“She was so happy to do it for her nephew,” her mother Francine said. “She always called home. She never really missed a day.
Moffitt, 23, was one of three American soldiers killed early Sunday in a drone attack near Jordan's borders with Syria and Iraq. The explosion rocked the troops' living quarters – small shipping containers scattered around – after a drone overtook air defenses while many were still in bed. Up to 50 others, incl Some infantry soldiers Of the Arizona National Guard, they were wounded. At least one service member Officials said his condition was critical.
This incident highlights how deployments to the Middle East, long defined by the potential for danger, have become more dangerous and unpredictable for those stationed far from the typical battlefield. The sophisticated tactics used by US adversaries, aided by increasingly inexpensive technology, have created a sinister and expanding array of threats that are difficult to predict and confront.
President Biden blamed Sunday's violence on Iranian-backed groups that have relentlessly targeted U.S. military sites since the fall, when Israel's invasion of Gaza — and Washington's massive military support for the Jewish state — sparked a fierce wave of anti-American sentiment. Moffett and the other dead soldiers, Sgt. William J. Rivers, 46, specs. Kennedy Sanders, 24, is the first American soldier killed by enemy fire since then.
The president promised revenge.
Moffett, Rivers and Sanders were members of the same Army Reserve unit from Fort Moore, a massive installation in western Georgia that abutted the Chattahoochee River. Their deployment in Jordan was such that, although little received attention, it was considered necessary for the US Army to operate in the combat zone.
“We just have to plan because that's a possible outcome if we want to deploy troops there,” said Alison Jaslow, CEO of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, noting that similar attacks had occurred long before the war. The war in Gaza. “I hate that this is how we draw attention to the fact that there are men and women all over the world fighting terrorism for us, but this has been the truth all along.”
The 718th Engineer Company headed overseas in August, as part of the Pentagon's permanent mission to prevent the return of ISIS. Its members, along with about 350 Army and Air Force personnel, were deployed to Tower 22. The small, dusty facility is a major support base for a larger American outpost, Al-Tanf, about 25 miles across the border in Syria.
Rivers worked as an electrician, while Sanders and Moffitt were structural engineers. Soldiers in these jobs typically operate bulldozers, bulldozers, and other heavy equipment.
Before joining the Army in 2019, Moffitt served as a drummer in a high school marching band and participated in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program. Her mother said she was close to her siblings and embraced caring for her dog.
Rivers lived in Carrollton, Georgia, a suburban Atlanta town with a population of about 27,000, many of whom are veterans or have service members in their families. Carrollton Mayor Betty B. Casson said the city is “devastated” and will do everything it can to support Rivers’ family. He was deployed to Iraq in 2018, Army officials said.
Although Cason did not know Rivers personally, she said he had a son who was a band member at the local high school.
“They're just a typical Carrollton family,” Cason said. “It's very sad. We are a very close-knit community.”
Over the past two days, the Carrollton Police force has been dispatched to the Rivers family home to help prevent the media and others from disturbing the family. Neighbors brought them flowers and food. Cason said the entire city stands ready to console and support the family in any way they can.
“You may not know them personally, but they are part of your community and have an impact,” she said. Her community was affected by the loss of the three soldiers, even though Moffett and Sanders were from other corners of the state. “It is the ultimate sacrifice they made to protect us,” she said.
Sanders, who lived in Waycross, Georgia, volunteered to participate in the deployment, her family told The Associated Press. She volunteered as a youth football and basketball coach when she was not deployed.
He said Sanders stood out in the community of 14,000 Ulysses D. Rayford, city manager. She was a former high school basketball star and the daughter of a Marine veteran, he said.
“She was a valued member of this city, and everyone here appreciates her sacrifices,” Rayford said. He described Sanders as “a very friendly person who has a lot of friends.” “She was a vibrant person, and this is a huge, tragic loss for all of us,” Rayford added.
The Pentagon said Sunday saw the first attack on Tower 22, but the base looked like a potential target. The militants targeted several facilities, including the nearby Al-Tanf area, apparently searching for weak points in US air defenses. In some cases, US military officials admitted that despite their vigilance, some drones managed to get through.
On Sunday, the armed drone was apparently mistaken for a US aircraft returning to the facility.
Moffitt's mother said she and her daughter tend to keep their conversations light and not discuss safety, and her daughter seems to be enjoying her time in Jordan.
“She was always smiling, always laughing, always with her friends,” Francine Moffitt remembers.
The White House said on Tuesday that Biden had spoken with the three families and that he intended to travel to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Friday when their remains returned home.
Rayford, the city manager in Sanders' hometown, said local officials expect to transport her remains from Delaware to Waycross, where the funeral will be held. He said people there plan to honor her. On Monday, the Ware County Board of Commissioners issued a proclamation ordering all flags to be flown at half mast until Sanders is buried. During downtown's monthly “First Friday” night, a minute of silence will be held.
The city also decided to rename the street in front of the Sanders family home in her honor, and June 30 – Sanders' birthday – will be designated as Kennedy LaDon Sanders Day.
“Every year, on her birthday, we would have a party for her,” Rayford said.
Raiford said the entire town is feeling sad as they try to understand how short life is. He added: “It makes you think about your own life and how valuable your life is and how important it is to live it with respect.” “She lived, although short, a respectable life.”
Army officials who visited Moffitt's family on Sunday to inform them of her death said the attack remains under investigation, and the service intends to provide them with more information after that work is completed, Francine Moffitt said.
She said the notification process was “just like you see in the movies,” with uniformed soldiers arriving at her home in Savannah.
“They just show up at your door,” she said. “My husband came upstairs and said, ‘There are two men in uniform downstairs.’” And when he said that, I just knew. It's indescribable. You see it on TV and hear about it, but you never want to experience it.
Alex Horton, Monica Mathur, Tyler Pager and Missy Ryan contributed to this report.
