ALBANY — Linn County, the city of Lebanon and the Lebanon School District will lower flags to half-staff on Thursday, July 31, in honor of Sergeant First Class Scot Noss, an Army Ranger who died recently from injuries he sustained 18 years ago in a helicopter crash in the mountains of Afghanistan.
A funeral for SFC Noss will be held at the First Christian Church in Lebanon on July 31 and he will be buried with military honors at Franklin Butte Cemetery, Scio.
The funeral procession will be escorted by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Lebanon Police Department and Lebanon Fire District.
SFC Noss was the son of Ron and Nelda Noss of Lebanon.
He was a multi-sport athlete at Lebanon Union High School and earned the Valley League Defensive Football Player of the Year honor his senior year. He also played in the Shrine Bowl.
SFC Noss enlisted in the Army in 1999, knowing since the third grade that he wanted to be an Army Ranger. He thrived in the BCO 3/75th Ranger Regiment, retiring as Sergeant First Class.
SFC Noss earned jump wings, the Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal, an award from the FBI for his actions in the Hostage Rescue Team and other awards.
SFC Noss served several deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. On his eighth deployment, the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Eight of the 24 soldiers on board were killed and SFC Noss was severely injured.
He spent the last 18 years of his life in a minimally conscious state due to a traumatic brain injury.
It was during his time in Fort Benning, Georgia, that Noss met his future wife, RyAnne Dial of Birmingham, Alabama and they were married on Aug. 2, 2003.
Since the helicopter crash, he has been honored by the Oregon House of Representatives and has been inducted into the Lebanon High School Hall of Fame.
The library at Pioneer School in Lebanon is named in his honor.
Family members said the motto “Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior” fit SFC Noss.
SFC Noss is survived by his wife, RyAnne; his parents, Ron and Nelda Noss; siblings, Ryan Noss (Windy), and Holly Christophersen (Brad); father-in-law, Bill Dial (Evelyne); sister-in-law, Ceil McDanal (Chris), and nieces, Sierra (his little birthday twin) and Ava; nephews, Carter, Garrett, Joe, and Will.
Huston-Jost Funeral Home in Lebanon is handling arrangements.