MSgt Tyler Simmons was one of six airmen who made the ultimate sacrifice when a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq on March 12, 2026, during Operation Epic Fury. Tyler was a KC-135 Boom Operator with the 166th Air Refueling Squadron, 121st Air Refueling Wing, Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio. He enlisted in the Air Force in 2017. Upon completing Basic Military Training, he attended security forces technical training, graduating in May 2018. He later retrained as an Inflight Refueling Specialist in April 2022 and earned his wings as a Mobility Force Aviator, in 2023 with the 166th Air Refueling Squadron. He deployed three times in support of United States Central Command, including Operations Freedom Sentinel, Spartan Shield, Inherent Resolve, Deliberate Resolve, and Epic Fury. He logged 230 combat hours through these deployments. Major awards and decorations: Air Force Commendation Medal; Air Reserve Force Meritorious Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal; and National Defense Service Medal
March 29, 2026 — 11:30 AM
5238 Alum Creek Drive
Groveport, Ohio 43125
Ride Captain:
Keith Liptak
[email protected]
Instructions:
Mission briefing.
The PGR will be standing in a flag line for the honorable transfer and escort MSgt Simmons to the funeral home.
Location given during the briefing. We will again form a flag line at the funeral home for the transfer. End of escort is end of mission
Flags will not be provided.
If you have large bike flags, please bring them.
Water will not be provided, please bring your own.
Submitted by: Catherine Davis
Ohio Ride Captain
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