Service member killed in Iraq identified as Army Special Operations pilot

Conducting preflight checks, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jeff Sliger, left, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Taylor Galvin, pilots with Company C, 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, observe the hydraulic deck of their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, Jan. 15, 2014, at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Andrew Cochran/released)

The Department of Defense has identified the service member who was killed during a helicopter crash in Baghdad, Iraq.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Taylor J. Galvin, 34, from Spokane, Washington, died Aug. 20, 2018, as a result of injuries sustained when his helicopter crashed in Sinjar, Ninevah Province, Iraq.

Galvin was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

SOAR, also known as the Night Stalkers and Task Force Brown, is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and special operations forces.

Galvin entered the U.S. Army as a CH-47 aircraft mechanic in 2003. In 2007, Galvin was accepted to Warrant Officer Candidate School and graduated flight school in 2008 at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Galvin was assigned to Charlie Company, 2-1 General Support Aviation Battalion, Fort Riley, Kansas, where he served as a UH-60 instructor pilot, deploying twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. After a successful assessment in 2015, he was assigned to Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Galvin served as an MH-60M Fully Mission Qualified Pilot.

He is a combat veteran with nine deployments, two in support of Iraqi Freedom, three in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and four in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

His military education includes the Warrant Officer Candidate School; Aviation Warrant Officer Basic Course; Aviation Warrant Officer Advanced Course; the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course; UH-60 Aviator Qualification Course; UH-60 Instructors Pilot Course; and the MH-60M Qualification Course.

Galvin’s awards and decorations include one Air Medal (C device); Air Medal (3OLC); Army Commendation Medal(2OLC); Joint Service Air Medal (OLC); Army Achievement Medal (2OLC); Meritorious Unit Award; Army Good Conduct Medal (3); National Defense Service Medal (2); Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War On Terrorism Service Medal; NATO Medal; Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon (3); Combat Action Badge and Senior Army Aviator Badge.

The incident is under investigation.

All rights reserved. The content of this webpage may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written consent of Bright Mountain Media, Inc. which may be contacted at info@brightmountainmedia.com, ticker BMTM.

Post navigation