Remembering Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead
For more than a decade, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey dedicated his life to serving the United States Army. At 34 years old, the Killeen, Texas, soldier had already spent more than 12 years wearing the Army uniform, building a career defined by service, responsibility and commitment to his fellow soldiers.
On Wednesday, that life of service came to a heartbreaking end.
Huey was killed alongside Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, when their AH-64E Apache helicopter crashed during a maintenance test flight near Salado, Texas. The tragedy sent shock waves through the military community and the communities surrounding Fort Hood, where both soldiers had served.
For those who knew Huey, the loss was far more than the disappearance of a name from a military roster. He was a soldier, aviator, colleague and friend who had devoted a significant portion of his life to serving his country.
Huey entered the Army in 2014. Over the years, he gained experience and responsibility within Army aviation, eventually becoming a chief warrant officer. Since 2022, he had served with his Fort Hood aviation unit, where his professional life centered on the demanding world of military helicopter operations.
Army aviation requires extraordinary discipline. Every flight involves careful preparation, technical expertise and trust between crew members. Maintenance test flights are particularly important because they help ensure that aircraft are functioning properly and are safe for future missions.
It was during one of those flights that tragedy struck.
Huey was not alone. Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, just 25 years old, was also aboard the Apache. Olmstead had joined the Army in 2023 and had been assigned to the same unit since 2025. Though his military career was considerably shorter than Huey’s, he was already serving in the same demanding aviation community.
The two soldiers’ careers followed different timelines, but their paths ultimately brought them together in the same unit and on the same flight.
The crash occurred near Salado, Texas, and created an additional emergency on the ground. The downed helicopter sparked a wildfire, while nearby residents were forced to evacuate as authorities responded to the dangerous situation.
For local residents, what began as an ordinary day suddenly became an emergency. For the Army community, it became a devastating reminder of the risks that military aviators face even when they are not deployed in combat.
The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation.
The Army Combat Readiness Center is investigating what caused the helicopter to go down. Investigators will examine the aircraft, maintenance records, flight information and other evidence as they work to understand what happened during the test flight.
That investigation will be important not only for determining how this particular tragedy occurred, but also for identifying anything that could help prevent another accident in the future.
For Huey’s family, friends and fellow soldiers, however, the investigation cannot answer the most painful question: how to move forward without someone who had become such an important part of their lives.
Twelve years of military service represent thousands of hours of training, countless days away from home and an enormous personal commitment. Huey began his Army journey in 2014, and by the time of his death, military service had become a defining part of his adult life.
Olmstead’s loss is equally heartbreaking. At only 25, he had already chosen a path of service and responsibility. His Army career had begun only a few years earlier, yet he had already become part of a specialized aviation unit where every soldier’s role matters.
Their deaths also affect the wider Fort Hood community. Military units are built around teamwork, trust and shared experiences. When soldiers are lost, the impact extends beyond their immediate families. Friends, commanders, mechanics, pilots, support personnel and fellow service members all feel the absence.
There will be questions in the days ahead. There will be an investigation, official reports and efforts to understand precisely what went wrong.
But before all of that, there is a simple truth worth remembering: two soldiers gave their lives while serving their country.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey spent more than 12 years answering that call. Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead had only begun his Army journey, but he too had chosen to serve.
Their story is ultimately one of sacrifice.
As investigators work to determine what happened near Salado, their families and fellow soldiers are left to remember the people behind the uniforms—the lives they lived, the people they loved and the years they devoted to something larger than themselves.
The Apache crash is a tragedy that will be felt long after the wreckage is cleared and the investigation is complete.
For Huey and Olmstead, their service has ended far too soon. But the dedication they showed, the responsibilities they accepted and the lives they touched will remain part of the legacy they leave behind.