The Air Force announced late Tuesday that two special tactics airmen were killed during a free-fall training accident at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. One man earned the Bronze Star on two different occasions, while the other was a father of five.

Tech Sgt. Timothy A. Officer Jr. and Tech Sgt. Marty B. Bettelyoun died after suffering from fatal injuries in a parachute training accident, the Air Force Times reported. Both men were from the 24th Special Operations Wing based in Hurlburt Field, Florida.

Air Force Special Operations Command said the cause of the accident is still being investigated.

"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of these Special Tactics Airmen," AFSOC said in a statement.

"Our community has taken a huge loss with their deaths, and they will be sorely missed," Col. Wolfe Davidson, 24th Special Operations Wing commander, said in a statement, according to NBC News. "They were respected by their peers for not only their ability on the battlefield, but also for their incredible commitment to friends and family."

During the 14 years that Sgt. Officer served in the Air Force, the 32-year-old was deployed several times to Iraq and Afghanistan. He was also assigned to the 720th Operations Support Squadron. One of the Bronze Stars he received was for valor, according to the Air Force Times newspaper.

"The man was capable of transforming anyone's bad day into a great day," Officer's friend, Logan Warnhuis, told NBC News. "You could always see him with a smile on his face and everyone loved to be around him. His sense of humor was something nobody could get enough of."

Sgt. Bettelyoun, 35, was also deployed on several trips throughout his 15-year career. He was also a teacher of techniques for survival, evasion, resistance and escape.

Bettelyoun's best friend, 38-year-old Leah Scott of Vancouver, Washington, described him as a "very special" airman.

"He was an amazing person, very kind. If you needed something and he had it, it was yours," she said.

"He could walk into a room full of people he didn't know and he would walk out being friends with all of them for life."