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Officials are investigating the Nov. 12 death of Army Sgt. Christian Joseph D’Andrea, 22, at his off-post home in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Officials are investigating the Nov. 12 death of Army Sgt. Christian Joseph D’Andrea, 22, at his off-post home in Fairbanks, Alaska. (U.S. Army)

Alaska officials are investigating the death of an Army sergeant at his off-post home in Fairbanks on Nov. 12, the Army announced Thursday.

Sgt. Christian Joseph D’Andrea, 22, was stationed at Fort Wainwright as a gunner and ammunition team chief with the 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, the Army said in a news release.

The Fairbanks Police Department and the Army Criminal Investigation Division are investigating the cause of death.

The Army did not release any further details but asked soldiers to “continue to look out and take care of each other.”

“During this difficult time, we ask those distressed to seek assistance — and for all teammates to be attuned to Soldiers who may be having a difficult experience,” Lt. Col. Eugene Palka said in the release.

A native of Amarillo, Texas, D’Andrea joined the Army in June 2017. He trained at Fort Sill, Okla., South Korea and Fort Bliss, Texas, before reporting to Alaska in May 2020, the Army said.

Among his awards and decorations are the Army Commendation Medal, two awards of the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

D’Andrea is survived by his parents, an older brother and younger sister, according to a GoFundMe account set up by Aurora Gregory, a lifelong friend, to help his family with transportation and funeral costs.

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Wyatt Olson is based in the Honolulu bureau, where he has reported on military and security issues in the Indo-Pacific since 2014. He was Stars and Stripes’ roving Pacific reporter from 2011-2013 while based in Tokyo. He was a freelance writer and journalism teacher in China from 2006-2009.

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