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Fort Carson soldier drowns while off-duty on deployment at Guantanamo Bay

Fort Carson soldier drowns while off-duty on deployment at Guantanamo Bay
Posted at 1:17 PM, Mar 31, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-31 15:17:26-04

DENVER – A Fort Carson soldier enlisted for nearly 20 years drowned Thursday while off-duty in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jose Eduardo Lopez-Cobena, a New York native stationed at Fort Carson since February 2014 who was deployed to Joint Task Force – Guantanamo, died “in a non-combat alleged drowning incident while deployed in support of detainee operations,” according to Fort Carson.

The 40-year-old Lopez-Cobena was stationed with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. The U.S. Army says he had been serving in a year-long change of station assignment at Guantanamo.

He enlisted in the Army in August 1997, was deployed to Iraq twice – from February 2003 to October 2003, and again from June 2007 to September 2008. He had been at Joint Task Force-Guantanamo Bay since last June.

An ordnance branch warrant officer, Lopez-Cobena arrived at Fort Carson Feb. 10, 2014.

While enlisted, Lopez-Cobena earned numerous awards, including the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and two Army Commendation medals, among several others.

Fort Carson said a photo of Lopez-Cobena was not immediately available.

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