A soldier just three weeks from basic infantry training graduation died while off-duty at Fort Moore, Georgia on Jan. 8.
Pfc. McCallaster Foley, 20, was killed in what base officials said was a “non-training-related” incident while off-duty after dinner. Officials did not give details about what led to his death, citing an ongoing investigation.
Foley was nearing the end of the five-month training pipeline in which new recruits attend both boot camp and basic infantry training. As new recruits, soldiers in initial training at Fort Moore are generally kept under close supervision throughout initial training, though that level of supervision decreases as they move further in the courses.
According to Army officials at Fort Moore, Foley was “treated on-scene” near the company area by drill sergeants who administered aid until Emergency Medical Services personnel arrived. Foley was then transported to Martin Army Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead, Army officials said.
Foley enlisted as an infantryman under a four-year contract in April 2024 at the Military Entrance Processing Station in Johnston, Iowa. He graduated from IO in 2022 and went on to community college in Des Moines, Iowa before pursuing his childhood goal of enlisting in the Army, according to an obituary posted online.
“McCallaster had an adventurous, charismatic spirit that brought us all many smiles and laughs from the time he was very little,” the post said. “He was beloved by those who had the honor of knowing him. He was a protector, passionate, genuine, humorous, determined, heartfelt, was always looking out for others, always willing to help, he ‘LOVED BIG,’ and gave the best hugs.”
Foley’s parents said in the obituary that he “made everyone he loved feel uniquely valued,” and enjoyed scuba diving, weightlifting, snowboarding, constructing zip lines, helping on the farm, riding his motorcycle, assembling Legos, and shooting guns.
Fort Moore is one of the Army’s largest Basic Combat Training centers. The Georgia base is home to the Army’s infantry school and hosts basic training for around 5,800 new soldiers each year.
Infantry training at Fort Moore falls under the Army’s One-Station Unit Training program, in which new recruits attend boot camp and Advanced Individual Training, or AIT in a continuous 22-week course, graduating as fully-qualified infantry troops. Foley was in the 19th week of the training, Army officials said.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Private First Class Foley, who showed remarkable dedication and spirit. This young man was not just a Soldier in training, he was a member of our battalion family,” Foley’s company commander, Capt. Rachel Hilb from the 2nd Battalion, 198th Infantry Brigade said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
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