The Defense Department on Friday identified the two service members killed Nov. 3 in Kunduz, Afghanistan. Capt. Andrew Byers, 30, of Rolesville, N.C., and Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Gloyer, 34, of Greenville, Pa., died while engaging enemy forces, according to a DOD statement. Byers and Gloyer, who were assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Carson, Colo., were assisting Afghan forces who were attempting to clear a Taliban position, when they came under fire. Four other US service members were wounded in the attack, said Defense Secretary Ash Carter in a statement released on Nov. 3.
A top Pentagon tech official called on industry this week to help the military develop “lighter, more efficient” directed energy weapons designed to go on aircraft and conduct special operations missions or down drones—areas where the Air Force’s directed energy efforts have been quiet as of late.