Elchin was assigned to the 26th Special Tactics Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico. Elchin is the first airman killed in Afghanistan since 2015 when a suicide attack killed six airmen near Bagram Airfield.
“Dylan had an unusual drive to succeed and contribute to the team. He displayed maturity and stoicism beyond his years, and was always level-headed, no matter the situation,” Lt. Col. Gregory Walsh, 26th STS commander, said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dylan’s family, fianceé and friends. He will be sorely missed, but never forgotten.”
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Two soldiers — Army Capt. Andrew Patrick Ross, 29, and Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Michael Emond, 39 — also died from injuries sustained. They were assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
The incident is under investigation. The three were deployed to Afghanistan to support Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
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