August 29, 2012

Maine soldier dies in Kuwait

The non-combat death of a Staff Sgt. Jessica Wing is being investigated and few details were disclosed.

From staff and news service reports

PORTLAND — A soldier from Maine who served in the National Guard has died in Kuwait, military officials said Wednesday.

click image to enlarge

Staff Sgt. Jessica Wing during her first deployment in 2003 to the Middle East.

Maine Army National Guard photo

click image to enlarge

Staff Sgt. Jessica Wing is on the left in this photo of members of the126th Air Medevac Company, Maine Army National Guard, standing next to a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter in the Middle East.

Maine Army National Guard photo

Staff Sgt. Jessica Wing, 42, of Glenburn, died Monday, the Department of Defense said. Officials said her death wasn't related to combat, but they didn't provide details on the circumstances.

Wing was a helicopter crew chief assigned to the 1st Battalion, 126th Air Medevac Company out of Bangor. The unit provides medical evacuation to patients and military personnel using medically equipped UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.

"The untimely and tragic loss of SSG Jessica Wing has deeply saddened and shocked all of us in the Maine National Guard and across the state of Maine," Col. James Campbell, the acting adjutant general of the Maine National Guard, said in a statement.

Wing had served in the guard for eight years, and served active-duty in the Army for 11 years before that. During her career, she had previously been deployed to Haiti, Bosnia and the Middle East.

Officials say Wing was not married and had no children.

Gov. Paul LePage said Maine "has lost a great soldier and a great Mainer."

"We are forever indebted to her for her service to her state and to her country," he said in a statement.

Wing devoted 23 years of her life to the military.

A statement from the Maine Army National Guard said the circumstances surrounding Wing's death are under investigation by the Department of Defense.

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