
A Marine private died Monday of a non-combat related gunshot wound while deployed with his infantry battalion to Camp Victory, Kuwait, defense officials announced.
Pfc. Matthew G. Milczark, 18,. was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Further details about his death were not immediately available.
His unit is among seven infantry battalions deploying this spring as part of a 25,000-Marine force slated for the first of two seven-month Marine Corps rotations to Iraq.
Milczark, of Kettle River, Minn., joined the Marine Corps on June 24 and his personal awards include the National Defense Service Medal, according to Camp Pendleton officials. He is the first Marine to die in the Corps’ latest large-scale deployment to Iraq.
The last known Marine death in the war zone came eight months ago.
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