A man who died in a flash flood at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland last weekend has been identified as Kenneth Charles Stuart.<\/p>\n
Lackland Air Force Base emergency crews responded Saturday night to\u00a0what the Air Force called “a severe flash flood incident”<\/a> on Hall Street in the base’s Security Hill section. Leon Creek flows through the area and was swollen by heavy rains. Floodwaters engulfed a vehicle, and the occupant could not escape.<\/p>\n He was driving home from his job as a civilian weapons physicist assigned to the 57th Intelligence Squadron at Security Hill. The squadron is part of the 16th Air Force (also known as Air Forces Cyber), the service’s information warfare arm.<\/p>\n “Stuart was a beloved and respected member of the 57th IS family. He dedicated 32 years in support of our nation and was always committed to helping others and improving our organization,” Lt. Col. Benjamin Secrist, commander of the intelligence squadron, said in a statement.<\/p>\n “We are deeply saddened by his sudden passing,”\u00a0Secrist said. “His leadership and kindness leave a lasting legacy in our squadron. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at this time.”<\/p>\n The base said Stuart’s death remains under investigation.\u00a0Security Hill has a history of flooding, although no previous flooding deaths had been reported there, a JBSA-Lackland spokeswoman said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The area is marked with signs warning motorists about flooding during severe weather.<\/p>\n “It’s a very unfortunate circumstance,” the spokeswoman said.<\/p>\n The 57th Intelligence Squadron, known as the Hellcats, generates intelligence to support U.S. and allied military forces. It tracks and analyzes electronic warfare\u00a0by adversaries and programs electronic warfare and threat-warning systems on U.S. combat aircraft, among other duties.<\/p>\n Its mission is to “empower spectrum warfare dominance,” according to an Air Force fact sheet<\/a>. That means ensuring friendly forces can communicate securely and operate their radar systems, while at the same time jamming and deceiving the enemy\u2019s electronics.<\/p>\n Stuart was a member of the Alamo Muzzle Loading Gun Club<\/a>, a nonprofit whose members try to preserve the traditions and techniques of shooting with “black powder” firearms, which were in wide use until the mid-19th century.<\/p>\n