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Flags Ordered Half-Staff To Honor Fallen Berks County Soldier

MOHNTON, Pa. (CBS) -- Pennsylvania Governor Corbett has ordered flags at half-staff to honor a Berks County soldier who died while serving in Afghanistan.

The flag order was issued to honor U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Jarett Yoder who was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan on April 9.

Yoder, 26, of Mohnton, and fellow Pennsylvania Army National Guardsman Chief Warrant Officer Matthew Paul Ruffner, 34, of Indiana County, died when their AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan.

According to officials, Yoder joined the military in 2005 and, along with Ruffner, served with the 1-104th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion serving in Afghanistan since August 2012. He began his military aviation career in 2010, serving as an aviation life support equipment officer and Apache pilot.

All flags will fly half-staff until sunset Monday, April 22, the day of Yoder's burial.

The governor says all Pennsylvanians are invited to join in this tribute honoring the fallen soldier.

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