The Department of Defense confirmed on Wednesday that two U.S. Army soldiers deployed in the Middle East, as part of the campaign against ISIS, died in separate non-combat incidents. The deaths occurred during Operation Inherent Resolve, a military operation aimed at degrading and ultimately destroying the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Sgt. 1st Class Emmett Wilfred Goodridge Jr., 40, of Roseville, Minnesota, died in Camp Buehring, Kuwait, on Sunday as a result of an incident that was not combat-related. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum, New York. The Department of Defense stated that the incident is under investigation, with no further details released at this time.
Three days later, Staff Sgt. Saul Fabian Gonzalez, 26, of Pullman, Michigan, died in Erbil, Iraq, in a separate non-combat incident. Gonzalez was an Apache helicopter mechanic assigned to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). Col. Tyler Partridge, Cmdr. of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, expressed mourning for the loss of Gonzalez, noting his service and dedication to the military. Gonzalez had joined the Army in February 2018 and had been assigned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky in October 2018. He received several awards and decorations throughout his military career, including the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, and multiple other honors.
Both incidents are currently under investigation, and no additional information has been disclosed. The deaths come days after President Donald Trump honored the U.S. Army for its 250th anniversary on Saturday. The Department of Defense did not immediately respond to further inquiries from Fox News Digital, and the Army did not provide service photos in response to the request.