An Army officer from Washington County has died in Kuwait of an illness unrelated to combat.

The Department of Defense identified the officer as Lt. Col. Ralph J. Marino, 46, of Houston, Pa. He died Sunday at Camp Buehring, Kuwait.

His family declined to be interviewed yesterday, saying it considered Col. Marino's death a private matter.

Maj. Nathan Banks, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon, said Col. Marino worked in public affairs, handling Army communications and media inquiries.

Maj. Banks said he did not know what caused Col. Marino's death.

Col. Marino joined the Army in September 1982 in a delayed-entry program, Maj. Banks said. He began his service as a soldier in May 1984 after graduating from Washington & Jefferson College with a bachelor's degree in political science.