Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered flags around the state to be lowered to half-staff on Thursday, March 5 to honor two Iowa soldiers killed in an Iranian drone strike.
Why are flags at half-staff today?
Major Jeffery O’Brien, 45, of Waukee, and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, were killed in action on March 1, 2026, in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. Both are Army Reserve soldiers with the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines.
“Our hearts are broken by the deaths of Major Jeffrey O’Brien and Sgt. Declan Coady, two brave Iowa soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice to secure freedom and peace,” Reynolds wrote in a statement. “On behalf of a grateful state, Kevin and I offer our prayers and condolences for their families, and we ask all Iowans to stand united in support of our fallen soldiers and those who loved them.”
O’Brien and Coady were part of a Des Moines Army Reserve unit stationed in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, where they worked on a logistics base that supplies troops.
They are among the six U.S. military members killed since President Trump ordered an attack on Iran on Feb. 28 alongside Israel, fueling an ongoing war that has also claimed hundreds of Iranian lives, including Iran’s supreme leader.
How long will flags be at half-staff in Iowa?
Reynolds order will keep flags lowered until the day of internment for the soldiers. Funeral arrangements are still pending and their bodies are in the process of being returned to Iowa.
Who was Major Jeffery O’Brien?
O’Brien was commissioned in the Army Reserve as a Signal Corps officer in 2012 and was deployed to Kuwait in 2019, a news release said.
O’Brien had been promoted to major in August 2024, according to a Facebook post by the 103rd Sustainment Command, the Des Moines-based unit of which the slain soldiers were members.
He was the manager of defensive cyber operations at ProCiruclar, a Coralville-based cybersecurity company, according to the company’s staff page. Last August the company received an award for supporting his service with flex time and coverage for his job while he was on deployments.
O’Brien had been awarded the Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Superior Unit Award, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device, according to the release.
He is survived by wife, Roxane, mother and father, Helen Ann and Daniel J. of Coggon, brothers, David Daniel of Coggon and Gregory Joseph, of Marion; and sister, Natalie Navarro of Bloomington, Illinois.
Who was Sergeant Declan Coady?
A sophomore at Drake University and Army reservist from West Des Moines, Coady, joined the Army Reserves while in college. He could have been exempt from deployment because he was in ROTC, but still deployed to Kuwait, leaving in August 2025.
Coady graduated from Valley High School in West Des Moines in 2023.
A GoFundMe post seeking support for his family said, “Declan was more than a soldier — he was a son, a family member, a friend, and a light in the lives of those who knew him. He served his country with honor, courage, and dedication, embodying the very best of what it means to wear the uniform.”
Coady would have turned 21 on May 5.
His awards and decorations include the Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon, according to an Army statement. A Pentagon news release noted Coady was posthumously promoted to sergeant from specialist.
What’s the difference between half-mast and half-staff for flags?
Half-mast is used when the flag is flown from a flagpole, typically referring to a ship mast or similar structures, according to Federal Flags. Half-mast means the flag is flown two-thirds up between the top and bottom of the flagstaff.
Half-staff is the term used for flags on land, particularly in the United States. Half-staff describes a flag that is raised halfway, between the top and bottom of the flagpole.
When the American flag is flown at half-staff, it conveys a message of respect and mourning. Federal Flags says this custom is most often observed following the death of a government official, military personnel or in response to a national tragedy.
Lucia Cheng is a service and trending reporter at the Des Moines Register. Contact her at lcheng@gannett.com or 515-284-8132.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa lowers flags to half-staff to honor 2 soldiers killed in Kuwait
Reporting by Lucia Cheng and Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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