FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Cravis Taybron remembers his days as an 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper. He served in the U.S. Army for almost 30 years. His days on what is now known as Fort Liberty were spent training because preparation is so critical to the Army's mission, much like the training mission the soldiers on board the Black Hawk were conducting over the Potomac River in Washington D.C.
"You train just like you plan to execute. Nine at night, five in the morning," said Taybron. "Most of your jumps for training, especially in the combat arms units was done between those times because they wanted to be able to execute under any kind of conditions."
He offered his condolences to families and friends of those involved in Wednesday night's disaster that took 67 lives.
It hits close to home for him and many other veterans.
"Most the passengers on the airline were ... U.S. skaters and Russian skaters," Taybron said. "Then, of course, soldiers. I'm a soldier. I can't even imagine what families are feeling."
Retired Col. William Dunn also expressed sorrow for all victims in the plane collision. He is a former Cobra pilot who served in the U.S. Marine Corps for more than 30 years. Much of his career was spent at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville. He's worked alongside the Army on multiple deployments escorting Black Hawks in and out of enemy territory.
"I know they are going to do an investigation, but most times scenarios like that are avoidable," said Dunn. "Black Hawks are flown by some of the bravest men and women to ever fly an aircraft. They would fly into some of the most dangerous hot spots to pick up a Marine or soldier that's been shot or wounded."
According to Dunn, it's not unusual for a military helicopter to fly near a commercial airfield, but he questions what caused the Black Hawk to be on the same flight path as the American Eagle jet.
"They were having an emergency or loss of situational awareness either in the helicopter crew or air traffic controller," he said.
The investigation into what happened is ongoing. Both veterans are confident that the Department of Defense will get to the bottom of this tragedy. It's something they said could save the lives of other servicemen and women.
"When the nation needs us, we've got to be ready to go," said Dunn.