The soldier who died in Kuwait Wednesday was a National Guardsman from Austin, Texas, according to the Pentagon.
Staff Sgt. Timothy Luke Manchester, 34, died at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, in a non-combat related incident that officials say remains under investigation. No details about his cause of death were released.
Manchester was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 36th Infantry Division, Camp Mabry, Texas.
Army Central Command declined to speak about Manchester’s death and referred comment to the Texas National Guard.
“The circumstances surrounding his death are currently under investigation,” a Texas Guard spokesman said in an email responding questions about whether foul play or COVID-19 are suspected in Manchester’s death.
Manchester joined the Texas Army National Guard in 2018, after serving in the Marine Corps. His awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Manchester is the second soldier assigned to Kuwait to die this year.
Staff Sgt. Anthony Bermudez, 28, of Dallas died Jan. 11 during a routine troop movement in a commercial vehicle near Camp Buehring. Two other troops were also injured in the accident.
Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. Before entering journalism, Kyle served in U.S. Air Force Special Tactics and deployed in 2014 to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq.
