The widow of a US airman killed in a KC-135 crash in Iraq says it took a viral social media post to secure answers from the Pentagon over her husband’s final pay and combat-related benefits.
Libby Klinner said the Air Force contacted her this week after she raised concerns that Major John “Alex” Klinner had initially been deemed ineligible for hazard pay and tax relief because the US administration had not formally described its operations against Iran as a war.
Major Klinner, 33, was among six crew members killed when the refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on March 12 while supporting the US military operation. The Department of War said the crash was under investigation.
Mrs Klinner said an officer assigned to help her after her husband’s death had told her that the family could not receive certain benefits because “we were not at war”.
“My husband lost his life because we’re in a war, and then I was told that because it’s not technically a war, we lose out on something,” she told the Associated Press. “It all comes down to principle.”
Air Force reviews Alex Klinner’s final pay
The Air Force later told Mrs Klinner that her husband’s final pay had included the eligible combat-theatre benefits, but that they had been itemised incorrectly. Officials also said they were reviewing the information previously given to her.
“We remain committed to providing clear information and continued support to Mrs Klinner, as well as all the families of the Airmen who died in the KC-135 crash,” the Air Force said.
Hostile fire and imminent danger pay can amount to up to $225 (£167) a month. Department of Defence guidance says eligibility does not depend solely on whether Congress has formally declared war, while the US Internal Revenue Service says military personnel serving in qualifying combat zones may receive tax exclusions on eligible pay.
For a commissioned officer such as Major Klinner, the tax exclusion is subject to limits. The value of the benefit depends on factors including the month of service and the individual’s pay, making it difficult to calculate the precise sum involved without access to his military records.
The dispute came amid an ongoing political argument in Washington over how to describe the US military action against Iran. Vice-President JD Vance said the administration wanted to ensure Mrs Klinner received everything to which she was entitled, but rejected the use of the word “war” to describe the operation.
President Donald Trump has described the strikes as an intermittent military conflict. The administration also created a separate category in the Pentagon’s casualty reporting system after the original operation, named Operation Epic Fury, was declared to have ended.
Major Klinner, an eight-year Air Force veteran from Alabama, left behind his wife and three young children. A fundraising appeal for the family has raised more than $1.5 million.
Mrs Klinner said she had spoken out in the hope that other bereaved military families would receive accurate information without having to campaign publicly for it.
“Other families may not have those resources,” she said. “If I can do anything to make this awful situation a little bit easier for someone else to navigate, then I am more than willing to do so.”
