The name of the third soldier who died on Wednesday when an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet near Reagan National Airport in the capital, Washington, has been released by the US Army.
Captain Rebecca Lobach, from Durham, North Carolina, had served as an aviation officer since July 2019. Her honours included 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 had ranked in the top 20% of cadets nationwide.
She had logged more than 450 hours of flight time and earned certification as a pilot-in-command following extensive testing by the most senior and experienced pilots in her battalion, they said.
The family also highlighted her role as a certified sexual harassment and assault response and prevention victim advocate and said she had hoped to become a doctor after leaving the Army.
The statement continued: “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.
“We request that you please respect our privacy as we grieve this devastating loss.”
The names of the other two soldiers were released on Friday, but Ms Lobach’s name was initially withheld at her family’s request.
The others were Staff Sergeant Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, from Lilburn, Georgia, who was the crew chief, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, from Great Mills, Maryland, who was a pilot.
The Army has not provided a specific reason for the one-day delay in releasing her name.
While the investigation into the crash is still in its early stages, former President Donald Trump has publicly blamed the helicopter for flying at too high an altitude.
He also issued a lengthy critique of an FAA diversity hiring initiative, particularly regarding air traffic controllers, claiming it had compromised flight safety.
No evidence has emerged to suggest that FAA diversity policies played any role in the collision.
