Recruit dies in boot camp at Great Lakes

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Updated: January 12, 2012 8:54AM

A 19-year-old U.S. Navy recruit died Wednesday during boot camp training at the Great Lakes Naval base in the north suburbs.

The incident happened at about 10 a.m. at Recruit Training Command (RTC) in Great Lakes, according to a release from the Naval Service Training Command.

Seaman Recruit Christopher Walker, 19, of Kittaning, Pa., died during a standard physical fitness assessment at RTC, a release from the RTC Public Affairs Office said.

Lake County Coroner Artis Yancey said the recruit finished a physical training run and passed out. He was taken to the Captain James Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago where he was pronounced dead at 9:57 a.m., Yancey said.

“Seaman Recruit Walker was an outstanding recruit,” Capt. Steven Bethke, commanding officer, Recruit Training Command, said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his entire family. His loss is felt by the entire Recruit Training Command staff.”

Walker enlisted in the U.S. Navy on Nov. 16, 2011 and was scheduled to graduate from Navy boot camp in January. Following graduation, Walker was scheduled to attend follow-on training as a machinist mate in the Navy, the release said. He is survived by his parents.

An autopsy is tentatively scheduled for Thursday morning, Yancey said. An investigation by the Navy and Naval Criminal Investigative Service to determine the details of the incident was underway.