Quotes
Rebecca was brilliant and fearless, a talented pilot and a PT stud,
Winkie wrote in a social media post, using an abbreviation for physical training
I’ll be damned if we didn’t somehow stuff ourselves into that cockpit,
Winkie wrote in a tribute to Lobach on X, formerly known as Twitter
You had a pilot problem from the standpoint of the helicopter. I mean, because it was visual, it was very clear night.”
After the crash, President Donald Trump blamed the helicopter for flying at too high an altitude, sayingI put safety first, (former Presidents Barack) Obama, (Joe) Biden and the Democrats put policy first, and they put politics at a level that nobody's ever seen,
Trump told reporters at the White House
Our deepest condolences go out to her family, and all the families who are mourning the loss of their loved ones impacted by this devastating accident. We continue to work with the families of our fallen soldiers and support the ongoing investigations."
The U.S. Army said in a statement
My experiences with SHARP have reinforced my resolve to serve others with compassion, understanding, and the resources necessary for healing,
Lobach once said, ... per her family's statementThat's what our job is, to figure that out,
NTSB board member Todd Inman told reporters when asked what could explain the discrepancy
She was a bright star in all our lives,
her family said in a statement, ... notingWe do not know at this time if the night-vision goggles were actually being worn, nor what the setting may be,
he saidWe 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."
Lobach's family also released a statement, sayingWe request that you please respect our privacy as we grieve this devastating loss,
they addedCpt. Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina, served as an aviation officer (15A) in the regular Army from July 2019 to January 2025. She has no deployments. She was assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion, Ft Belvoir, Va. Her awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon."
In a statement, the U.S. Army saidI was so proud when Sam became a pilot. Now it hurts so bad I can’t even cry myself to sleep,
his dad wrote in a devastating tribute on Facebook
She had a personality as radiant as her smile was. She was incredibly kind and comes from a great family as well. It's a tragic loss for them and Wichita as a whole."
Pal Marcus Rucker told The U.S. Sun