The head of the coalition air component in Iraq, USAF Brig. Gen. Stephen Hoog, told reporters that a “definitive answer” to the puzzle of what happened to the pilot of the F-16 that crashed in Iraq early Monday is yet to come. (The Pentagon on Wednesday released his name: Maj. Troy Gilbert from Luke AFB, Ariz. Officials earlier had confirmed the aircraft was from Cannon AFB, N.M.) Hoog said that investigators poured over the crash site late Monday and all Tuesday, finding “very limited DNA samples” and aircraft parts, including the ejection seat. However, he said the seat “wasn’t found in a position that indicated one way or the other” as to whether the pilot had used it to eject before the crash. Other coalition aircraft overhead “immediately after the crash,” said Hoog, “did observe insurgents in the vicinity.” Hoog could not say how long the insurgents were at the site before coalition ground forces established control.
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
