The father of an Indiana soldier who died during basic training says his son had dreamed of joining the military ever since he was in middle school.
Brent Rardin says his 20-year-old son Aurek Rardin was on his last training exercise for advanced infantry training when he became ill at Fort Benning, Ga., and died at a hospital Saturday.
Rardin tells the Journal & Courier his son's letters were all about excitement for the things he was doing.
The younger Rardin grew up in Lafayette and graduated from Jefferson High School in 2012.
Rardin says an autopsy found nothing unusual with his son and that the Army continues to investigate the death.
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