The Air Force has released the names of three of the four airmen killed in the Nov. 8 crash of a US Army Black Hawk helicopter in Italy. Another three airmen remain hospitalized. All were assigned to Aviano AB, Italy. Those killed included: SSgt. Robert D. Rogers, 27; SSgt. Mark A. Spence, 24; and SrA. Kenneth P. Hauprich Jr., 22. The family of the fourth airman killed requested the Air Force withhold his name. Those injured are: TSgt. Tanisha A. Pryor, SrA. Michael J. Costley, and SrA. Joshua A. Hanak. Two of the four Army aircrew members also died in the crash, which an Army Europe release said was a training flight for the soldiers and joint operations orientation flight for the airmen.
President Donald Trump on July 4 signed into law $150 billion in defense funds as part of the tax-and-spending package known as the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” after congressional Republicans approved the legislation in narrow, drawn-out votes earlier this week.