A 19-year-old airman from Paterson, New Jersey, was found dead in his dorm room at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas on Monday, the base said.
An investigation is ongoing into the death of Airman 1st Class Jerry Nolasco-Peralta, Laughlin said in a release Tuesday.
Nolasco-Peralta was a financial management technician with the comptroller squadron at the 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin said. He joined the Air Force on Feb. 12.
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He is survived by his mother, stepfather, brother and grandmother.
“This loss weights heavily on every member of our Laughlin family,” wing commander Col. Lee Gentile said in the release. “Our deepest condolences are with the family, friends and co-workers of our beloved member. As we work through this tragedy, our focus is on ensuring our leaders take a moment to personally engage their airmen and uplift one another during this difficult time.”
The wing said that members of the community who are affected by Nolasco-Peralta’s loss can contact Laughlin’s Airman and Family Readiness Center at 830-298-5620, the chapel at 830-298-5111, or the mental health clinic at 830-298-6422.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.