A Hawaii-based Marine was killed during a training exercise at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms March 11. Private First Class Casey Holmes, 20, who is originally from Chico, died Monday night in a bulldozer mishap while participating in an Integrated Training Exercise, or ITX. Captain Nick Mannweiler, public affairs officer for the Marine base, said Holmes and 5,000 other Marines were on the base to train prior to being deployed. Holmes enlisted in the Marine Corps in May and joined the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in October as an infantryman, and was training for his first deployment. According to the release, his personal decorations include the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
