Patriotic reception set for Arizona soldier killed in Afghanistan assault

KINGMAN, Ariz. – A patriotic reception is planned in northwest Arizona on Thursday when the body of a soldier killed in Afghanistan is flown to the Kingman Airport. Army Sgt. Brian L. Walker, who had marital ties to Las Vegas and Kingman, died in an attack on Mother’s Day.

Walker, 25, of Lucerne Valley, Calif., and Pfc. Richard L. McNulty, 22, of Rolla, Mo., were fatally wounded May 13. Walker and McNulty were in a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle when they were attacked with an improvised explosive device near Bowri Tana, in the Khost Province, the Department of Defense said. Three other soldiers were wounded in the attack.

Walker is married to 2008 Kingman High School graduate Ashley Caswell-Walker, an Army corporal. They wed Dec. 11, 2010, in Las Vegas.

Dozens of Patriot Guard motorcycle riders and representatives of the Kingman Police Department and Mohave County Sheriff’s Office will provide an honorary escort as Walker’s body is taken from the airport to Sutton Memorial Funeral Home for cremation. A memorial service is scheduled May 31 in Kingman.

“This is where Brian loved to be and this was their home,” said Walker’s father-in-law, Mike Caswell. “This is where they were planning to live after their military careers.”

Caswell said that his daughter served in the same unit as her husband and that she’s been granted a leave of absence to handle family affairs. He said that the young couple did not have children and that his daughter is dealing with her loss.

Walker and McNulty were military police assigned to the 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division. Walker joined the Army in July 2007 and served a previous deployment to Afghanistan from May 2009 to May 2010.