Widow of US airman claims she was initially denied benefits

WorldPolitics
5 Sep 2026 • 10:04 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Widow of US airman claims she was initially denied benefits

  • Libby Klinner, the widow of an airman killed on a combat mission in the Middle East, has spoken out after needing a viral social media post to resolve errors regarding her late husband's military pay and hazard benefits.
  • Maj. Alex Klinner was killed in March alongside five other service members when their KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed during operations in Iraq.
  • Military support officers initially told Klinner her husband was ineligible for combat benefits because the U.S. was not formally at war, before later admitting to providing inaccurate information.
  • Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump defended not characterizing the military conflict with Iran as an active war.
  • The Air Force confirmed that all eligible combat theater benefits and hazard pay were included in Maj. Klinner's final pay.

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