Freedom Salute Award Ceremony for Indiana National Guard

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Freedom Salute Campaign is scheduled to continue for the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team February 21 and 22, 2009. There will be ceremonies held for each unit at various locations and times throughout Indiana. 

During the ceremony, leadership from the brigade and battalion headquarters will present Freedom Salute items. Selected members will also be receiving Purple Heart Medals, Bronze Star Medals, Meritorious Service Medals, Combat Infantryman Badges, Combat Action Badges, and other end-of-tour medals.

Each eligible Soldier will receive an encased American flag; a sequentially numbered commemorative coin; a "Defender of Freedom" certificate signed by Lt. Gen. Clyde A. Vaughn, director of the Army National Guard, Chief Warrant Officer Poyas M. Haynes, Command Chief Warrant Officer, and Command Sergeant Major John Gipe, 8th Command Sergeant Major, Army National Guard; and a lapel insignia. The Soldier’s spouse will receive a lapel insignia while the Soldier’s children will be recognized and presented with a Future Soldier Footlocker Kit comprised of Guard-related items designed to entertain and educate young people.

Each eligible Soldier will be able to recognize one “Center of Influence” for outstanding support during the Soldier’s mobilization. This recognition will be in the form of a commemorative lapel insignia and a medallion with ribbon. Examples of COI’s include, but are not limited to, a supervisor, clergy, or college guidance counselor. The COI may also be a representative of an organization that supported the Soldier such as a church, a charitable organization, a business, the Soldier’s employer or school.

New to the Freedom Salute Campaign is the Freedom Ring, recognizing Soldiers who have been mobilized for multiple tours of duty.

Two additional levels of recognition will be presented to the unit’s choice of a person or organization deserving of the Outstanding COI and Distinguished COI honors. The Outstanding COI is an individual or organization that stood out as most helpful to the Soldiers during mobilization and will receive a framed mosaic American Flag print. The Distinguished COI is an individual or organization which the unit felt was most helpful to its Soldiers and their families during mobilization, and will receive a 17-inch minuteman statuette.

Freedom Salute Ceremonies will be held this weekend at the following locations:

Saturday, February 21:

Company A, 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry Regiment

8:00 a.m.

Warsaw Wagon Wheel, 2517-2519E Center Street, Warsaw, Ind. 

Troop C, 1st Squadron, 152nd Cavalry

1:00 p.m.

Corner Stone Hall, Hwy 56W/Jim Day Road, Washington County Industrial Park, Salem, Ind. 

Company D, 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry Regiment

1:00 p.m.

Huntington University, 2303 College Avenue, Huntington, Ind.  

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

1:00 p.m.

Sheraton Hotel, 31 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, Ind. 

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment

1:00 p.m.

1481 Bartley Street, Jasper, Ind. 

Task Force 113th Support Battalion, Company A, 113th Support Battalion, and Company A, 76th Special Troops Battalion

2:00 p.m.

Muncie Horizon Center, 401 S. High St., Muncie, Ind. 

Headquarters and Headquarters Service Battery, 1st Battalion, 163rd Field Artillery, Battery A, 1st Battalion, 163rd Field Artillery, Battery B, 1st Battalion, 163rd Field Artillery

5:00 p.m.

Evansville Civic Center, 1 NW MLK Blvd., Evansville, Ind.

** The Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer will be presented to Security Force Company, 1st Battalion, 163rd Field Artillery, from their deployment in 2006 and 2007. 

Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 152nd Cavalry

6:30 p.m.

Clarksville Inn, 505 Marriott Drive, Clarksville, Ind. 

Sunday, February 22:

Company D, 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment

8:00 a.m.

500 N.E. 6th Street, Washington, Ind. 

Company E, 113th Support Battalion

8:00 p.m.

Grand Wayne Center, 1020 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne, Ind. 

Troop A, 1st Squadron, 152nd Cavalry

9:00 a.m.

Venture Out Madison, 975 Industrial Dr, Madison, Ind. 

Company A, 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment

1:00 p.m.

2000 Hwy 54 East. Linton, Ind. 

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry Regiment

1:00 p.m.

Grand Wayne Center, 1020 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne, Ind.