WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WSVN) — Loved ones and colleagues paid tribute to an Army captain from Central Florida who, authorities said, was one of six U.S. service members killed in a drone strike in Kuwait on Sunday.
Thirty-five-year-old Capt. Cody Khork enlisted in the National Guard in 2009, was commissioned as a military police officer in 2014 and did deployments in Saudi Arabia, Poland and Guantánamo Bay in Cuba. He was killed just one day after the U.S. and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran.
Khork was assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command out of Des Moines, Iowa.
A statement released by his family reads in part “His legacy will endure in the lives he touched, the example he set, and the love of country and family that defined him.”
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Brian Kochendorfer, who served with Khork, remembered him for his leadership and said Khork embodied the best of service.
“A tactician, solid leader, get the mission done, but however, on the back end of that, he cared about people. ‘Hey, I’m not going to put soldiers in harm’s way.’ That’s what you look for in a commander,” he said. “Solid moral compass is the best way I can put it, does his job and did his job well.”
Kochendorfer said his sympathies go to Khork’s friends and family, those who knew him well.
“We’re still – I’m still trying to wrap my brain around it. I’m going to start tearing up,” he said. “God, you just hate, you know, somebody you know, you see it on news, but when it’s somebody [you know], that hits home, because you know the individual, you know, and you got to serve with them.”
Khork was a resident of Winter Haven. Jack Gaines, his neighbor of many years, called him a fun-loving great guy.
“It’s devastating. My daughter actually called me this morning and said that Cody had passed,” said Gaines. “For one, I was around him, and I wasn’t around him a lot, but here, kind of a fun-loving great guy.”
Here is the statement from Khork’s family in full:
“It is with profound sorrow and immense pride that we share these words about Cody, a man whose life was defined by devotion, character, and service. Cody was truly the life of the party, known for his infectious spirit, generous heart, and deep care for those who served alongside him and for everyone blessed to know him.
From an early age, Cody felt a calling to serve his country. He began that journey by enlisting in the Army Reserve and continued on a path of honor and leadership through Florida Southern College’s ROTC program. 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.
Cody also possessed a great love for history and earned a degree in political science, pursuits that reflected both his sharp mind and his sincere appreciation for the principles and sacrifices that have shaped our nation. He was deeply patriotic and took great pride in serving something greater than himself.
Above all, Cody found the love of his life and carried that same devotion into both his personal life and his service to this country. He lived with purpose, loved deeply, and served honorably. His legacy will endure in the lives he touched, the example he set, and the love of country and family that defined him.”
Respectfully,
James & Stacey Khork
Donna Burhans
The chief of the Army Reserve also released a statement saying the soldiers fought fearlessly and selflessly, adding their sacrifice “will never be forgotten.”
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