The Pentagon announced Jan. 19 that SrA. Omar J. McKnight, 22, of Marrero, La., died Jan. 17 in a non-hostile incident in Iraq. McKnight deployed to Joint Base Balad from the 6th Security Forces Squadron at MacDill AFB, Fla. There was no further information available.
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.
