Marine Forces Special Operations Command identified Staff Sgt. Joshua Braica as the Raider who was killed in a Polaris MRZR accident aboard Camp Pendleton, California.
Braica, a 29-year-old Critical Skills Operator from Sacramento, California, lost his life Sunday after his MRZR experienced a rollover Saturday during a training evolution, a command release detailed. That incident also injured two other Raiders.
Braica was evacuated to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, but succumbed to his injuries Sunday evening.
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“Our thoughts are with the family and teammates of Staff Sgt. Braica during this difficult time,” MARSOC said in the release. “MARSOC is providing care and support to them and we urge respect for their privacy as they grieve this loss.”
Braica joined the Corps in 2010 and was assigned to 1st Raider Battalion.
Before becoming a Raider, he served as an intelligence specialist with 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, and with Marine Aircraft Group 36, according to the release.
Braica deployed twice during his more than eight-year career in the Corps.
He first deployed with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit as an intelligence specialist in 2011 to the Pacific region. And after becoming a Raider in 2015, he returned to the Pacific with 1st Raider Battalion from July 2017 to January 2018, the release detailed.
His awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Gold Star in lieu of second award; two Good Conduct Medals; the National Defense Service Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; and three Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.
Braica was a graduate of some of the military’s most prominent schools to include: Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center, Marksmanship Instructor Course, MARSOC’s Individual Training Course, MARSOC’s Basic Language Course, the MARSOF [Marine Special Operations Forces] Technical Surveillance Course, the MARSOF Network Operators Course, the Basic Airborne Course and Military Freefall School.
Braica is survived by his wife and son. The incident is under investigation.
Shawn Snow is the senior reporter for Marine Corps Times and a Marine Corps veteran.
