They are, from left: Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, age 54, from Rochester, NY; Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch, age 39, from Honeoye Falls, NY; and Chief Warrant Officer Two Daniel Prial, age 30, from Rochester, NY.
(New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs via AP)MENDON, N.Y. โ The three National Guard members killed when a helicopter crashed in an upstate New York field this week were experienced pilots with past deployments to Afghanistan, officials said Friday.
Killed in the crash were Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, 54, of Rochester, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch, 39, of Honeoye Falls, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial, 30 of Rochester, according to the National Guard.
The crew had been conducting night vision goggle proficiency training in the local training area, the National Guard said.
Skoda served in the Army from 1985 to 1987 and joined the National Guard 1987.