A member of the Texas Air National Guard became the first uniformed member of the Air Force to die of COVID-19 Thursday, the Washington Examiner confirmed Friday.
“The Texas Military Department can confirm that a Texas Air National Guard member passed away due to symptoms related to COVID-19,” the Texas Air Guard said in a statement.
The member’s name and personal information were withheld for privacy reasons, the statement said.
“Anytime we lose a Texas Guardsman, it is a tragedy,” the statement continued. “Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the Service Member’s family.”
The Air Force reported 9,756 coronavirus cases as of Thursday, ranking third in coronavirus cases among the military services behind the Army (22,633) and the Navy (13,051).
As of Monday, the Air Force reported six COVID-19 hospitalizations and 23 deaths among its contractors, civilian employees, and dependents.
Members of the Air National Guard are classified under the National Guard’s COVID-19 tally, not that of the Air Force. The National Guard suffered the first service member COVID-19 death in March.
Similar to the Navy, the Air Force faced additional challenges when the coronavirus struck the military this spring since many aircrews work in close proximity for extended periods of time.
The Air Force began isolating pilots in protective bubbles to assure that aircraft remained in the sky.
“We haven’t stopped flying around the world,” former Air Force chief of staff Gen. David Goldfein said April 22 of critical Air Mobility missions.
“We essentially isolate the crew, keep them in a clean environment. Make sure that the cockpit itself is clean. So they’re able to fly the mission,” he added in a conversation with the Defense Writers Group. “Once they land and then have to go into crew rest or whatever, we keep them isolated. We keep them in a bubble.”
