DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. — The Salty Soldier was alerted earlier this week by an anonymous source to the death of an Airman at Dover Air Force Base during the February winter storm. At the time of the tip, no public reporting or widely circulated announcement regarding the incident could be located.
Following a direct media inquiry from The Salty Soldier on Feb. 26, Dover Air Force Base Public Affairs provided a press release dated Feb. 23, 2026, confirming that an Airman assigned to the 436th Airlift Wing was found in a parking lot on base that day and declared dead at the scene. The cause of death remains under investigation.
The release did not specify when or how it was distributed, nor did it provide details regarding the circumstances surrounding the death.
In the Feb. 23 release, Col. Jamil Musa, commander of the 436th Airlift Wing, said, “We are heartbroken by the loss of one of our members today.”
The Salty Soldier’s inquiry sought clarification on whether the Airman had reported for duty prior to being found, whether severe weather conditions were considered a contributing factor, and whether the member had been released or escorted from duty before the incident. Those questions were not addressed in the initial release.
It is also unclear which agency is leading the investigation, whether next-of-kin notification has been completed, or whether the Air Force intends to release the member’s name.
With a major winter storm impacting the region at the time of the incident, additional details surrounding the Airman’s movements and the circumstances leading up to the discovery remain critical to understanding what occurred.
With a major winter storm impacting the region at the time of the incident, Dover Air Force Base had announced on Feb. 22 that the installation would operate under “normal operations,” while directing emergency essential snow removal personnel to report as scheduled. The base also advised members to verify reporting instructions with supervisors and exercise caution while traveling.
Public comments on the installation’s official Facebook page reflected concern about operations continuing amid a blizzard warning.
The extent to which weather conditions may have played a role in the circumstances surrounding the Airman’s death remains unclear.
The Salty Soldier has submitted follow-up questions and will continue reporting as more information becomes available.
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