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BY Nebraska National Guard | January 26, 2021
MGN
COLUMBUS, Neb. – The Nebraska National Guard continues to support the Department of Health and Human Services-led statewide response to the ongoing novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and is now assisting by administering COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible non-military recipients on a voluntary basis. Guard members helped administer the first doses of the vaccine to more than 700 local residents Jan. 21, 2021, in Columbus.
The mission comes on the heels of a nearly year-long effort in which Nebraska Soldiers and Airmen were called upon to assist local and state officials in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in many different ways, including COVID-19 mobile testing teams and support to local food banks.
He joined the U.S. Army right after high school and spent two years in Alaska. He later joined the National Guard because “he could sign up to be a pilot,” she said. He eventually settled in Rochester, but would keep in touch with his mom via phone.
‘These guys are being called heroes by so many people.and he was a dear, sweet hero,” Barbara Skoda said. He wanted to be called Steve
Skoda was what you’d call an “Army dad,” said Amber Davis, 36, of Ogden, a Staff Sergeant who served with both Skoda and Koch in Company F, 1st of the 169th General Support Aviation Battalion. She now works in administration with the New York National Guard.
Christian Koch never would have kept them waiting.
On Wednesday evening, when Koch s family first heard rumblings on social media about a military helicopter that crashed in Mendon, they tried to call him.
Two helicopters had gone out for a training exercise that night, said his sister-in-law Aimee Koch. Frantically, they tried to figure out which aircraft he was on. It became increasingly clear as we tried to reach him by cellphone that he was involved, she said. Christian never would have made anybody worry. . As time went by and we didn t get that call, we knew.
Koch, 39, died Wednesday along with two other New York Army National Guard soldiers when their UH-60 medical evacuation helicopter crashed while on a routine training mission just after 6:30 p.m.