26-year-old radiologic technologist found dead in burned vehicle
The U.S. Air Force has identified a burned body found in a car on property near Eglin Air Force Base in Florida as a missing rad tech.
Senior Airman Tamera Moniq Bolden-Cleckley, 26, of Boerne, Texas, was assigned to the 96th Surgical Operations Squadron at Eglin and had served as a technologist there since 2021. An Eglin employee discovered the vehicle on the morning of Sept. 23 and notified law enforcement.
The location where Bolden-Cleckley was found is not on Eglin Air Force Base's main installation but is part of the Eglin Test and Training Range Complex, which is Air Force federal property. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office and 96th Security Forces Squadron responded before the scene was turned over to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
Eglin officials expressed condolences to Bolden-Cleckley's family, friends and colleagues and said counseling and other support services are being made available to those affected.
“Senior Airman Bolden-Cleckley was a valued member of the 96th Test Wing team, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and fellow Airmen during this difficult time,” Col. Chris Keithley, the 96th Test Wing commander, said in a release on her death.
Around 20,000 people work at Eglin. It is comprised of personnel from the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy and supports five major commands. The Air Force said the investigation remains ongoing and that no additional information will be released at this time.
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In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.