Trump participates in dignified transfer honoring U.S. soldiers killed in Syria

Washington — President Trump is participating in a solemn and dignified transfer to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday to honor two members of the Iowa National Guard who were killed in Syria over the weekend.

The two guards killed Saturday in the Syrian desert were Staff Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, according to the U.S. Army. They were members of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment. Ayad Mansoor Sakat, an American civilian who worked as an interpreter, was also killed. The Pentagon said that a ISIS gunman ambushed two guards and the interpreter.

The president met their families before the solemn and dignified transfer. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George are also in attendance. First Lady Melania Trump was scheduled to join them, but a White House official said she could no longer attend.

This is the first dignified transfer Mr. Trump has attended since taking office in January, although he has attended dignified transfer events during his first term.

The solemn and dignified transfer of the remains to Dover Air Force Base is intended to honor those who sacrificed their lives in the service of their country. The remains of fallen service members are transferred from the aircraft to a waiting vehicle at the base. The remains are then transferred to the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations mortuary facility at Dover Air Force Base.

“Dignified transfer is not a ceremony; rather, it is a solemn movement of the transfer box by a transport team composed of service members from the fallen service member’s respective service,” states Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations. “A dignified transfer is made for every American service member who dies in theater of operations while serving their country.”