Serviceman from Acworth Dies on Base in Qatar

A U.S. Navy Reserve Commander from Acworth was found dead in his room at a military installation in Qatar last week.

Cmdr. Christopher E. Kalafut, 49, was discovered on Friday inside his room at Al Udeid Air Base, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The base currently serves as a forward headquarters of United States Central Command, among other American units stationed there. According to Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper, Kalafut was assigned to the Naval Amphibious Liaison Element, Combined Forces Air Component Center, U.S. Central Command.

Before Kalafut deployed in July, he was serving as an airline pilot for Delta, which is headquartered in Atlanta. Kalafut’s father told Stars and Stripes that his son’s latest deployment was a non-flying assignment that was supposed to end with his retirement.

Kalafut leaves behind a wife and five children.