Two Des Moines metro residents were killed in a March 1 attack by Iran on a facility being used by the Des Moines-based 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, and a former West Des Moines resident is believed to be among the six total dead.
Here’s what we know so far about the soldiers who died in the attack.
Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien, Waukee
Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien was commissioned in the Army Reserve as a Signal Corps officer in 2012 and was deployed to Kuwait in 2019, the Pentagon said in a news release.
O’Brien had been promoted to major in August 2024, according to a Facebook post by the 103rd.
O’Brien’s wife Roxane provided a statement to KCCI-TV on March 5, saying, “The past few days have been absolutely devastating, confusing, and surreal for our family. We are in shock, grieving, and grappling with the reality that we have lost the most important man in our lives, and we are trying to come to terms with how we move forward.”
“Jeff was a true hero in every sense of the word,” the statement said.
O’Brien was the manager of defensive cyber operations at ProCircular, a Coralville-based cybersecurity company. The company last August received an award for supporting his service with flex time and coverage for his job while he was on deployments.
Aaron Warner, CEO of ProCircular, said in a statement to the Des Moines Register that “ProCircular deeply mourns the loss of Jeff O’Brien, Manager of Defensive Cyber Operations, who tragically lost his life while serving our country. … Jeff was admired not only for his skill and leadership but also for his compassion toward new team members, his uplifting humor during challenging times, and his calm guidance in high-pressure situations.”
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 was a native of Coggon in Linn County and a graduate of North Linn High School and Iowa State University.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his mother and father, Helen Ann and Daniel J. of Coggon; and brothers David Daniel of Coggon and Gregory Joseph of Marion.
Sgt. Declan Coady, West Des Moines
Coady’s family was notified of his death at 8 p.m. Sunday. His father Andrew, mother Katherine, sister Kiera and brother Rowan were at home when they received the news. Another brother, Aidan, is an Army corporal stationed in Italy
Coady’s father said he had last spoken to him a day earlier in a call from his base in Kuwait.
“He was telling us that he was safe,” he said.
A sophomore at Drake University and Army reservist from West Des Moines, Coady, 20, had 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.
“That’s how much he loved it,” his father said.
Coady’s 22-year-old sister, who graduated from Drake in 2025, said, “He was my younger brother. … I’m just really sad that I didn’t get a chance to tell him I love him one more time.”
Coady graduated from Valley High School in West Des Moines in 2023.
“He was just the nicest. He was quite shy and a man of few words, but he was amazing,” his sister said.
Coady went through the ranks of the Boy Scouts, earning the top rank of Eagle. His two brothers did the same.
Declan loved gaming, going to the gym and the family cat, Autumn, and enjoyed camping and hiking with his family.
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. The Pentagon’s release noted Coady was posthumously promoted to sergeant from specialist.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan
The Pentagon said Robert Marzan, 54, a chief warrant officer 3, was believed to have died in the tactical operations center at the Port of Shuaiba in Kuwait. It said it was awaiting positive identification from a medical examiner to confirm his death.
The Pentagon listed him as living in Sacramento, California, where he grew up, but Marzan lived with his family in West Des Moines from 2007 and 2023.
Janet Townley of Prairie City, who worked with Marzan in Des Moines, said he was “dedicated to his job and helping people.”
Townley, a former member of the 103rd, said she would call on Marzan to help her solve difficult problems. “He was very good,” she said. “You could always depend on him to find the answer.”
Marzan’s sister, Elizabeth, posted a photo of herself with her brother on Facebook with a message of appreciation for those who have honored him.
“Your heartfelt love, support and prayers for our family is much appreciated,” she wrote. “God bless all those that serve and has given their ultimate sacrifice so that we can be free. May God bless all our broken hearts. Help us and give us strength with the same courage and bravery my brother had, to unselfishly serve our country well. God bless you all.”
The U.S. Army Reserve Command Press Desk declined to release a photo of Marzan.
Capt. Cody A. Khork
Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida, enlisted in the National Guard in 2009 as a fire direction specialist, according to the Pentagon, helping direct artillery. In 2014, he became a military police officer in the Army Reserve. And, over the years, he deployed to Saudi Arabia, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Poland.
In a statement, Khork’s family said he had been in ROTC while a student at Florida Southern College’s ROTC program. Khork loved history and had a degree in political science.
“That commitment helped shape the course of his life and reflected the deep sense of duty that was always at the core of who he was,” said his mother, Donna Burhans, father, James Khork, and stepmother, Stacey Khork, in the statement.
Florida Southern College, in a statement, said it mourned his loss.
“Our hearts are with Cody’s family, his fellow soldiers, and all who knew and loved him. We also extend our deepest condolences to his classmates, friends, and professors across the Florida Southern community who shared in his journey,” it said.
Khork received numerous military awards, including a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, a Korea Defense Service Medal and a Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Pentagon officials said.
Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor
Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, had been deployed to the Middle East before.
The White Bear Lake, Minnesota, resident joined the National Guard in 2005 as an automated logistics specialist overseeing troop supply chains. She transferred to the Army Reserve in 2006. Her service saw her deploy to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019.
In her latest deployment to Kuwait, she was assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, which provide food, fuel, water and ammunition, transport equipment and supplies.
The mother of two children was just days away from returning home when a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait killed her, her husband, Joey Amor, told the Associated Press.
“She was almost home,” he said. “You don’t go to Kuwait thinking something’s going to happen, and for her to be one of the first – it hurts.”
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, paid tribute to Amor in a statement: “John and I join countless people across Minnesota in mourning Sgt. First Class Nicole Amor of White Bear Lake, who made the ultimate sacrifice serving our country. Our hearts are with her family, loved ones, and all those in our armed forces.”
She also received several decorations, including an Army Commendation Medal, a National Defense Service Medal and a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Service Medal.
Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens
A GoFundMe campaign said Sgt. Noah L. Tietjens’ death left behind “his devoted wife and his incredible son, Dylan. Noah was a man of courage, discipline, and unwavering love for his family. He lived and served with honor, and he led his life with strength, integrity, and quiet leadership. Above all, he was a deeply committed husband and father. Dylan was his greatest pride.
Friends, family, and colleagues remember him for his kindness and generosity, it said.
In Nebraska, the owners of Martial Arts International posted online that Tietjens was known at the gym as “Mr. Noah, a devoted husband and father, a respected Black Belt in Philippine Combatives and Taekwondo, and an instructor who gave his time, discipline, and leadership to others.” The group said it plans a “candlelight mat ceremony” honoring Tietjens on March 5, which would have been his birthday.
In a streamed news conference, Julius Melegrito, the owner of the business, called it a “very, very difficult time” for Tietjens’s family.
This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@registermedia.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What to know about the soldiers from Iowa-based unit killed in Kuwait
Reporting by Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
