Governor Otter’s Reaction To The Apache Crash

Friday morning Governor Otter told the nation and the world that it's time to support the families of those who were killed while on a training mission last night. "It's time once again for the Idaho family to stand up and wrap their arms around these families, because these families were making contributions for every Idaho family, for every citizen of the United States, in perfecting our ability to defend freedom. I know when a tragedy like this happens, the Idaho family always has a front row seat in trying to get these through this moment of crisis in their lives."

The governor commended the courage and dedication of the Idaho National Guard members and their families in dealing with the challenges of today's military environment.

"The thing that is so ironic, is that we were going to be downsizing our Apache assets that  are at Gowen field, because the military in the whole part of downsizing, one of the things that we're going to lose is a whole or part of our Apache force,but that didn't bother these folks, they continued to train, they continued to operate and perfect our ablity to protect freedom."

He continued to describe the training that happens everyday at Gowen Field.

"It's just difficult, this is why we train, not only were those pilots training, but I would tell you the training of  the mechanics, the people that maintain and take care of those helicopters, go through training and update training all the time.  It's always a mystery to us, whether its an aircraft or other piece of military asset, that something happens and we lose a warrior.  It's a mystery, an area where we study, study, investigate. Investigate,  so it doesn't happen again."

Governor Otter said there is a special calling to be in the military that drives Americans to serve.  "They care and they have an investment in our freedom, they invest their time, they invest their family's time,  a big part of their life. While others were watching the football game, these guys were out practicing in case they were deployed, in a war zone, or some other crisis that we may have in the world."

The governor said that the state will continue to lead the nation in service to liberty.

"Idaho has made one of the greatest contributions because of our troops and because they care. Between all of the military assets we've got in state, we've probably deployed per capita more than anyone in the United States."

Governor Otter said that he will continue to update everyone as soon as more information is available.

Please keep these families and their fellow troops in your thoughts and prayers.

Hear the entire interview here: