Defense Department Updates Families of Fallen Soldiers on Niger Investigation
Nov. 8, 2017

This week U.S. Army officials contacted the family members of the four U.S. soldiers killed Oct. 4 during an ambush in Niger in order to provide a timeline on U.S. Africa Command’s investigation into the incident. Families were informed that AFRICOM’s investigation team will travel to locations in the U.S., Africa and Europe to gather information related to the investigation. U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier, AFRICOM’s chief of staff, will lead the command’s investigation team. Officials also relayed that the investigation is expected to be completed in January 2018, but that if circumstances required additional time, that they will be kept informed.

The Department of Defense is committed to a thorough and detailed investigation into the deaths of Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, and Sgt. La David T. Johnson. Once the investigation is completed, briefing the families of the fallen will be the department’s first priority.