Was Fatally Injured In A Helicopter Accident March 11

A soldier who was fatally injured when the Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter he was aboard went down in the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, FL March 11 has been denied a military burial in Arlington National Cemetery.

Staff Sgt. Thomas Florich of Baton Rouge, LA had been serving as a flight mechanic aboard the aircraft when it went down in the fog. But because Florich was not on active duty at the time of the accident, the Army said through a spokeswoman that he "does not meet the requirement for burial at Arlington National Cemetery." 

The Army says that Florich is eligible for full military honors, but his family had requested burial at Arlington. Louisiana National Guard spokesman Col. Pete Schneider told Fox News that the decision is being appealed. Florich had been a member of the guard for eight years and had been deployed overseas, Schneider said.

Secretary of the Army John McHugh could waive the eligibility requirements, according to one senior military official.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.army.mil