A Navy Seal commander has been found dead at his home in San Diego County, California.
Navy officials announced on Wednesday that Commander Robert Ramirez III, 47, was found deceased on Monday, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Naval Special Warfare officials said that his passing is under investigation but that no foul play is suspected.
“Bobby was an outstanding leader, devoted husband and father, and a good friend to us all,” the commander of Naval Special Warfare Group 1, Captain David Abernathy Abernathy, said in a statement. “This is a devastating loss to our community and all who knew him. We will remain in support of Bobby’s family, friends, and teammates during this extremely difficult time.”
Commander Ramirez has received several awards, including five Bronze Star Medals and three Combat Action ribbons. He received several medals in relation to the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Inherent Resolve campaign against ISIS. Two of his Bronze Star Medals included the Combat “V” device in recognition of his valour, NBC San Diego noted.
He was also awarded a Defense Meritorious Service Medal and a Joint Service Commendation Medal.
Commander Ramirez enlisted on 25 January 1996, after which he went through Recruit training in Great Lakes, Illinois, as well as Combat Systems training in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He then moved on to Navy Special Warfare Basic Training in Coronado, California in 1997.
Commander Ramirez was assigned to the East Coast Special Warfare Unit in Virginia between June 1997 and July 2001. While in Virginia, he went back to school before going back to the West Coast Special Warfare Unit in June 2004, then a commissioned officer. He left that unit in June 2020 after being made Commander on 1 September 2019.
At the time of his death, Commander Ramirez was serving at the Naval Base Coronado, according to NBC San Diego.
Before his latest arrival at Coronado in June this year, the commander was with the Seventh Fleet, in Yokosuka, Japan starting in June 2020.
He’s the second SEAL team commander to pass away over the course of the last year. The Commander of SEAL Team 8, Brian Bourgeois, died during helicopter rope training in Norfolk, Virginia on 7 December 2021.
The Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro, posthumously promoted him to Captain in October.
