A Filipino-American member of the U.S. Army was killed after a drone strike hit a command center at a U.S. military facility in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, the Pentagon confirmed.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan died alongside fellow Army Reserve Major Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, of Iowa, during the attack on Sunday. The strike targeted a U.S. military installation and also killed four other reservists assigned to the same command. Earlier reports had said four soldiers were killed in the incident, which occurred amid escalating tensions and clashes in the Middle East.
Marzan’s family later confirmed his death. In a Facebook post, his niece Irene Mary said her uncle was nearing the end of his military service and was preparing to return home.
“Marzan was just two months away from coming back home. This was his last deployment after serving in the Army for over 30 years,” she wrote.
She added that the family learned of the tragedy on Feb. 28, 2026.
“This past Monday we learned just a year later on February 28, 2026 my uncle, my hero, my mom’s youngest brother, Robert M. Marzan was one of the six U.S. Army Reserves who lost their lives during Iran’s initial retaliation against the U.S.,” she said.
“I don’t understand this unimaginable devastation and deep pain as I struggle to share this. I don’t understand,” she added.
Elizabeth Marzan, the soldier’s sister, described him as a strong leader and a loving member of their family.
“A strong leader who lived by example. Very loyal. My hero. My baby brother, you are loved and I will hold onto all our memories and cherish them always in my heart. I miss and love you so much,” she wrote.
Both Marzan and O’Brien served with the 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines, Iowa, which is part of the Army’s global logistics and supply operations.
The U.S. military on Tuesday also identified four other soldiers from the same command who were killed in the attack, marking the first U.S. casualties in the conflict.
They were identified as Captain Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sergeant 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sergeant 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Sergeant Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa.
