RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The U.S. Army has released the names of the two soldiers killed Wednesday after a military helicopter “experienced a mishap” and crashed in a field near Salado, Texas. The pilots were identified as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead. Both were assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood said in a news release. Huey, 34, of Killeen, Texas, joined the Army in February 2014 as a motor transport operator and had been assigned to the unit since February 2022. Olmstead, 25, of Belton, Texas, joined the Army in January 2023 as a warrant officer candidate and had been assigned to the unit since October 2025. Huey and Olmstead were aboard an Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter when it crashed. Officials responded to the scene after receiving 911 calls around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Bell County Sheriff’s Office said. In a statement Friday, the Army said the helicopter “experienced a mishap” during a maintenance test flight but provided no further details. The AH-64 Apache is a twin-engine, four-bladed, multi-mission attack helicopter designed as a highly stable aerial weapons-delivery platform, according to the Army’s website, which describes it as “the most advanced aerial fighting vehicle in the world.” The crash sparked a grass fire that grew to about 155 acres, the sheriff’s office said. Five homes and nine outbuildings were threatened; all but one outbuilding were saved. The fire has been fully contained, and fire officials expect to declare it 100 percent controlled at approximately 5:00 p.m. Sunday, barring significant flare-ups, the sheriff’s office said. “Our hearts and deepest condolences are with the families of the soldiers we lost Wednesday,” said Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral, commanding general of III Armored Corps and Fort Hood. “The Army is a family, and a tragedy like this is felt throughout our formations and our community.” The crash remains under investigation.
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