I Got The News Today (IGTNT) is one of the oldest continuous series on Daily Kos. It is a way for our community to pay respect to those who have died as a result of war.
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Once again, we gather to pay our respects to one who has fallen while in service to our nation. Tonight we remember the life of an airman from California. He is the first casualty from Operation Inherent Resolve in the year 2015. Last year, there were three other sad deaths, reported by the Department of Defense, of those supporting that operation.
Technical Sergeant Anthony E. Salazar
Flags in California are being flown at half-staff to honor Air Force Technical Sergeant Salazar. Anthony E. Salazar was from Hermosa Beach in California. His home unit is the 452nd Air Mobility Wing, 452nd Civil Engineering Squadron, which is based at March Air Reserve Base in California.
Salazar was assigned to the 577th Expeditionary Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force Squadron, part of the 1st Expeditionary Civil Engineer Group and reporting to U.S. Air Forces Central Command. An Air Force news release published last year indicates the group was forward deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
The 577th Expeditionary Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force (577th Prime BEEF) Squadron's responsibilities include construction, safety assessments, repair, planning, programming, design, surveying, and construction management. When units throughout the U.S. Air Forces Central Command's area of responsibility need new facilities, Prime BEEF provides plans, designs, and construction capabilities.
There was only a little information announced by the Department of Defense about the airman, but a spokesman for Central Command did fill in a few facts which were published by the Stars and Stripes:
He was working at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, supporting Operation Inherent Resolve at the time of his death, said Col. Edward Sholtis, a spokesman for U.S. Air Forces Central Command.
Salazar was assigned to the 577th Expeditionary Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force Squadron, 1st Expeditionary Civil Engineer Group, U.S. Air Forces Central Command.
Salazar was a mechanical systems repairman, Sholtis said. His unit’s headquarters is at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Sholtis said Salazar was working elsewhere at an air base in the Gulf region.
The 40-year-old Airman died April 13, at an undisclosed air base in southwest Asia. Military officials are investigating the circumstances of his death, which they described as a noncombat-related incident.
The
Patriot Guard Riders will provide escorts during the memorial services for Technical Sergeant Anthony E. Salazar. May he rest in peace.
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About the IGTNT series:
”I Got the News Today” is a diary series intended to honor, respect, and remember the fallen, and to remind us that each casualty has family and friends who received the terrible news that their loved one has died. US service members whose names have been released by the US Department of Defense will usually be diarized two days after the official announcement on the DoD website. This allows the IGTNT team to cover each person more fully, but still in a timely manner. Click the IGTNT tag below to see previous diaries in the series, which was begun by i dunno, and is maintained by i dunno, Sandy on Signal, Monkeybiz, Noweasels, Blue Jersey Mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, SisTwo, Spam Nunn, True Blue Majority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, maggiejean, Jax Dem, The Fat Lady Sings, Ekaterin, & Joy of Fishes. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but show our community’s respect for those who have died.
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Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members mentioned here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.