Pentagon releases names of 7 airmen killed in crash in Iraq
The Defense Department has released the names of seven airmen who were killed March 15 when an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crashed in western Iraq. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Those who were killed include Capt. Mark K. Weber, 29, of Colorado Springs, Colo. He was assigned to the 38th Rescue Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, Ga.
Four of the airmen were assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing at the Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, N.Y.:
Capt. Andreas B. O’Keeffe, 37, of Center Moriches, N.Y.
Capt. Christopher T. Zanetis, 37, of Long Island City, N.Y.
Master Sgt. Christopher J. Raguso, 39, of Commack, N.Y.
Staff Sgt. Dashan J. Briggs, 30, of Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.
Two were assigned to the 308th Rescue Squadron, Air Force Reserve, at Patrick Air Force Base, Fa:
Master Sgt. William R. Posch, 36, of Indialantic, Fla.
Staff Sgt. Carl P. Enis, 31, of Tallahassee, Fla.
Officials have said there were no indications the helicopter had been shot down. In their initial statements, officials said the helicopter, which is used by the Air Force for combat search and rescue, was in transit when it went down March 15 afternoon near the town of Qaim in Anbar Province. AP
China names former missile force commander defense minister
China has appointed a former missile force commander as its new defense minister.
Lt. Gen. Wei Fenghe’s naming as the international face of China’s rapid military modernization was among a series of appointments undertaken by the ceremonial legislature on March 19.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi was reappointed to that position and also promoted to state counselor, while Zhao Kezhi was confirmed as minister of public security in charge of the police.
Chen Wenqing remains minister of state security responsible for espionage and counterintelligence.
Wei is outranked by President Xi Jinping, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, and two vice chairmen, but will be the main interface between China’s 2 million-member armed forces and the rest of the world’s militaries. AP