The Army has confirmed that the death of a 23-year-old Soldier assigned to Fort Carson is under active investigation—but is withholding all details and has closed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking basic information.
Spc. Tanner Keagan Gene Hodges, a Combat Engineer, passed away on February 27, 2026, according to an obituary published by his family.
As previously reported, the Army did not issue a press release or public statement announcing Hodges’ death. Instead, confirmation appeared only in a “Claims to Estate” notice posted on Fort Carson’s official website—a legal notice intended for financial matters rather than public information.
Prior to submitting a Freedom of Information Act request, The Salty Soldier sought basic details through Fort Carson Public Affairs. Officials declined to provide information and referred all inquiries to the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID). Subsequent outreach to CID Public Affairs has gone unanswered.
Following that outreach, The Salty Soldier submitted a FOIA request specifically seeking non-CID records within Fort Carson’s control, including Military Police reports, blotter entries, and command-level incident documentation.
In response, Fort Carson officials confirmed that records related to Hodges’ death are part of an active, ongoing investigation and cannot be released at this time. The Army stated that investigative findings must first be provided to the Soldier’s next of kin before any information is made public, and closed the request pending that process.
As a result, even the most basic facts remain withheld.
The Army has not released where the incident occurred—including whether it happened at Fort Carson, elsewhere in the United States, or overseas—nor has it provided whether Hodges was on or off duty, the time of the incident, or any initial classification of death.
All that is publicly known is that a Soldier is dead.
The Army has not indicated when—or if—additional information will be released.
The handling of Hodges’ case follows a pattern seen in prior incidents. In 2025, a Soldier was found dead in a vehicle outside the barracks at Wheeler Army Airfield in Hawaii. The Army acknowledged the incident and stated it was under investigation, but key details—including the Soldier’s identity—have still not been publicly released.
While the circumstances differ, both cases reflect situations where almost no information surrounding a Soldier’s death was made publicly available.
At this time, the circumstances surrounding Hodges’ death remain unclear.
The Salty Soldier will continue to seek answers and provide updates as more information becomes available.
© 2026 The Salty Soldier. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written consent is strictly prohibited.
