After returning from a deployment in Poland, Army Reserve Captain Cody Khork was looking forward to securing another overseas assignment alongside his fiancée. They found an opportunity with the Iowa-based 103rd Sustainment Command, where Khork took on the role of deputy force protection officer for a nine-month period at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait.
In February, the couple, along with many other military personnel at the base, was relocated off-post in anticipation of Operation Epic Fury. While Khork’s fiancée was moved out of the country, he, along with a small group of specialists, was transitioned to a tactical operations center at the Port of Shuaiba.
Tragically, on March 1, amidst escalating tensions in the region, an Iranian Shahed drone targeted Khork’s position, resulting in his death along with five other American servicemen.
“I never imagined this could happen,” Jim Khork, Cody’s father, expressed in an interview with CBS News.
Jim and his wife, Stacey, shared their sorrow and frustration during an exclusive CBS News interview, emphasizing their concerns regarding what they perceive as a lack of accountability within the military for failures that led to the deadly incident.
The Army informed the Khorks and CBS News that its investigation into the Iranian attack concluded in early July, though the findings have not yet been made public.
In a statement, an Army spokesperson requested “patience” from the public.
“The U.S. Army is dedicated to transparency while also respecting the privacy of our Gold Star Families. To honor the primary next of kin, who are currently being scheduled for briefings on the official investigation results, we will refrain from commenting on specific details, individual accounts, or any leaked information from the report at this time,” the spokesperson stated.
The Khorks reported that Cody, in his capacity as a force protection officer, had consistently warned Brig. Gen. Clint Barnes about the potential threat of an Iranian attack on their location, situated approximately 65 miles from the Iranian border. Sources indicated to CBS News that Army intelligence had cautioned as early as January about the likelihood of an Iranian strike on the Port of Shuaiba.
On the day of the attack, while the unit sheltered in a bunker amid air raid sirens, Cody’s family revealed that survivors reported Cody advising Barnes to remain in the bunker, even during moments of apparent calm.
“The general repeatedly asked Cody to declare an ‘all clear,’” Jim recounted. “A captain can only say ‘no’ to the general so many times.”
Brig. Gen. Barnes did not respond to multiple requests for comments, and a representative from the 103rd Sustainment Command directed inquiries to the Pentagon.
“My son died unnecessarily,” Stacey Khork asserted. “Yes, he sacrificed for my country. Yes, he was a patriot and a hero. I hesitate to use the term murder because it’s so strong, but if someone you loved was murdered, our justice system is designed for accountability and healing for the family.”
The Pentagon initiated the investigation to ascertain the facts surrounding the Iranian attack. However, a CBS News inquiry began to uncover what several survivors labeled as “strategic failures” before, during, and following the strike.
In a statement one day after the incident, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth referred to the Iranian drone as a “squirter,” implying that it managed to evade the defenses of a fortified unit in Kuwait. In April, an injured soldier revealed to CBS News that the narrative suggesting “one got through” was misleading, emphasizing that the unit was “unprepared to defend itself and not in a fortified position.”
Additional witnesses recounted that military leaders had been aware of intelligence indicating that Iran was targeting their location in Kuwait, prompting an investigation from Senate Democrats. Other survivors detailed their requests to leadership for increased resources prior to the attack, focusing on the need for more medical personnel and better access to medical supplies.
Maj. Stephen Ramsbottom, in a May interview with CBS News, described the situation as a failure, stating he believed that Master Sgt. Nicole Amor, another soldier who perished, might have survived her injuries had there been adequate medical support available. Witnesses reported that soldiers had to improvise with makeshift bandages, splints, and tourniquets, even commandeering civilian vehicles to transport the injured to local Kuwaiti hospitals.
The Pentagon has consistently rejected claims that it attempted to downplay the incident. In a March post on X, addressing prior CBS News reports about the strike, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell asserted that “every possible measure has been taken to safeguard our troops—at every level” and that the “secure facility was reinforced with 6-foot walls.”
At the Khork residence, walls are adorned with framed memories of Cody’s military service, including a freshly tailored formal uniform he never had the opportunity to wear.
Each month, they visit the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, reflecting on his sacrifice.
“Now we can speak for our son,” Jim Khork stated. “He can no longer do it, but we can.”
