Most of the Arizona National Guard troops who were injured in a drone strike in Jordan on Sunday have gotten back to work.
Arizona National Guard Major General Kerry Muehlenbeck updated the media on the status of the over 40 troops hurt in the strike from Arizona. Three troops that are not part of the state’s guard were killed in the attack from “Iran-backed militant groups,” according to a statement from President Joe Biden.
“The bulk are back into duty,” she said during a news conference at the Papago Park Military Reservation on Saturday morning.
Muehlenbeck added that out of the three who had to be medically evacuated, one was sent to Germany while the other two were still kept in the Middle East region. The major general said she visited the soldier in Landstuhl, Germany, who’s now receiving care in the United States as she was on her way back from a trip in Kazakhstan.
“It is my understanding that they have since been returned to duty,” Muehlenbeck said regarding the two who were regionally evacuated. “We try to get as many updates as we can but that always fluctuates.”
As for the wounded soldier back in the U.S., the major general said it’s unlikely she will return to the Middle East during this deployment.
“I expect today that she will not return to the region; she’s got some recovery to do,” she said.
Muehlenbeck said that she has not personally reached out to the families impacted, but she said that there is an outreach process underway. In addition, she said mental health care and chaplain support are available for the soldiers who may be in need to psychological support in the attack’s aftermath.
“We try to take care of the families in that regard as well,” she said.
On Friday night, the United States targeted the groups presumed to have conducted the drone attack with airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, according to Reuters.
Captain Erin Hannigan, who’s the guard’s director of communications, explained in an email to The Center Square on Tuesday the extent of injuries sustained by the troops.
“Wounds range from cuts and bruises to traumatic brain injuries but of those numbers, 34 returned to duty. Out of those ~40, there were 3 that were medically evacuated for further care to non-life threatening injuries,” she said at the time. “The remaining are undergoing continued observation to ensure they are recovering so they may return to duty.”
