The U.S. Army has identified Cpt. Rebecca M. Lobach as the third soldier killed in the helicopter crash near Reagan National Airport. The collision with a commercial jet during a training mission has marked one of the deadliest air disasters in decades.
The U.S. Army has identified the third soldier who perished in the mid-air helicopter collision with a commercial jet near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday during a nighttime training mission. Cpt. Rebecca M. Lobach, hailing from Durham, N.C., becomes the latest victim in what has tragically become the deadliest U.S. air disaster in decades. While the names of the two other soldiers were released on Friday, Lobach's was withheld at her family's request.Cpt. Rebecca M.
Lobach, who served as an Army aviation officer since July 2019, possessed a distinguished military record. Her awards included an Army commendation medal and an achievement medal. In a statement released by the Army, her family emphasized her status as a distinguished military graduate in ROTC at the University of North Carolina, ranking in the top 20% of cadets nationwide. They shared that she accumulated over 450 hours of flight time and earned 'certification as a pilot-in-command after extensive testing by the most senior and experienced pilots in her battalion'.Her family further highlighted her role as a certified sexual harassment/assault response and prevention victim advocate and her aspirations to become a physician upon leaving 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 poignantly read, concluding with 'we request that you please respect our privacy as we grieve this devastating loss'. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, a 39-year-old helicopter pilot from Great Mills, Maryland, was one of the soldiers who lost his life. He dedicated 10 years to the U.S. Navy before transitioning to the Army in 2017 to become a UH-60 pilot.Throughout his distinguished career, he garnered multiple commendations, including the Army Commendation Medal (three times), the Navy Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, and the Navy Achievement Medal (three times). He was renowned for his exceptional skill, leadership, and unwavering dedication to his fellow soldiers. Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, is presumed dead, pending official identification. He served as a UH-60 helicopter repairer (15T) in the regular Army from July 2014 to the present day. He successfully deployed to Afghanistan from March 2017 to August 2017. His awards include Army Commendation Medal w/C Device, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal x4, Army Good Conduct Medal x3, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Aviation Badge and Senior Aviation Badge.The soldiers belonged to the 12th Aviation Battalion at Davison Army Airfield in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. They were engaged in a nighttime training mission when their UH-60 Black Hawk collided midair with an American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet around 9 p.m. The cause of the crash remains undetermined and is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Army.While the investigation is in its nascent stages, President Donald Trump has publicly attributed blame to the helicopter for flying at an excessive altitude. He has also issued a scathing critique of an FAA diversity hiring initiative, particularly concerning air traffic controllers, alleging it compromised flight safety. However, no evidence has surfaced to support the claim that diversity initiatives within the FAA contributed to the collision
HELICOPTER CRASH AIR DISASTER MILITARY REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT FAA INVESTIGATION NTSB INVESTIGATION
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