Honoring the memory of three army reserve soldiers killed in a drone strike in Jordan

Funeral services have begun in Georgia to honor the memory of three Army Reserve soldiers who were tragically killed in a drone attack on a U.S. military base in Jordan.

First funeral service for Staff Sgt. William Jerome Rivers

The first funeral service was held for Staff Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, a 46-year-old reservist from Pennsylvania who served in uniform for over a decade and completed a tour in Iraq in 2018. Following the church service, Rivers was to be buried at the Georgia National Cemetery for military veterans.

Posthumous promotions for Sgt. Kennedy Sanders and Sgt. Breonna Moffett

The other two soldiers, Sgt. Kennedy Sanders and Sgt. Breonna Moffett, also received posthumous promotions in recognition of their sacrifice and service. President Joe Biden met with the families of the fallen soldiers when their remains were returned to U.S. soil earlier this month at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

Remembering the fallen soldiers

Meanwhile, friends, former classmates, and co-workers have gathered to remember the slain soldiers while awaiting their final homecoming to Georgia. Sanders' funeral is scheduled at Ware County Middle School, and arrangements for Moffett's funeral in Savannah were still pending.

Iran-backed militia groups blamed for tragic deaths

The tragic deaths, attributed to Iran-backed militia groups, mark the first U.S. fatalities in the region following months of intensified attacks on American forces. More than 40 troops were also injured in the drone attack at Tower 22, a secretive U.S. military desert outpost enabling U.S. forces to infiltrate and quietly leave Syria.