Two US Soldiers Die In Non-Combat Incidents In Middle East As Region On Edge

While the globe’s attention has been focused almost entirely on the near week-long Iran-Israel war, and as the White House could escalate its backing of Israel in the conflict, two US Army soldiers died this week during Middle East deployments.

Two US Army soldiers deployed to Iraq and Kuwait in support of the years-long Operation Inherent Resolve died this week in separate non-combat incidents, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday, but without disclosing specifics.

Staff Sgt. Saul Fabian Gonzalez, 26, from Pullman, Michigan, died Tuesday in Erbil, Iraq. And Sgt. 1st Class Emmett Wilfred Goodridge Jr., 40, from Roseville, Minnesota, perished Sunday at Camp Buehring, Kuwait.

Pentagon officials have only said both deaths are still under investigation and did not release further details.

Gonzalez was an Apache helicopter mechanic with D Troop, 2nd Squadron, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), with a home base of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Per DOD press releases, his military honors include the Army Commendation Medal with a “C” device, the Army Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Army Aviation Badge, and more commendations.

As for Goodridge, he was was part of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, which is based at Fort Drum, New York.

Over the past half-decade of US force deployments in Syria and Iraq, there have been a handful of American deaths, some non-combat related and with less of these the result of direct combat, often with pro-Iranian as well as nationalist militia groups.

The majority of Americans, per the latest polls, are against deeper US military involvement in the Middle East; however, there are leading US Congress members on both sides of the aisle who argue US intervention is necessary to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon – which the Islamic Republic has always denied seeking.