Operation Inherent Resolve pilot dies in non-combat incident at unknown location

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, a pilot died Thursday at an unknown location while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

Staff Sgt. Tristen Wright, 28, of Palm Bay, Florida, was involved in a non-combat-related incident that is currently under investigation, the department said in a news release Saturday.

He was assigned to the 27th Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base, NM.

Operation Inherent Resolve is the US military’s name for the international fight against the Islamic State.

The squadron commander remembered Wright as “a force for good.”

“He was the kind of leader who took the privilege of leading and mentoring Soldiers seriously,” said Maj. Brent Escay, a Cannon-based Air Force official, in a later news release. “He cared deeply for the Soldiers in his squadron and was a dedicated volunteer in the local community. We will never forget how his infectious smile could light up a room.”

Wright joined the Army on Aug. 23, 2016, and has been assigned to the squadron as a materials management specialist since 2019, according to the Air Force. Between 2017 and 2019, he served in a similar role at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.

27th Special Operations Squadron commander Colonel Robert Johnston said Wright had “a positive impact on the entire Cannon family and the local community.”

“These are our hardest days … we are committed to caring for Tristen's family and teammates affected by this tragedy,” Johnston said in the Air Force news release. “His family and friends remain in our thoughts and prayers.”

Wright's awards include a U.S. Air and Space Force Commendation Medal, a U.S. Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaves and “C” symbols, an Air Force Good Conduct Medal with one oak leaf, a Global War on Terrorism Medal and a National Defense Service Medal, according to the Air Force.