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Florida Senate Pays Tribute To Those Lost In National Guard Helicopter Crash

U.S. Navy/MGN Online

The Florida Senate held a moment of silence Wednesday for the eleven soldiers and Marines who were killed during a training exercise in the Florida Panhandle last week.

“Chief Warrant Officer George Wayne Griffin, Chief Warrant Officer George David Strother, Staff Sgt. Lance Bergeron, Staff Sgt. Thomas Florich...,” said Sen. Don Gaetz, as a he read from a list.

Reading the names of those lost, the Niceville Republican called for the moment of silence on the Senate floor “that we rise in tribute and in memory to these 11 members of our armed forces who had no intention of dying that day, but had every intention of doing their duty that day to be trained and to be ready.”

All eleven were taking part in what was supposed to be a routine training mission at Eglin Air Force Base. They were killed last Tuesday when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed into about 25 feet of water in the Santa Rosa Sound, during a thick fog.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter: @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.