This resolution honors the service and ultimate sacrifice of six Air Force members who died in a 2026 KC-135 Stratotanker accident during Operation Epic Fury.
Katie Britt
Senator
AL
This resolution honors the memory, service, and ultimate sacrifice of six Air Force service members who lost their lives in a 2026 KC-135 Stratotanker accident during Operation Epic Fury. It expresses the Senate’s deepest condolences to the families of the fallen and recognizes their bravery in service to the United States.
Senate Resolution Honors Six Air Force Members Following 2026 KC-135 Stratotanker Accident in Iraq
This resolution is a formal act of remembrance for six Air Force service members who lost their lives on March 12, 2026, during Operation Epic Fury. The legislation specifically names and honors Major John A. Klinner, Major Ariana G. Savino, Technical Sergeant Ashley B. Pruitt, Captain Seth R. Koval, Captain Curtis J. Angst, and Master Sergeant Tyler H. Simmons. These individuals were involved in a fatal accident involving a KC-135 Stratotanker—a specialized aerial refueling aircraft—while operating over western Iraq. By introducing this resolution, the Senate officially recognizes their bravery and sacrifice as representative of the highest standards of American military service.
A Legacy of Service
The resolution details the professional backgrounds of the fallen, connecting their sacrifice to specific communities and military units. Three of the members—Klinner, Savino, and Pruitt—served with the 99th Air Refueling Squadron based at Sumpter Smith Joint Air National Guard Base in Birmingham, Alabama. The other three—Koval, Angst, and Simmons—were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio. For the families and colleagues in these regions, the resolution serves as a permanent federal record of their loved ones' contributions to national security and the preservation of liberty.
Formal Condolences and Transmission
Beyond the symbolic recognition, the resolution performs a specific administrative function by expressing the Senate's deepest condolences to the Gold Star Families. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to formally transmit copies of the resolution to the 99th Air Refueling Squadron and the 121st Air Refueling Wing. This ensures that the official acknowledgment of their sacrifice is delivered directly to the military communities where these individuals lived and worked, providing a measure of formal closure and institutional respect for the units affected by the loss.