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Military Names Fort Bragg Soldier Killed in Training Accident

A Fort Bragg soldier who died in a parachute accident during a training accident was an immigrant from Colombia and a highly decorated Green Beret.

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Sgt. 1st Class Carlo J. Meth
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A Fort Bragg soldier who died in a parachute accident during training was an immigrant from Colombia and a highly decorated Green Beret.

Military authorities on Saturday identified Sgt. 1st Class Carlo J. Meth, 35, of North Dakota, as the soldier who died during training at Laurinburg-Maxton Airport on Wednesday, Jan. 16. Officials had previously withheld his name, pending notification of family.

The accident occurred during HALO – high altitude, low opening – training. Soldiers learn in these exercises to jump from very high altitudes and wait until they are close to the ground to open their parachutes so that they can evade detection by enemies.

Special Forces officials said there are no plans to suspend future HALO jumps while the fatal incident is investigated.

Meth, who was born in Colombia, was assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg.

Meth enlisted in the Army as an infantryman in October 1990 and earned the coveted Green Beret in 2005.

He served in Afghanistan in 2003 and had also been deployed to the Horn of Africa, Bosnia and Egypt.

Meth is survived by his daughter, Nikole, of Ontario, Canada, and his parents, Curtis and Linda, of Guthrie, Okla.

His awards and decorations include six Army Commendation Medals, six Army Achievement Medals, five Army Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, two Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals, Kosovo Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global on War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, two Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, United Nations Medal, Multinational Force and Observers Medal, NATO Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab and Special Forces Tab.

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