Biden aide, Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach named as Black Hawk Pilot
Biden White House military social aide, Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach named as Black Hawk Pilot
The U.S. Army said Saturday that a Durham woman and UNC-Chapel Hill alumna was the third soldier to die when a Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday. Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach served as an aviation officer since January 2019, according to the Army. “We 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,” the Lobach family said in a statement provided by the Army.
Lobach began her career in the United States Army as a distinguished military graduate in ROTC at UNC, the statement said. She twice served as a platoon leader in the 12th Aviation Battalion, Davison Army Airfield in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, the statement said. Lobach, who earned a pilot-in-command certification after 450 hours of flight time and extensive testing, also served as a White House military social aide, volunteering to support former President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden in hosting White House events, including ceremonies to celebrate Medal of Honor recipients.
Lobach was a warrior, her family said, and “graceful as she was fierce.” She was a victim advocate for the Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program and hoped to become a physician after she left the Army, her family said. “She was a servant, a caregiver, an advocate. Most of all, she loved and was loved. Her life was short, but she made a difference in the lives of all who knew her,” her family’s statement said.
