The Defense Department on Monday identified two soldiers who were killed, along with two American contractors, in a Saturday suicide attack at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The attack killed Sgt. John W. Perry, 30, of Stockton, Calif.; and Pfc. Tyler R. Lubelt, 20, of Tamaroa, Ill. The soldiers were assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Sustainment Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas. DOD has not yet named the contractors killed. The four Americans were killed when a suicide bomber, who was able to get on base, detonated a suicide vest while in line with Afghan laborers. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Seventeen others were injured. Five have returned to duty, with 12 still receiving treatment at Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany, according to Resolute Support update posted on Twitter.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.