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Page 6B The Kings Mountain Herald | www.kmherald.net Wednesday, July 17, 2013 South Dakota crash - a year later (Ed. Note- MSgt. Tracie Rankin, niece of former Her- ald staff writer Alan Hodge, was with the Guardsmen who had originally gone to South Dakota to fight fires. She has been assigned to one of the survivors from Boiling Springs of the CI30 that crashed there last year killing four crew members. Hodge, now Editor of the Herald's sister newspaper. Banner-News, interviewed Rankin who took part in the dedication of the markers honoring the aircrew of the firefighting C130.) By Alan Hodge Alan.bannernews @gmail.com When North Carolina Air National Guard MSgt. Tracie Rankin of Stanley went to South Dakota recently to take part in the dedication of markers paying tribute to the aircrew of a firefighting C130 that crashed there last year killing four crew mem- bers, including Maj. Joe Mc- Cormick of Belmont and M/Sgt. Joseph Cannon who has family in Kings Moun- tain, and injuring two others, including Sgt. Josh Marlowe of Cleveland County, it was like déja vu all over again. A member . of the NCANG 145th MAW based at Charlotte-Douglas Inter- national Airport, Rankin was’ with the group that had orig- inally gone to South Dakota on the firefighting mission. “One year ago, on June 30th, our unit was preparing to leave for Colorado Springs with two airplanes equipped for fighting forest fires and one airplane to carry the support person- nel from Maintenance, Oper- ations and Logistics,” Rankin said. “I was going on the trip in a supply/logistics role, to support the Mainte- nance personnel with aircraft parts if needed. Once we ar- rived in Colorado Springs, we were told the next day we would move to Cheyenne, Wyoming because the fires were getting worse in that area. On July 1, 2012 we moved to Cheyenne and MAFEFS 7 and 8 were flying on some fires, on the evening of July lst is when MAFFS 7 went down in South Dakota, killing four airmen. After receiving news of the crash, I was ask to be- come a FLO (Family Liaison Officer) for one of our sur- vivors and his family, so I moved to South Dakota on July 2nd and remained there until the survivor was able to be flown back to Charlotte.” The survivor and family that Rankin was assigned to is Josh Marlowe from Boil- ing Springs. Over the past year since the crash, an effort by Custer County Chronicle publisher Charles Najacht as well as US Forest Service and Na- tional Guard folks saw the construction of two informa- tional and commemorative markers near the C130 crash site explaining what hap- pened and featuring images of the crewmen who were killed. The markers were dedicated on July 1 with a solemn ceremony. Rankin made the trip back to where she had been last year. “The last time I was in South Dakota were the days following the crash, spend- ing several days at the Rapid City hospital where our two survivors were taken to re- cover to the point where they could be returned to North Carolina,” she said. “There were so many people who helped with anything we needed, from making hotel reservations, driving fami- lies around, food deliveries, and being there ‘justin case’, it was absolutely amazing. So going back to South Dakota a year later was an . emotional trip, the visit to the crash site was a very somber experience, a few of the families were there visit- ing the site as well, when we hiked the almost five miles round trip. A few Forest Service and military person- nel were there to explain what they saw and experi- enced a year earlier, we were able to see the markers, trees and ravine where the plane came to rest. It was almost overwhelming at times. On 1 July the families of those able to attend and the group from Charlotte joined the South Dakota Forest Serv- ice, National Guard, Ellsworth AFB military per- sonnel and local politicians to witness the unveiling of the roadside interpretive site that displays the MAFES 7 mission and the pictures of those who were killed. The service at the Forest Service Interpretive Site was a won- derful tribute to the sacrifice of the men who were killed “and to the survivors as well. The ceremony gave thanks and praise to both states for their role in the firefighting and the support to those in the aftermath.” Though the trip back to the tragic scene of a year ago was trying, Rankin is glad she did it. “I am thankful I was able to make the trip to South Dakota to visit the crash site and the roadside memorial service,” she said. “There is rarely a day that goes by that something doesn’t remind me of the tragedy one year ago, I do miss so much the friends I lost in the crash. I keep the families and friends of those affected by MAFFS 7 in my prayers and hope each passing day helps in their healing process. I am very thankful for our two survivors, prayers also go out to them as they continue to heal and recover from their injuries.” MSgt. Tracie Rankin. last year in South Dakota fightin * Rankin and others hiked five miles: to the aircrew that were killed or a ed in Dear Savvy Senior, “What are my options for choosing an executor for my will? I was con-' ‘sidering asking one of my kids to do it but I don’t think any of them are up for the job. What can you tell me? Still Kicking Dear Kicking, Choosing an executor — the person or institution you put in charge of ad- ministering your estate and carrying out your final wishes — is one of the most important decisions in preparing a will. Picking the right executor can help ensure the prompt, accurate distribu- tion of your possessions with a mini- mum of family friction. Some of the duties required include: « Filing court papers to start the pro- bate process (this is generally re- quired by law to determine the will’s validity). Taking an inventory of everything in the estate. » Using your estate’s funds to pay bills, including taxes, funeral costs, etc. » Handling details like terminating credit cards, and notifying banks and government agencies like Social Se- curity and the post office of the death. Preparing and filing final income tax returns. + Distributing assets to the benefici- aries named in the will. Given all the responsibility, the ideal candidate should be someone who is honest, dependable, well or- ganized, good with paperwork and vigilant about meeting deadlines. Who to Choose Most people think first of naming a family member, especially a spouse or child, as executor. If, however, you don’t have an obvious family mem- ber to choose, you may want to ask a trusted friend, but be sure to choose someone in good health or younger than you who will likely be around after you’re gone. Also, if your executor of choice happens to live in another state, you’ll need to check your state’s law to see if it imposes any special re- quirements. Some states require an out-of-state executor to be a family member or a beneficiary, some re- quire a bond to protect your heirs in uk By JIM MILLER Editor case of mismanagement, and some require the appointment of an in-state agent. Also keep in mind that if the per- son you choose needs help settling your estate they can always call on an expert like an attorney or tax account to guide them through the process, with your estate picking up the cost. If, however, you don’t have a friend or relative you feel comfort- able with, you could name a third party executor like a bank, trust com- pany or a professional who has expe- rience dealing with estates. If you need help locating a pro, the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (naepc.org) and the Na- tional Academy of Elder Law Attor- neys (naela.org) are great resources that provide directories on their web- sites to help you find someone. Executor Fees Most family members and close friends (especially if they are a bene- ficiary) serve for free, but if you opt for a third party executor it will cost your estate. Executor fees are set by each state and typically run anywhere Power Lift THEY DESERVE THE BEST How to Choose the Right Executor for Your Will from 1 to 5 percent depending « on the size of the estate. Get Approval Whoever you choose to serve as your executor, be sure you get their approval first before naming him or her in your will. 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The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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