WA honors fallen Covington Air Force Capt. with half-staff flags

Flags at all Washington state agency facilities will be lowered to half-staff on Friday to honor United States Air Force Major Ariana Savino, who died in Western Iraq last month.

The 31-year-old Covington native died on March 12 during a combat mission involving operations tied to Iran. Savino was among six servicemembers who died after losing a refueling KC-135 aircraft in Iraq.

Flags will remain at half-staff until the close of business or sunset on Friday. State officials have also been asked to notify all field officers and facilities across the state. Additionally, government entities, individuals, and businesses are also encouraged to participate.

Refueling aircraft incident occurred in ‘friendly’ airspace, officials say

The KC-135 aircraft was in “friendly” airspace, supporting operations against Iran, when an unspecified incident involving another aircraft occurred, according to U.S. Central Command. The other plane landed safely, U.S. military officials said.

The KC-135 aircraft refuels other planes in midair, allowing them to fly longer distances and sustain operations without landing. The plane can also be used to transport wounded personnel and conduct surveillance missions, according to military experts.

The Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing said in a Facebook post late Friday that three of the dead were airmen who served in the Columbus-based unit.

“We share in the sorrow of their loved ones, and we must not forget the valuable contributions these Airmen made to their country and the impact they have left on our organization,” according to the 121st Air Refueling Wing’s post.

Savino earned her Air Force commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at Central Washington University, where she graduated in 2017 with a degree in aviation management.

“Captain Ariana G. Savino was the Chief of Current Operations Pilot at the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base, Birmingham, Alabama,” according to her Air Force biography. “She was responsible for the unit’s $21 million flying hour program, coordinating headquarters’ taskings, managing daily flight scheduling, aircrew training missions, and resource allocation to ensure mission execution.”

Savino deployed in 2020 and 2026 in support of U.S. Central Command Operations SPARTAN SHIELD, SENTINEL SENTRY, and EPIC FURY, according to the Air Force. She flew 348 combat hours in both the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System as a combat systems operator and the KC-135 Stratotanker as a pilot.

“I am heartbroken to learn about the passing of Capt. Ariana G. Savino from Washington state,” said Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington. “I am deeply grateful for her courage and sacrifice in service to our country. Our servicemembers put their lives on the line to keep our country safe—remarkable women like Capt. Savino represent the absolute best of our state and country.”

Also killed were Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Ind.; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio. They were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio.

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