Soldier killed at military installation identified as former Naval Officer turned Special Forces operative

The National Guard soldier who tragically lost his life in an accident at Camp Blanding Joint Military Training Center, Clay County, Florida, has been identified as Sergeant Collin Bryce Wood, 38.

Sergeant Wood died on January 10 after being struck by a car. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the incident occurred around 6:56 a.m. as Wood was walking east along Avenue B near Fort Pierce Road. A 2018 Jeep Cherokee, also traveling east, struck him.

The vehicle was driven by a 28-year-old woman from Green Cove Springs, who was not injured and stopped immediately at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.

The Florida National Guard confirmed the soldier’s death but initially withheld his identity, which was later confirmed by a funeral home in Utah handling his arrangements.

Sergeant Wood had a distinguished military career that spanned nearly two decades. Further investigation by The Salty Soldier revealed he served with the 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, after transitioning from the U.S. Navy to the Army National Guard.

Wood enlisted in the Navy as an Aviation Ordnanceman (AO) in 2005. In 2008, he was accepted into the United States Naval Academy.

According to a pamphlet distributed at a National Guard memorial service, Wood graduated from the academy in 2014, having taken a two-year hiatus from 2008 to 2010 to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France and Belgium.

After graduating, he was commissioned as a Navy officer and served as a Disbursing, Sales, and Postal Officer aboard the USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98).

In 2020, Wood resigned his commission to join the Army National Guard as an enlisted soldier in Special Forces, seeking more deployment opportunities and a broader global impact.

In 2023, Wood deployed to Niger as a Special Forces intelligence analyst. His fluency in French and Arabic, which he had self-taught, significantly enhanced joint operations between French and Nigerien forces.

Beyond his military duties, he volunteered his time to assist orphans during his deployment.

Sergeant Wood’s funeral will take place on Friday, January 31, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. at the Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park Chapel. A viewing is scheduled from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at Larkin Mortuary in Riverton, Utah, as well as on Friday at 11:00 a.m. prior to the services at the cemetery chapel.

Military Funeral Honors will follow the interment at the Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park.

For those unable to attend in person, the funeral services will be streamed via Zoom.

© 2025 The Salty Soldier All rights reserved.

The content of this webpage may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written consent of TheSaltySoldier.com.

Back To Top
Get notified when new stories are published OK No thanks