Capt. Ariana G. Savino
Major John “Alex” Klinner, of Trussville and Auburn, Alabama
Technical Sargent Ashley B. Pruitt (Photos/117th Air Refueling Wing)
By Troy Turner
Three of the six U.S. Air Force crew members killed in Iraq on Thursday had close ties to Alabama and news of their deaths hit hard for the Alabama National Guard’s 117th Air Refueling Wing, which shares a home base in Birmingham with the trio.
The March 12 crash of their KC-135 Stratotanker remains under investigation.
Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Trussville and a graduate of Auburn University died in the crash, as did Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Wash.; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Ky.
The three were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., and flew in the wing’s 99th Air Refueling Squadron, which is co-located with Alabama’s 117th wing at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base in Birmingham.
The other three crew members killed were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio.
“Alex, Ashley, and Ariana are, and always will be members of the 117th family,” said Col. Mike Adams, 117th Air Refueling Wing commander. “Even though they were not members of the Air National Guard, to us they will always be remembered as Vulcan refuelers and Alabamians.”
The 117th also flies the KC-135 Stratotanker and trains for similar refueling missions, if called upon.
Leaders of the 117th were “deeply heartbroken by the tragic loss,” the air wing said in a statement released Saturday night, “offering prayers and condolences to their families and loved ones, and mourning the service members as fellow teammates.”
The 117th has established a Family Assistance Center to support all who are affected by the loss, Adams said. Additionally, counseling services and chaplains are available to service members, civilian employees, and families at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base.
The 99th Air Refueling Squadron operates alongside the personnel of the 117th Air Refueling Wing and are “fully integrated” with its unit culture, Adams said, but the active-duty squadron is administratively governed by the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.
Auburn Family shares grief
Meanwhile, the Auburn community was quick to respond to news of Klinner’s death, with hundreds of posts made on various social media sites reporting the deaths.
A GoFundMe site was established to assist his family, which includes his wife and three children.
“Libby (wife) and Alex built a beautiful life together and were raising three precious children: their energetic two-and-a-half-year-old and their seven-month-old twins. In an instant, Libby has been left to walk through profound grief while caring for their young family,” Libby’s sister wrote in creating the page.
Auburn University released a statement:
“Auburn University mourns the loss of alumnus Major John (Alex) Klinner, who was among six Air Force crew members killed when a U.S. military KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq. Major Klinner was a 2016 graduate of Auburn University with a degree in mechanical engineering.
“His commitment to serving our nation reflects the courage, character and sense of duty demonstrated by those who choose a life of service. As we honor Major Klinner’s life and legacy, we are reminded of Auburn’s long tradition of alumni who dedicate themselves to protecting and serving others through the armed forces.
“On behalf of the Auburn Family, we extend our deepest condolences to Major Klinner’s family, fellow service members and all who knew and loved him. We honor his sacrifice and remain grateful for his service to our nation.”
(Courtesy photos)
Troy Turner is the editor and senior consultant for AlaDefense.com. He can be contacted at [email protected]. His bio can be found here.
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