The Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.
Master Sgt. Joshua L. Wheeler, 39, of Roland, Oklahoma, died Oct. 22, 2015 in Kirkuk Province, Iraq, from wounds received by enemy small-arms fire during an operation.
He was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

A dignified transfer is the process by which, upon the return from the theater of operations to the United States, the remains of fallen military member ( s ) are transferred from the aircraft to a waiting vehicle and then to the port mortuary.

The dignified transfer is not a ceremony; rather, it is a solemn movement of the transfer case by a carry team of military personnel from the fallen member's respective service.

A dignified transfer is conducted for every U.S. military member who dies in the theater of operation while in the service of their country. A senior ranking officer of the fallen member's service presides over each dignified transfer.

Carry team boards aircraft

Dignified transfer officer, senior ranking officers board aircraft.
Chaplain (Maj.) Melvin K. Smith, Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operation, Dover Air Force Base, DE, U.S. Air Force offers prayer for the fallen onboard the aircraft

L to R: Dignified Transfer Dignitaries Ash Cater, Secretary of Defense, General Mark A. Milley, Army Chief of Staff, Major General Robert D. Carlson, Commander, Transatlantic Division for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Col. Daniel F. Merry, Commander, Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations, Dover Air Force Base, Col. Michael W. Grisneer, Jr. Commander, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base.

Carry team carries transfer case of Master Sgt. Joshua L. Wheeler from the C-17 to the mortuary transfer vehicle.

Dignified transfer officer orders “Present, Arms” (slow movement salute)

Carry team moves transfer case into the mortuary transfer vehicle

Dignified transfer officer orders “Order, Arms” (slow movement salute)

Transfer vehicle Door Attendant: Airman 1st Class Kenisha R. Robertson, slowly closes the doors to transfer vehicle.

Mortuary vehicle driver starts engine, and Security Forces vehicle moves into escort position in front.

As the Transfer vehicle begins to pull away the Dignified transfer officer Col. Daniel F. Merry orders a final “Present, Arms” and “Order, Arms” (slow salute) as vehicle departs.

Carry team follows (by walking) behind the transfer vehicle, with the transfer vehicle door attendant walking behind the carry team

Dignified transfer officer and senior ranking officers follow (walking) behind the transfer vehicle door attendant, ending the dignified transfer

Master Sergeant Joshua L. Wheeler was a highly decorated soldier and had been deployed 17 times with most being in support of combat operations. He has received 11 Bronze Stars. Four of the 11 Bronze Stars are with Valor. He was a master parachutist, and began his Army career immediately following his graduation from Muldrow High School, OK in 1994.
Wheeler was assigned to headquarters, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C. He is the first American service member killed in action while fighting Islamic State militants. The Army said that Wheeler, who joined the military as an infantryman in 1995, was assigned to U.S. Army Special Operations Command in 2004, and deployed 11 times in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.