Hundreds of Iowa National Guard members remain on active duty helping fight the war on terrorism, including those from Company D of the 109th Aviation Battalion in Boone. Major Monte Johnson is the commander of the approximately 200 men who’re repairing three types of helicopters at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Johnson says they’re thousands of miles from the actual shooting, but still in a way, close to the action.One of the soldiers recently killed when a helicopter was hit by enemy fire is part of the unit the Iowans are supporting. And he says other soldiers from the units they support have also been killed. Johnson says the Iowans have pride in being able to keep the copters working in support of the war.Sergeant Don Anderson of Boone is part of the unit stationed in Kentucky. He says being away from home isn’t easy. In fact, he says it’s the toughest part of the duty. Anderson says they’re proud of the job they’re doing, and says they’re learning lots of new things.Anderson is a Boone police officer in civilian life. The Boone unit as mobilized on November 1st for what was then a one-year deployment, with a possible extension to two years.
