The Pentagon has identified the soldier who marked the 19th U.S. service member death in the Middle East since the start of the Iran war.
Capt. Bianca Wilkerson, 37, of Norfolk, Virginia, died on Sept. 18 due to a noncombat-related incident, the Army said this week. After her death, she was promoted to major. The incident remains under investigation, and an autopsy is pending.
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Wilkerson was supporting overseas military operations in Doha, Qatar, when she died last week. She was assigned to Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter County, South Carolina.
A defense official told multiple news outlets that Wilkerson suffered a medical emergency on board a military flight en route to Saudi Arabia. The cause of death is unknown at this time.
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Wilkerson’s death was added to the Defense Casualty Analysis System under the “Overseas Operations” section on Monday before the Army identified her on Wednesday. The database only lists five deaths, even though 19 known U.S. service members have died overseas since the U.S. war with Iran started in late February. “Operation Epic Fury” is a separate category in the database, and it lists 14 deaths.
The Trump administration has classified the Iran war as an “overseas operation” since July. At the time, a ceasefire between the United States and Iran collapsed. In May, the administration declared Operation Epic Fury was over. Months later, the conflict remains unresolved.
