A soldier who died Wednesday in Kuwait in a non-combat incident has been identified as a Texas National Guard staff sergeant.
In a statement Friday, the Defense Department named the soldier as Staff Sgt. Timothy Luke Manchester, 34, of Austin, Texas. The initial Army report said Manchester was found unresponsive Wednesday at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait.
The DoD said his death was not combat-related and is under investigation.
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Manchester was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 36th Infantry Division, at Camp Mabry, Texas. He was in Kuwait supporting Operation Spartan Shield, according to the release.
According to a statement released by the Texas Military Department, Manchester had previously served in the Marine Corps and joined the Texas Guard in 2018. His awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal and Army Commendation Medal.
"We are devastated by the loss of one of our own," Maj. Gen. Tracy Norris, the Adjutant General for Texas, said in a Friday statement. "In this profession, we always know in the back of our mind that this is a possibility, but we hope it never comes to pass. The entire Texas Military Department sends our deepest condolences to Staff Sgt. Manchester's family and loved ones he leaves behind. We are also keeping his fellow service members in our thoughts and prayers who are still overseas mourning the loss of their brother in arms."
Manchester is the second soldier to die in a non-combat incident in Kuwait since the year began. Last week, Army Sgt. Anthony Bermudez, 28, of Dallas, Texas, was killed in a vehicle accident near Camp Buehring; two other soldiers were injured.
That incident is also under investigation.
-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
