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119th CONGRESS
2d Session |
Recognizing and honoring the fallen members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard.
Mr. Balderson (for himself, Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Carey) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
Recognizing and honoring the fallen members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard.
Whereas, on March 12, 2026, 3 members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard and 3 members of the 99th Air Refueling Squadron were killed in the line of duty over western Iraq;
Whereas, during a refueling mission in support of Operation Epic Fury, an incident occurred that led to the crash of a KC–135 Stratotanker, tragically killing all 6 crew members aboard;
Whereas the deceased members were later identified as Maj. John A. Klinner, Maj. Ariana G. Savino, Capt. Seth R. Koval, Capt. Curtis J. Angst, Master Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt;
Whereas this crew of 6 from the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air Force Base in Columbus, Ohio, and the 99th Air Refueling Squadron at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base in Birmingham, Alabama, served their respective communities proudly;
Whereas the crew embodied the motto of the Air Force: “Integrity first, Service before self, Excellence in all we do”;
Whereas Capt. Koval was a dedicated member for nearly 2 decades, enlisting in 2006, graduating from Purdue University, receiving a commission in 2018, joining the 121st, serving as a KC–135 Instructor Pilot;
Whereas Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons proudly served in the Ohio Air National Guard for more than 8 years, originally serving as a member of Rickenbacker’s Security Forces team, then as a refueling operations and boom operator; and
Whereas Capt. Curtis Angst valiantly served in the Air Force for over a decade, enlisting in 2015 after graduating from the University of Cincinnati in 2014, receiving a commission in 2021 and completing initial KC–135 pilot training in 2024: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) honors the lives, service, and sacrifice of such members of the Ohio Air National Guard from the 121st Air Refueling Wing who were killed in Iraq during Operation Epic Fury;
(2) on behalf of a grateful Nation, stands together to pledge that their selfless sacrifice shall not be forgotten; and
(3) expresses our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones left behind, with continued prayers for them in this harrowing time.