Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington remembered

Описание: Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, died Sunday of injuries sustained during an enemy attack on March 1 at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, the release stated. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it had hit the air base with missiles and drones, and later satellite imagery showed a mile-long smoke plume rising from the site, The New York Times reported.

“On behalf of U.S. Space Command, it is with a heavy heart that we render a final salute to U.S. Army Sgt. Benjamin Pennington, 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, Fort Carson, Colorado, in honor of his service to the nation,” Gen. Stephen Whiting, Commander of U.S. Space Command, said in a statement.

“We mourn a life cut short and extend our heartfelt gratitude and sympathies to the family, friends, and community of Sgt. Pennington as we honor his ultimate sacrifice.”

A native of Glendale, Ky., Pennington joined the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade at Fort Carson in June. He enlisted in the Army in 2017 as a supply unit specialist. He is expected to be posthumously promoted to staff sergeant, the Army said.

During his time in the service, he earned the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Korea Defense Service Medal, among others.