Washington Post -- Specialist Christopher D. McCarthy had the military in his blood. His father had been a Navy commander, and after McCarthy graduated high school in 1998, he joined the Army.

The Virginia Beach man spent two years on active duty, serving in Germany and as a peacekeeper in Kosovo, before returning to civilian life. Eight years later, he volunteered to go to Iraq, where he was found dead Sunday in his barracks, military officials said yesterday.

The U.S. military is investigating the death of McCarthy, 28, who died at the forward operating base in Ramadi, about 60 miles west of Baghdad, said Lt. Col. Philip Smith, deputy public affairs officer for Joint Forces Command. McCarthy was found in his room without a pulse, and his death was not combat-related, Smith said. There were no immediate signs of foul play, military officials said.

"We have to go through the process of having an investigation and an autopsy to determine what the cause of death was," Smith said. McCarthy's body was to be flown to the United States yesterday or today, he said, and the autopsy would take place soon.

Family members declined to comment yesterday, and neighbors said they did not know why McCarthy chose to return to the military. Smith, who has served 20 years, said those in the service "kind of love what they do, and I know people who leave the military miss the camaraderie. I think it's something you can't find as easily in the civilian world."

McCarthy was "a friendly, easygoing person" who was close to his large family, said J.R. Perea, a neighbor who has known the family for more than 20 years. He said that McCarthy's parents had both died, and that McCarthy had lived in Virginia Beach with a brother in their childhood house. McCarthy's father was a retired Navy commander and a brother had been in the Army, Perea said.

"He was a polite young man, a very nice guy," Perea said, adding that McCarthy played baseball as a youth and was well liked in his neighborhood.

After McCarthy graduated from Tallwood High School in 1998 and served in the Army, he spent seven years as an inactive reservist, Smith said. During that time, he said McCarthy graduated from Old Dominion University with a degree in finance. McCarthy did odd jobs while he was attending school, Perea said.

McCarthy started drilling as an active reservist again in January 2007 and volunteered in February for a six-month deployment to Iraq, Smith said. He was assigned to the Norfolk-based U.S. Joint Forces Command, Joint Reserve Unit.

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The Virginian-Pilot --

Spc. Chris McCarthy joined the Army Reserve to help pay his tuition at Old Dominion University.

Duty sometimes interrupted his life after graduation.

In February, he volunteered for a six-month deployment to Ramadi as part of a task force helping to reconstruct the Iraqi city.

On Sunday, McCarthy was found in his barracks unconscious and without a pulse. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. McCarthy was 28.

Lt. Col. Philip Smith, public affairs officer for Joint Forces Command, said Tuesday that the cause of death has not been determined. An autopsy will be performed.

Neighbors said McCarthy was quiet, close to his large family and eager to better himself. He had seven siblings and shared the family home in Virginia Beach with one of his brothers, neighbors said. His parents are deceased.

McCarthy graduated from Tallwood High School in 1998, said classmate and neighbor Ellen Silvela. He was friendly, easygoing and polite, she said .

Silvela studied finance at ODU and gave McCarthy some books and advice about the course work, she said.

He was described as a pleasant presence around the neighborhood. “Every time you’d see him, he’d wave,” said Rhonda Perea, a family friend and longtime neighbor.

Perea said McCarthy never got into trouble as a child.

“He was a fine young man,” Perea said. “Great things were in his future.”

McCarthy deployed overseas twice.

A brother, reached at the family home, declined to comment.

Task Force Ramadi is made up of more than 100 military and civilian personnel, Smith said. The unit fell under Joint Forces Command, based in Norfolk.