Two airmen in separate training programs in Texas died earlier this month. Officials still are investigating the causes of the deaths. According to the San Antonio Express-News, Maj. Bryan Adrian, 41, an Air National Guardsman from Anchorage, on Feb. 15 was pulled from a swimming pool at Lackland AFB, Tex., where he was undergoing water confidence training, and was pronounced dead at the base hospital. Adrian was a member of the ANG’s 212th Rescue Squadron, Kulis ANGB, Alaska. The Associated Press news service reported that SrA. Leonard Hankerson Jr., 24, assigned to the 56th Security Forces Squadron at Luke AFB, Ariz., on Feb. 11 became ill during training at Ft. Bliss, Tex., and later died at a military hospital.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
