Widow of airman killed in Mideast is upset she was told Iran wasn’t a war while sorting out benefits

Widow of airman killed in Mideast is upset she was told Iran wasn’t a war while sorting out benefits 1 of 2 | This photo provided by Mary Remmes shows Maj. Alex Klinner, Jan. 10, 2026. (Mary Remmes via AP) 2 of 2 | In this photo provided by the U.S. Air National Guard, U.S. Air Force Capt. Alex Klinner, operations flight commander for the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, completes another lap during the Shell 77 Memorial Run at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base, Birmingham, Ala., May 2, 2025. (Paul Mann/U.S. Air National Guard via AP) 1 of 2 | This photo provided by Mary Remmes shows Maj. Alex Klinner, Jan. 10, 2026. (Mary Remmes via AP) 1 of 2 This photo provided by Mary Remmes shows Maj. Alex Klinner, Jan. 10, 2026. (Mary Remmes via AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 2 | In this photo provided by the U.S. Air National Guard, U.S. Air Force Capt. Alex Klinner, operations flight commander for the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, completes another lap during the Shell 77 Memorial Run at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base, Birmingham, Ala., May 2, 2025. (Paul Mann/U.S. Air National Guard via AP) 2 of 2 In this photo provided by the U.S. Air National Guard, U.S. Air Force Capt. Alex Klinner, operations flight commander for the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, completes another lap during the Shell 77 Memorial Run at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base, Birmingham, Ala., May 2, 2025. (Paul Mann/U.S. Air National Guard via AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] WASHINGTON (AP) — The widow of an airman killed on a combat mission in the Middle East said it took a viral social media post to get resolution from the Pentagon on issues related to her husband’s benefits and basic pay months after his death.Maj. Alex Klinner, 33, was one of six crew members of a KC-135 refueling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq in March while supporting operations against Iran. He’s one of 18 U.S. service members killed, along with 790 wounded, since the war began more than six months ago.Read Libby Klinner’s statement The Air Force reached out to his widow, Libby Klinner, this week to clarify that his final paycheck would include hazard pay and combat-related tax breaks. This occurred after she voiced frustration on social media at being told by a military officer assigned to support her after her husband’s death that he was ineligible for those 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,” Klinner told The Associated Press. “It all comes down to principle.” Trump administration is rejecting the ‘war’ label for current Iran operationsHer post, made over the weekend, gained national attention. Vice President JD Vance promised to look into her case after being asked about it during a White House briefing on Thursday. “We want to be as helpful as we can and ensure she gets everything that she is entitled to,” Vance said. “My message to her would be, ‘We love ya, we’re grateful for the sacrifice and we very much take very seriously our commitment to get you what you need to get.’”