Authorities said a military servicemember assigned to the Southwest Border Support Mission was found dead Saturday in southern Arizona.
Private First Class Steven Hodges’ body was found near Nogales, and while the incident remains under investigation, foul play is not suspected, according to officials at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“Every Soldier in the Tomahawk Battalion is an essential member of our team. The loss of any Soldier is deeply felt. Private First Class Steven Hodges is sorely missed by his teammates and the entire Tomahawk family, every Soldier is a national treasure,” Lt. Col. Sean Lyons, the 1st Bat., 23rd Inf. Reg. Commander wrote in a statement to NBC 7.
The 20-year-old servicemember was from Menifee, California.
Hodges enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2017 and served in the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, since February 2018, as a Grenadier, according to authorities.
He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon during his service.
“We are grateful for all the young men and women who volunteer to serve our nation. We are humbled at the sacrifices their families continue to make on a daily basis, Steven and his family are in our prayers,” Lyons said.
U.S. & World
President Donald Trump assigned several thousand troops to the southwest border in recent months to support the U.S. Border Patrol.
