US Central Command said Thursday that an airman assigned to the 447th Air Expeditionary Group was killed and another airman was wounded when an improvised explosive device blew up during safing operations near Baghdad, Iraq, on March 29. The Pentagon has identified the airman who was killed as TSgt. Walter M. Moss Jr., 37, of Houston. Moss was deployed to Iraq from the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron, Mountain Home, Idaho.
Airmen basic rarely go on to become four-star generals, but one who did retired last week after a 42 year career that saw him rise from a lowly slick-sleeve to the head of one of the Air Force’s most important major commands.