The U.S. Army has identified a soldier who died in the Middle East last week, bringing the number of U.S. service members who have died while supporting the Iran war to 19.
Capt. Bianca C. Wilkerson, 37, of Norfolk, Virginia, died September 18 after suffering a medical incident during a non-combat flight to Saudi Arabia, the Army said. She was posthumously promoted to major.
Wilkerson was assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Army Central and Third Army at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. She was deployed to Doha, Qatar, where she was supporting overseas operations.
Her death was added to the Defense Casualty Analysis System on September 21 and is listed under “Overseas Operations.” A defense official said the Pentagon uses that category for casualties in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility following the end of Operation Epic Fury.
Four other U.S. service members who died in July are also listed under Overseas Operations. The 4 deaths, combined with 14 deaths listed under Operation Epic Fury, bring the public casualty count to 19.
The Army described Wilkerson’s death as non-combat-related. The casualty database lists it as non-hostile, with the cause currently listed as undetermined. The incident remains under investigation, and an autopsy is pending.
Wilkerson graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University and joined the Army Reserve as a transportation officer in 2013. She later served in logistics and transportation roles before becoming a company commander and taking a logistics leadership position with U.S. Army Central and Third Army, according to the Military Times.
The Army said Wilkerson was also a longtime animal shelter volunteer. Lt. Col. Markus Hopkins, who served with her, remembered her as a demanding leader who took responsibility for the people and missions under her command.