Fi

14 posted on 12/14/2002 3:28:28 PM PST by JoeSixPack1
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To: muir_redwoods
Those who train recruits have a special responsibility to carefully separate those who can from those who can't.

Hogwash. The DIs at the recruit depots don't "carefully separate" nonhackers from their platoons. They eagerly anticipate the opportunity to drop them. If Bruss was a no-load he would have been dropped in first phase long before water survival training. This kid probably had a congenital defect that went undetected.

15 posted on 12/14/2002 5:18:56 PM PST by SMEDLEYBUTLER
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To: SMEDLEYBUTLER
"carefully separate"

ROFL:!!!! UUUhhhHHRRAAAAA :-)

16 posted on 12/14/2002 5:30:04 PM PST by JoeSixPack1
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To: Ben Chad
An adverse vaccination reaction maybe?
17 posted on 12/14/2002 5:43:33 PM PST by FormerLurker
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To: Ben Chad
This young man died in the service of his country during a time of war. His family should be afforded the same respect and support as if he died in combat. May God bless them and have mercy on this brave young man.
18 posted on 12/14/2002 6:31:12 PM PST by Ronaldus Magnus
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To: Ben Chad
"I can tell you that recruit Bruss was doing well in his training," said Lt. Col. William Walsh, recruit regiment executive officer. "He worked hard, was dedicated and would have made a fine U.S. Marine."

Sounds to me like Bruss was a fine Marine, recruit or otherwise...
19 posted on 12/14/2002 7:03:04 PM PST by rolling_stone
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To: Ben Chad
Prayers and condolences to the family of this fine young marine recruit.

I hated the water training the most myself, it is a cruel unforgiving challenge that tests one's most base desire to survive and to know when to give in.. or drown.
20 posted on 12/14/2002 7:06:17 PM PST by NormsRevenge
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