Two Airmen From Hurlburt Field Killed in CV-22 Crash......

[Bone184]

Memorial being planned for Hurlburt airmen
Northwest Florida Daily News- April 13, 2010

HURLBURT FIELD — A memorial service for two airmen killed last week in Afghanistan will be held Thursday.

Amy Oliver, a spokeswoman for the 1st Special Operations Wing, said plans for the memorial service of Master Sgt. James B. Lackey and Maj. Randell D. Voas are under way.

The time and place have not been confirmed.

The service will be open to Hurlburt personnel. At the request of the families, outside media will not attend, although Hurlburt’s public relations group will cover it.

Lackey, 45, and Voas, 43, were stationed at Hurlburt Field with the 8th Special Operations Squadron. The airmen died when a CV-22 Osprey carrying U.S. forces crashed about seven miles west of Qalat, the capital of Zabul province, according to an Air Force Special Operations Command press release.

Voas leaves behind his wife, Jill; a daughter, Maddie, a junior in high school; and a son, Mitch, a seventh-grader. The family lives in Shalimar.

Lackey leaves behind his wife, Cassie; and three sons, Brandon, Alex and Nick.

The names of the Army soldier and civilian contractor who died in the crash have not been released. The cause is being investigated.

The 8th SOS was on its second CV-22 deployment, which left for Afghanistan in March. Its first deployment finished in November 2009.



You can read it here: http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/airmen ... orial.html

I often spoke with Major Voas about our prior service in the Army. From the moment I first spoke with him I could tell he wasn't someone who was there for his personal gain, he cared about those around him. It was my honor to of met him.

Rest in Peace Air Commandos

[MIKE JG]

The Osprey program has had so many setbacks. I think all the growing pains are behind it and maybe this is a sign that the program has reached maturity and you will now have accidents that are not related to the design itself and more related to the fact that it's being operated in a war zone.

We've made it as safe as we can for those who operate it but no system will ever be 100% safe.