Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, a mother of two from White Bear Lake, Minnesota, was killed by a drone strike in Kuwait just days before she was due to return home. The strike also killed five other U.S. service members. Her husband, Joey Amor, said the loss is devastating and noted she was nearly home when the attack occurred.
Amor served with the Army Reserve’s 103rd Sustainment Command, a unit responsible for supplying food, fuel, water and ammunition to U.S. forces. She had deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019 and moved from the National Guard to the Army Reserve in 2006. Her awards included the Army Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with the ‘M’ Device.
According to Joey Amor, leadership had dispersed personnel amid fears the base could be targeted, and about a week before the strike Nicole had been relocated to a shipping container–style building that lacked defensive measures. He last exchanged messages with her roughly two hours before the attack, talking about long shifts and a minor fall the night before; she did not reply that morning.
Outside of her military duties, Nicole loved gardening, making salsa with her teenage son, and rollerblading and biking with her fourth-grade daughter. Joey remembered her as generous and steady, someone who helped others through dark times and brought light to those around her.
The attack took place as tensions in the Middle East were escalating after recent U.S. and Israeli military actions connected to Iran. Among the other service members killed were Capt. Cody Khork of Florida, Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens of Nebraska, and Sgt. Declan Coady of Iowa.
Mourning has played out publicly: Joey has shared glimpses of their life together on social media, including a November post recalling how she made his birthday special even while deployed. Nicole Amor is remembered by her husband and children as a devoted mother, loving partner and committed soldier whose loss leaves a deep void in their lives.