Carson City, NV (AP) - .Robert T. Herbert, a retired Nevada Army National Guard major general and a former longtime aide to ex-U.S. Sen. Harry Reid died Friday, the guard announced . He was 64.
The guard’s statement Saturday did not specify circumstances of Herbert’s death but the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Herbert died in a car crash.
Herbert enlisted in the Army at age 18 and had a 42-year military career that included serving as a helicopter pilot and holding senior guard leadership posts before retiring in 2018.
“It’s not an exaggeration to say he was the most influential soldier in advancing Nevada Army and Air National Guard policy and initiatives over the course of the past three decades,” Maj. Gen Ondra Berry, Nevada adjutant general, said of Herbert in a statement.
While an aide to Reid from 2001 to 2017, Herbert managed spending bills and advised Reid on defense and other matters. Herbert most recently worked as a lobbyist with a firm headed by former U.S. Rep. Jon Porter.
“Bob was a loyal and passionate friend whose legacy in the state of Nevada and the country will not be forgotten,” Reid said.
Gov. Steve Sisolak said on Twitter that Herbert “dedicated his life to serving Nevada.”