Army pilot’s trial
is set to open

At issue is the fatal crash of
a transport copter in Afghanistan

A 25th Infantry Division Black Hawk helicopter pilot will face a court-martial today for allegedly negligently causing the death of his crew chief in Afghanistan in August.

Darrin Rogers: The Wheeler-based warrant officer is accused of negligence in the crash

Chief Warrant Officer Darrin Raymond Rogers -- a member of Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation -- is also charged with violating a lawful order, reckless endangerment and destruction of government property, the helicopter.

Sgt. Daniel Galvan, 30, of Moore, Okla., was killed in the Aug. 12 crash near the Pakistani border.

Rogers, who has been flying for more than a decade, will go before Col. Debra Boudreau this morning in a Wheeler Army Airfield courtroom and enter a plea as well as determine whether he will face a panel or be heard by just a trial judge.

Prosecuting the case will be Maj. Suzanne Mitchem and Capt. Kevin Heller. Defending Rogers will be Capt. Darwin Strickland.

Galvan was a crew member of the UH-60 Black Hawk and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion's Bravo Company, 25th Aviation.

Only Galvan was killed in the crash. Three other crew members -- including co-pilot 1st Lt. Christopher Marvin, 25, and nine of 11 Marines on board -- were injured in the crash.

Galvan was the third of 15 Schofield Barracks soldiers to die in Afghanistan. His family planned to be at today's court-martial.

Earlier reports put the blame of the crash in Khost province along Afghanistan's mountainous border with Pakistan on mechanical troubles and not hostile fire.

Rogers' court-martial was ordered by Maj. Gen. Eric Olson, who commands the 25th Infantry Division, on Feb. 23.

If convicted, Rogers, 37, faces a maximum jail term of 5 1/2 years.