Army resumes Apache helicopter training missions after Texas crash that killed 2
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FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) — The U.S. Army said Wednesday it will resume Apache helicopter training missions after a brief pause prompted by a crash in Texas last week killed two soldiers.
The cause of the Aug. 12 crash near Fort Hood remains under investigation by the Combat Readiness Center in Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Military officials temporarily halted Apache training flights on Aug. 14. The decision to resume the training came “after a thorough review of safety procedures and flight operations,” the Army said in a statement.
“We remain deeply saddened by the loss of our service members. Our thoughts are with their families, loved ones, and fellow Soldiers as we honor their service and the lasting impact they had on the Army community,” the statement said.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, of Killeen, Texas, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, of Belton, Texas, were killed in the Texas crash, the Army said last week. They were the only two people on board when the helicopter crashed in a grassy field near Salado, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Fort Hood.
Huey entered the Army in 2014 and Olmstead entered in 2023. They were assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.
The military had paused similar missions after past crashes. Three years ago, after 12 soldiers died in separate crashes in Alaska and Kentucky, the Army grounded all aviation units until they completed some additional training.
Fort Hood is a massive base with 214,968 acres (86,995 hectares) that is used to train and deploy heavy forces. In November 2015, four soldiers were killed when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a training exercise. And nine Fort Hood soldiers died in 2016 when a rain-swollen creek swept their vehicle into rushing waters.
The Apache attack helicopter has been a core part of Army aviation since the first one was delivered in 1984. More than 5,000 Apaches have been deployed by the U.S. military and its allies over the decades.
In announcing the pause, the Army made no mention of stopping the combat missions that Apache helicopters are regularly flying in the war in Iran. The helicopters have been employed around the Strait of Hormuz as part of the measures to maintain open navigation channels. One Apache crashed after running into an Iranian drone.