Jim Baird: “I rise to express profound sadness on the passing of Captain Seth R. Koval of Mooresville, Indiana, and my gratitude for…”

“I rise to express profound sadness on the passing of Captain Seth R. Koval of Mooresville, Indiana, and my gratitude for his service to our Nation. Captain Koval died during a refueling accident while supporting Operation Epic Fury. Captain Koval was a KC-135R Stratotanker instructor pilot for the 166th Air Refueling Squadron. He enlisted as a machinist in the Indiana Air National Guard in 2006 and graduated in 2011 from Purdue with a bachelor's degree. He joined the Ohio National Guard in 2017 and was commissioned on November 9, 2018. He eventually became advanced trained as an instructor pilot. He deployed multiple times over the past 12 years, including in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Spartan Shield, and Epic Fury. Captain Koval ultimately accumulated over 400 hours of flight in combat. Captain Koval was married for 19 years and was the father of a young son. I thank Captain Koval for his selfless service. My prayers are with his family.”