Additional Coverage:
A U.S. Army combat engineer tragically lost his life during a training exercise in California when he was struck by a tank.
Specialist Adrian Bonsey, 29, was on foot during a large-scale training operation at the National Training Center in California’s Mojave Desert when he was run over by a 27-ton M2 Bradley fighting vehicle. Assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Specialist Bonsey died early on June 10, around 4:30 a.m., amid low visibility conditions, according to an Army spokesperson.
Maj. Gen.
John Lubas, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, expressed deep sorrow over the loss, calling Bonsey “an exceptional soldier committed to our mission and proudly serving our nation.” He added that the division is mourning alongside Bonsey’s family, friends, and fellow soldiers.
Originally from New York, Specialist Bonsey enlisted in the Army in 2023 and had been stationed at Fort Stewart for two months. Prior to this, he served at Fort Carson, Colorado, and was deployed to Poland earlier this year.
The training exercise, designed to simulate wartime conditions, typically lasts about a month and serves as a critical preparation phase before units are deployed overseas. Bradley fighting vehicles, like the one involved in the incident, operate with a three-man crew and can carry a six-man rifle team into combat. These vehicles are armed with a 25 mm chain gun, an M240C 7.62 mm machine gun, and TOW anti-tank missiles.
Data from the Pentagon highlights the dangers inherent even in training environments. In 2025 alone, 31 soldiers died in training accidents, with many fatalities involving military vehicles and rollover incidents. While vehicle-related deaths have decreased significantly since the mid-2000s surge to train for Iraq, the military continues to face challenges such as sleep deprivation, insufficient training, and inexperienced leadership contributing to these tragedies.
The circumstances surrounding Specialist Bonsey’s death remain under investigation as the Army seeks to understand and prevent future accidents.