An Ohio National Guard member again refused an anthrax vaccine. The action could trigger a court-martial or an administrative discharge. The lawyer for Specialist Kurt Hickman says the soldier feels it's illegal for the government to force his vaccination.  Twenty-year-old Hickman, of Granville, is currently stationed at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, with the 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. The unit received their vaccinations. In December, Hickman was convicted of disobeying a direct order by refusing to be vaccinated against anthrax. A military judge recommended he serve 40 days in jail, be demoted from specialist to private and receive a bad conduct discharge. Hickman's penalty was put on hold after a federal judge suspended anthrax vaccinations. The judge reinstated the vaccinations last week. (Columbus Dispatch, Columbus, Ohio)

January 16, 2004 - 114 members of Bravo and 120 members of Delta (also known as the Dragoons) units are a part of the 152nd Mechanized Infantry unit of the Indiana Army National Guard.  The soldiers boarded buses for a ride to Camp Atterbury in southern Indiana for a month of special training before heading for Germany for another month of special training before finally settling down in Bosnia for six months - at least according to the original plan.  But military officials this week said the unit will remain in Bosnia through the end of the year.

January 19, 2004 - Area soldiers help save couple
By Beth Clark, staff writer, Linton Daily Citizen, Linton, IN

As we await for news of the Linton National Guard's return, we recently learned a little bit more of what they have been doing.  Ryan Core, 1LT, CM Chemical Officer 1-152 INF BN, HHC recently e-mailed the newspaper with the news that 1-152 Infantry Battalion Medics saved the lives of an Iraqi couple. The following is what he is able to share.

"Friday evening two of our soldiers were at the front gate to our base camp when some local Iraqis approached yelling that there had been an accident.  "They immediately called for our medics (who are from Linton) and raced to the scene. Upon arrival, they were confronted with a grisly sight.  "While driving around a sharp bend on the highway, a fuel tanker rolled over. The tanker rolled over the family car that was next to it, and continued rolling down the embankment. The car was crushed and the wreckage was less than 2 1/2 feet tall.  "A mother and father, both with critical injuries, were pulled from the wreckage by the locals who then ran to our gate for help.  "The specifics of these injuries would be too much to describe in a family newspaper -- needless to say, they were horribly injured. Their 5-year-old daughter was crushed inside the car, and there was no way to retrieve her body.  "The medics of Indiana's 1-152 Infantry Battalion provided immediate aid and rushed the mother and father to our MEDEVAC (Medical Evacuation) site, where a helicopter was already en route.  "The mother and father are doing fine and will survive, however that would not be the case had Indiana's own soldiers not moved with a quickness and certainty in their tasks."  Core noted, "our mission has changed throughout the conflict, however there has been one constant. Throughout everything we do, we remember that we are representatives of the United States of America. In our quest to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, we must do more than provide security. We must show them our humanity."  The soldier went on to say "in addition to being a first-responder, when necessary, we have provided medical services in several local schools and villages. We have also delivered over 120 boxes of school supplies to village schools. These school supplies did not come from the U.S. government. Rather, they came from Indiana residents who have spent their own time and money to further a child's education in a country many people did not even think about prior to the first Gulf War."  The 1-152 Infantry Battalion, Indiana Army National Guard, was alerted for federal service in October 2002.  They arrived at Camp Atterbury for mobilization training in January 2003, and they arrived in Kuwait in February 2003. They are currently located at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, roughly 20 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq.

January 20, 2004 - 152nd Heading Home
Action 10 News WTHi Staff, Terre Haute, IN -- "The 152nd is preparing to come home," said Sergeant Charles Shelby in Washington. The sweetest words hundreds of Wabash Valley families could hear are now being said out loud. A 600 member National Guard Unit is finally leaving the Middle East. You may recall, the 152nd, made up of National Guard members from Linton, Vincennes, Washington, Jasper, Tell City, and Martinsville, was put on alert in December of 2002. They were activated last January and by February were stationed in the Middle East as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Now that unit is ready to come home sometime around Valentine's Day. Although the members of the 152nd have been stationed throughout Iraq for the last several months, the bulk of the unit is now located about 65 miles south of Baghdad. By the end of the week they are expected to be in Kuwait. Most of them will be there for a couple of weeks before flying to Baltimore and then returning to Indianapolis. News of their return is sparking a lot of joy among the soldiers and their families at home. We saw the members of the 152nd kiss their loved ones goodbye and hit the road to active duty. We watched them train at Camp Atterbury for the dangerous mission of war. We've even had glimpses of their work as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Now Sergeant Charles Selby says we'll get to see the 152nd come home. "I feel fantastic about it," said Selby at the Armory in Washington, "One of them will be my son. I'll be glad to have him back along with a lot of my friends." The announcement was music to the ears of wives like Jana Sherar whose husband Major Dan Sherar has been gone for a year. "Just to hear it from the armory," said Jana, "From the government standpoint that we're looking at February makes it exciting, makes it more real." It also leaves Jana almost giddy. "Hard to think February," she giggled, "It's so close, but so far when you're waiting." There are no exact dates on the 152nd's return. A small advanced unit will be arriving at Camp Atterbury sometime around the first of February. The bulk of the unit will arrive two to three weeks later after they've finished packing and the Army arranges their transportation home. Sergeant Richard Nelson knows how the soldiers feel. He just was reassigned to Vincennes after a year in Middle East. "I'm sure they're being extra careful, if you can do such a thing," said Sergeant Nelson, "just trying to make sure everyone gets home safe." It will end the unit's longest deployment since World War II. "I don't think we can call them weekend warriors at this point," said Sergeant Selby. "February can't come soon enough," added Sherar. Once the soldiers arrive in Indianapolis they will get 48 hours of leave with their families.  Then they'll have to report back to Camp Atterbury for at least a week of debriefing before the deployment ends.

 - Guard Goodbyes - Action 10 News WTHi Staff, Terre Haute, IN - A unit of the Indiana National Guard said its goodbyes today at the Clay County Courthouse.  A reception was held for Company B Unit 38.  The unit was activated for support in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Members of the unit say they appreciate the community's support.  "Everybody comes in and supports the troops. That's what we're here for, and the people from the community are behind us. I appreciate it as veteran's service officer," says Les Walden, Veteran's Service Officer.  The troops will be gone for about 18 months.  They'll leave later this week for Camp Atterbury in Indiana.  Then two weeks later, they'll head to North Carolina and Texas for final preparations before taking off for an undisclosed destination.

January 23, 2004 - Return of some in 1/152nd may be sooner than expected
Jason Ragan, Herald Staff Writer Washington Times-Herald, Washington IN
The return of the Indiana National Guard's 1st Battalion, 152nd Regiment, which is serving in the Middle East, may occur a little earlier than once expected.  An advance party, consisting mainly of soldiers from the Headquarters Company, is expected to return to Camp Atterbury between Feb. 1 and 5. Headquarters Company is located in Jasper.  Sgt. 1st Class Charles Selby, rear detachment sergeant, said there will be between 10 to 35 soldiers in the advance party, a group whose primary responsibility will be to prepare for the return of the rest of the soldiers.  The rest of the soldiers are expected to return to the States two to three weeks later. The soldiers may not all come back in one group, but all the soldiers should be back within two days of each other, Selby said.  The soldiers will then remain at Atterbury for a debriefing. That process, which involves giving all the soldiers physical examinations, making sure all awards are given and clearing up administrative and pay issues, will take at most 10 days to complete.  The 82nd Airborne Division, from Fort Bragg, N.C., is beginning the process of taking the place of the 1/152 in the Middle East.

January 23, 2004 - Hill Secures Funding For Seymour’s Freeman Field
Money to Fund Landing System Improvements.  (Washington, DC - January 23, 2004) Congressman Baron Hill today announced that Congress has approved $355,000 for Freeman Municipal Airport. The funds will be used to improve the airport’s landing system technologies. The Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report, which passed the House last December and passed the Senate yesterday, contains the funding for Seymour and is being sent to the President to be signed into law.  “These funds are important for Freeman Field and Seymour’s economic development opportunities,” said Hill, who requested the funds last April. “This money will improve greatly the airport’s ability to land planes in less than ideal conditions, which will make the airport safer. In addition, the installation of these new landing technologies will boost the economic development opportunities in Seymour and Jackson County, as businesses will consider the airport more attractive as a regional air field.”   Specifically, the airport is planning to install an AWOS and a Glide Slope antenna, which will dramatically improve access to Freeman Municipal Airport. Freeman Municipal Airport has over fifty aircraft based at its facility and handles about 19,000 aircraft operations annually. Currently, many corporate and business aircraft are unable to fly in and out of Freeman Municipal Airport due to the absence of an instrumental landing system. Incorporating an AWOS and a Glide Slope antenna would allow aircraft to land in Seymour that otherwise would be diverted to other regional airports. “Working with the good people of Seymour, I’m glad we’ve been able to obtain this funding. The improvements at the airport will provide lasting benefits to the community for years to come.”

FOX Evening News for
Friday, Jan 23, 2004

---

Headline: Iraq / Training

Abstract:	(Manchester: Shepard Smith) The replacement of US soldiers in Iraq with fresh troops noted. (Chicago: Jeff Goldblatt) The US military’s training for enemy ambushes, including convoy attacks & roadside bombs, featured; scenes shown of training missions at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. [Camp commander Lt. Col. Kenneth NEWLIN†- comments on training to deal with improvised explosive devices {IEDs}.] [National Guard Lt. Charles WILKINS‡- comments on his preparedness for an unconventional enemy.] The mission of the Center for Army Lessons Learned at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, noted.
Broadcast Type:	Evening News Segment Type: News Content
Header Link	762853
Record Number:	762885
Begin Time:	06:41:30 pm
End Time:	06:44:10 pm
Duration:	02:40
Reporters:	Smith, Shepard; Goldblatt, Jeff

January 25, 2004 - A new wave of soldiers will deploy to Iraq starting in February to replace troops who are completing their tours of duty. National Guard soldiers training at Camp Atterbury in Indiana will soon head to Iraq and are learning that the battlefield is no longer conventional — troops are up against ambushes and improvised explosive devices — IED's for short.  "Coke cans, batteries —- The Energizer Bunny is a good friend of the enemy for IEDs," said Maj. Leslie Chapman, a training instructor. "Anything that can cause a fire can cause an explosion."  The mission in Iraq will rely heavily on these new reserves, who make up about half of the 100,000-strong force making up the next wave of troops to serve in Iraq.  Lt. Charles Wilkins said he's ready for the challenge, along with the rest of his 216th Engineering Battalion.  "It's not like a conventional enemy," Wilkins said. "He's over there. I'm over here. This is a little different. You've got to stay on your toes. You've got to be ready."

- Members of the West Virginia Army National Guard are coming home next week after spending more than eight months in Kuwait, military officials say.  About 80 men and women assigned to the 111th Engineer Group were expected to fly out of Kuwait on Saturday and head to Camp Atterbury, Ind. Unit members will remain there for three to five days to file paperwork, receive service records and get medical examinations before returning to St. Albans, said Maj. Ron Garton.

- Ohio National Guard Member Charged For Refusing Anthrax Vaccine - Reported by: AP News - Web produced by: Neil Relyea - An Ohio National Guard member has been charged by the Army with disobeying a lawful order after he again refused to take the anthrax vaccine.  Specialist Kurt Hickman refused to take the series of shots on January 14 after his unit was deployed to Camp Atterbury in Indiana in preparation for going overseas.  Hickman, who has said the vaccine can cause serious side effects, was formally charged on Friday as an active duty member of the Army, which places the case under the federal uniform code of military justice, according to Army Major Chris Pfaff.  Hickman could go to jail and be discharged if convicted. Pfaff said the charge is separate from Hickman's court martial in Ohio last month.  Hickman, 20-years old, of Granville, became the first Ohio National Guard member to be court-martialed after he was convicted of disobeying a direct order in November to take the vaccination.  A military judge recommended he serve 40-days in jail, be demoted from specialist to private and receive a bad conduct discharge.  Pfaff said any penalties incurred from the latest charge could be added to those from Ohio, which are currently under review.  Hickman's previous penalty was put on hold after U.S. District Judge Emmett Sullivan ruled that the military could not force troops to take shots against their will without an order of the president.  Sullivan lifted his ban earlier this month after the FDA said the vaccine was safe and effective for use against inhaled anthrax.  More than 900,000 servicemen and women have received the shots, and hundreds of service members have been punished or discharged for refusing them, according to the Pentagon.

January 26, 2004 - Troops Return - 11th Engineer Group Back in the Mountain State - Members of the West Virginia Army National Guard's 111th Engineer Group are back in the US after spending more than eight months in Kuwait.  Major Ron Garton says the unit arrived at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey this morning and spent some time at Fort Dix, where they were welcomed home with coffee, cocoa and bagels.  Garton says everyone's very excited to be home, and that most of the troops have talked to their families.  The unit of about 80 men and women is now loading onto chartered buses to head for Camp Atterbury, Indiana.  Unit members will remain there for three to five days to file paperwork, receive service records and get medical examinations before returning to St. Albans.  The 111th provided general engineering, engineering design,  troop construction, contractor projects, military engineering
construction and maintenance of military facilities throughout  Kuwait.

January 27, 2004 - Hoosier soldier dies in Iraq - Edinburgh, Jan. 26 - With its Hometown Hardware and block-long Main Street, Edinburgh is a close-knit community. Residents there share in each other's joy and heartache.  Ernie Smith owns a local restaurant. "Edinburgh is such a small town everybody knows everybody."  And it seems everybody knew Brian Hazelgrove. "He was a real good boy," recalls "Smith. "Had a lot of things going for him."  Tom Derrico was one of Hazelgrove's teachers. "He was a good kid. Worked hard at what he did."  At Edinburgh High School in the early 1990s Hazelgrove played basketball and was a member of the All-Conference golf team.  Derrico remembers him as a bright young man. "Very outgoing, had a few friends, very well-liked in the community, family well-liked in the community."  So it was no surprise to him when Hazelgrove traded his Lancer uniform for a soldier uniform. "Brian was always one that wanted to help and I think this was his way."  Friday Hazelgrove made the ultimate sacrifice during a combat mission in Iraq. Military officials say the 29-year-old Army pilot died when his helicopter crashed near the city of Mosul in northern Iraq.  Although Edinburgh neighbors Camp Atterbury, where for the last year soldiers trained before moving on to their missions overseas, it wasn't until Monday that many in Edinburgh say they really felt the pains of battle.  "I remember Vietnam," says Derrico, "and losing an acquaintance there. But that didn't nearly affect me as when I heard about Brian."  And for Smith, "This hit close to home and gives you a reality check of what's really going on in the world today."  Chief Warrant Officer Brian Hazelgrove was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum New York. We're told his parents are there now to console Hazelgrove's wife and four young children. WTHR TV, Indianapolis, IN

 - Edinburgh grad killed in Iraq - A memorial service is expected late this week for an Edinburgh native killed in the crash of his U.S. Army helicopter in Iraq.  Chief Warrant Officer Brian D. Hazelgrove, 29, died Friday in the crash of his OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter outside Mosul. The helicopter reportedly was on its way back from a combat mission.  Hazelgrove attended Edinburgh Community High School, graduating in 1994. He then joined the U.S. Army and worked in military intelligence before becoming a helicopter pilot. Twice he served tours of duty in South Korea.  Assigned to Fort Drum in upstate New York, Hazelgrove belonged to the 10th Aviation Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division (light infantry).  Hazelgrove is survived by his wife, Kimmi, in Natural Bridge, N.Y., along with four children, Taylor, 11, Zachary, 10, Brandon, 3, and Katelyn, 7 months. He also is survived by his parents, who still live in Edinburgh, and other relatives and friends.  Tentative plans call for a memorial service in the chapel at Camp Atterbury near Edinburgh.  Hazelgrove is the first Johnson County native to be killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the 19th Hoosier overall. U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Columbus, who represents the Edinburgh area, was among the politicians who expressed condolences Monday.

“Chief Warrant Officer Hazelgrove is a hero. He died like every other American soldier throughout our nation’s history, bringing hope and freedom to a people who have never known it before,” Pence said in a statement. “On behalf of the people of the 6th Congressional District, I extend my deepest sympathies and fervent prayers to Chief Warrant Officer Hazelgrove’s wife and family as they grieve the loss of this heroic American.”  By BRYAN CORBIN, Franklin, IN Daily Journal

 - Members of the Indiana National Guard 1-152 Infantry unit based in Linton, Jasper, Washington, Vincennes and ' will arrive back in their hometowns "most likely" sometime before Feb. 14, according to a Department of Army spokesman, who conducted a briefing Saturday afternoon in Linton for family members and friends of troops now serving in the Middle East.  Upon arrival back in the states and meeting with their families, soldiers will "most likely" be given 48-hour or 36-hour passes to spend time with their families.  When the pass period expires, soldiers will be required to report to Camp Atterbury, located at Edinburgh, for a five-to-seven day out-process procedure before they will be allowed to return to the respective homes, the Army spokesman said.

January 28, 2004- Wife: Soldier had no regrets
By BRYAN CORBIN
Daily Journal staff writer

Brian Hazelgrove loved serving in the Army and flying helicopters. He was in good spirits just before the helicopter crash in Iraq that took his life, his wife said.  “He had no regrets; he was doing something he loved,” Staff Sgt. Kimberly Hazelgrove said. “He was a wonderful man who touched everybody he knew.”  An Edinburgh native, Chief Warrant Officer Brian Hazelgrove died Friday when his OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter crashed outside Mosul, Iraq. His co-pilot also died.   Hazelgrove’s family was told it would take 60 to 90 days before military investigators determine what brought down the OH-58.  Before he was deployed to Iraq in November, Brian Hazelgrove had discussed with his parents, Edinburgh residents Ronald and Patty Hazelgrove, the possibility that he might not return from Iraq.  “We knew that he loved us, and that’ll get us through,” his mother said.  “Brian did not have a political bone in his body. He went to Iraq because that was his job,” Patty Hazelgrove added. “He did not begrudge going.”  A memorial service took place Tuesday night at Fort Drum, N.Y., home of the 3rd Squadron, 17th Air Cavalry Regiment, 10th Aviation Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division, to which Hazelgrove was assigned.  Another memorial service for family and friends — a military funeral — will take place later this week at Camp Atterbury near Edinburgh. Arrangements for the Edinburgh high school graduate still are pending.  Hazelgrove has two older children: Taylor, 11, of Franklin, and Zachary, 10, of Indianapolis. His two younger children, 3-year-old Brandon and 7-month-old Katelyn, live with their mother, Kimberly Hazelgrove, in Natural Bridge, N.Y.  The Hazelgroves were an Army couple — both worked in military intelligence — and married in March 1999. Brian started training as a helicopter pilot in June 2001. “Family was the most important thing in his life besides the Army,” his wife said. “He was always more concerned about other people than himself.”  She recalled that for a couple of years, they were stationed 6½ hours apart: Brian at Fort Rucker, Ala., and Kimberly at Fort Campbell, Tenn. On weekends, he would drive to see her and then drive another four hours to see his two older children in Indiana, she said.   Though the Army kept him busy, Hazelgrove loved riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle when off duty.  “He was very enthusiastic about accessorizing it,” his wife said. “Any chance he had, he was on the bike.”  Since being deployed to Iraq on Nov. 4, Hazelgrove stayed in touch with his wife and parents by e-mail and Internet instant messenger. Kimberly Hazelgrove got to instant-message her husband every day last week.   “He was in good spirits except being away from his family,” she said.  He loved flying helicopters and was excited to serve in “the Cav”: the 17th Air Cavalry Regiment, she said.  The OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter he was flying with Chief Warrant Officer Michael Blaise went down Friday, about nine miles from their base in Qayyarah, Iraq.  The men, both 29, were flying together for one last joint mission before the regiment’s 3rd Squadron was to formally take over for the 2nd Squadron after two weeks of joint training and preparations. Hazelgrove belonged to the 3rd Squadron, Blaise the 2nd.  According to the Tacoma News Tribune, which has an embedded reporter in Iraq, the cause of the crash still is under investigation.  Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, the incoming commander of coalition forces in northern Iraq, said the crash of the OH-58 was not the result of hostile fire, the News Tribune reported.  Patty Hazelgrove said the family was told the investigation could take 60 to 90 days before its findings are known.  “It doesn’t change anything; our son is dead. But we would certainly like to know; the children would like to know,” she said. “Children need a reason.”  Patty Hazelgrove said the family was comforted by the kind comments of Edinburgh residents who reminisced about her son after hearing the sad news Monday.  “We’ve heard a lot about Brian (as a youth) being a little stinkpot. He was terribly clever, and he’d find ways to get around the rules,” his mother said. “There’s a lot of his classmates that were utterly amazed he had chosen the Army and made a famous career out of it: He was the last teen-ager to do this.”  She noted that her son was intensely proud of his Army service.  “The love and support of our community and our friends will be what helps us get through this,” Patty Hazelgrove said. “The only way we can deal with this grief is to share it. Edinburgh is a small community; they get a bad rap, but they take care of their own.”