NCIS Investigating Death Of Major General At SoCal Military Base

TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA — The death of a retired high-ranking military officer at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms is under investigation.

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. William F. Mullen III, 59, was found dead at the installation on Saturday.

"Mullen was at The Combat Center to attend the Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group (MCTOG) Change of Command ceremony," according to an emailed statement from 1st Lt Kristian N. Floyd, operations officer, communication strategy and operations, Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is probing the death while the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner's office is performing an autopsy to determine the manner and cause.

In a released statement to KESQ, Darwin Lam, public affairs specialist for the NCIS, said, "I can confirm that NCIS is conducting a thorough investigation into the death of retired Maj. Gen. William Mullen, as we do in response to any non-combat, medically unattended fatalities involving Navy and USMC equities, service members, and affiliated civilian personnel. Out of respect for the investigative process, NCIS will not comment further while the investigation remains ongoing."

The NCIS investigates all fatalities within the Department of Navy, including homicide, suicide, accidental, natural and those in which the the manner of death is pending autopsy findings, according to the NCIS.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Savage, commanding general of the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, extended sympathies to Mullen's family and friends.

"Major General Mullen's dedicated service to our nation and the Marine Corps will always be remembered. Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones," Savage said in a released statement.

In 2016, President Barack Obama nominated Mullen to succeed Maj. Gen. Lewis A. Craparotta as Commanding General of MCAGCC, Twentynine Palms.

A two-star general, a Major General is nominated by the president and must also be confirmed for duty by the Senate.

Mullen's military career began in 1986 when he was commissioned from Marquette University. Among his many overseas deployments were Operation Desert Shield, where he participated in counter-narcotics missions in support of Joint Task Force-6; Operation Sea Signal, participating in contingency operations in the former Yugoslavia; Operations Officer for Regimental Combat Team – 8, with whom he deployed to Fallujah, Iraq; Commander of 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines in Fallujah; and CJOC Director and Target Engagement Authority for fires in support of Iraqi Security Forces during Operation Inherent Resolve.

His last assignment was serving as the Commanding General, Training and Education Command, according to his biography.

He retired in 2020.

Mullen held a B.A. and M.A. in political science from Marquette University, as well as an M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. He was a graduate of the Airborne, Ranger, Summer Mountain Leader and Royal Marine Arctic Warfare Survival courses.