An Army helicopter crash outside of Reagan National Airport claimed the lives of three soldiers. The crash occurred on Wednesday night, and the identities of the victims were released over the course of several days. President Donald Trump has blamed the helicopter for flying at too high an altitude, and has also criticized the FAA's diversity hiring initiatives.
Cpt. Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, N.C., served as an Army aviation officer since July 2019. Her awards include an Army commendation medal and an achievement medal.In a statement released by the Army , her family said she was a distinguished military graduate in ROTC at the University of North Carolina, and was in the top 20% of cadets nationwide.
The family also noted that she served as a certified sexual harassment/assault response and prevention victim advocate and hoped to become a physician when she got out of the Army. “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. She was a bright star in all our lives. She was kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong. No one dreamed bigger or worked harder to achieve her goals," the statement said, adding, “we request that you please respect our privacy as we grieve this devastating loss.”The names of the two other soldiers were released on Friday, but Lobach's name was withheld at the time at the request of her family.
There has been no specific explanation from the Army for the one-day delay in releasing her name. But while the investigation into the crash has only just begun, President Donald Trump has publicly blamed the helicopter for flying at too high an altitude. And he issued a lengthy critique about an FAA diversity hiring initiative —particularly regarding air traffic controllers — saying they eroded flight safety.
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HELICOPTER CRASH ARMY SOLDIERS FAA DIVERSITY
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