Pfc. Tanner F. Rubio died Dec. 3, 2025, from injuries sustained in a tactical vehicle “mishap” at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Southern California. (U.S. Marine Corps)
A Camp Pendleton Marine killed in a tactical vehicle incident on Wednesday had joined the Marines less than a year ago, the Marines said Friday.
Pfc. Tanner F. Rubio, 21, was from Dixon, Calif., about 25 miles southwest of Sacramento. He joined the Marines in January 2025 and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton.
The Marines said the tactical vehicle “mishap” occurred during training, unrelated to Exercise Steel Knight 25, a major military exercise underway at the base 40 miles north of San Diego.
No additional information on the accident is publicly available at this time, the Marines said.
“The tragic loss of Pfc. Rubio is one felt across the 1st Marine Division,” said Maj. Gen. Thomas Savage, commanding general of the 1st Marine Division. “He will be sorely missed, but his honorable service to his country will not be forgotten. All of us at the Blue Diamond will keep him and his family in our thoughts and prayers.”
Camp Pendleton is a major Marine training facility. At least four other Marines assigned to the base have died in training incidents since August 2023.
Maj. Tyler R. Braconi died Oct. 16 in the crash of an AH-1Z Viper in Imperial County in Southern California. He was a pilot assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 369, based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton.
Cpl. Miguel A. Maya, an avionics technician with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 303, died in April 2024 at MCAS Camp Pendleton during what officials called an “aviation ground mishap.”
Sgt. Matthew K. Bylski, attached to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Pendleton, was killed, and 14 service members were injured when an amphibious assault vehicle they were riding in rolled over on Camp Pendleton in December 2023.
Lance Cpl. Joseph D. Whaley died in August 2023 from a “negligent discharge” during a night live fire exercise at the School of Infantry-West, at Camp Pendleton.
