Alabama Flags Lowered for Fallen Air Guardsmen

0:00It's March 25th. This is Birmingham News Today, AI-powered stories from your city. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has ordered all-state flags lowered to half-staff. The move honors three-air National Guardsmen from Birmingham who lost their lives in a refueling plane crash in Iraq earlier this month. These service members belong to the 99th-air refueling squadron at Sumter-Smith Joint National Guard Base. They include Major John Alex Cleaner, Captain Ariana Savino, and Technical Sergeant Ashley B. Pruid. The group was aboard a KC-135 Stratotanker that crashed in Western Iraq on March 12th. They have been supporting U.S. operations in the region. Flags will remain at half-staff through sunset on March 30th. That date lines up with the funeral service for Major Cleaner. Communities across Alabama are paying their respects this way, keeping the memory of these dedicated airmen alive as their families mourn.