ARMY LT. COL. TOM HAUSER stands in western Afghanistan in July while participating in combat patrols.
Southmont graduate Army Lt. Col. Thomas W. Hauser of Crawfordsville was awarded four medals this week for his service in Afghanistan for Operating Enduring Freedom.
Hauser was awarded his end-of-tour medals at the regional Support Command headquarters at Camp Eggers in Kabul. Brig. Gen. Tom Cosentino, deputy commander, regional Support, NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, presented the awards Sunday.
The ceremony took place before his departure from Afghanistan.
“He has been over there for about 11 months,” said William Hauser, Tom’s father. “He was to leave today (Wednesday).”
The older Hauser hopes his son will be home for Christmas.
“He has to make a few stops at different places for debriefings so we don’t know exactly when he will be home, but we are hoping it will be in time for Christmas,” he said. “That would be a great Christmas present for me and my wife (Louise) and all the family.”
Hauser, is a 23-year-plus Army veteran. He is a 1984 graduate of Southmont High School and a 1988 graduate of Wabash College. While at Southmont he was a sprinter for the Mounties’ track team and he also played running back football at Southmont and at Wabash.
He received the Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Bronze Service Stars and the NATO Non-Article 5 medal.
The award narratives provided in a press release state Hauser served as the chief of operations for the Deputy Commander-Regional Support, providing superior leadership and mentorship in a combat environment that facilitated the development of the Afghan Army and Afghan Police and contributed to its successful transition as lead for security of Afghanistan.
During his service Hauser was routinely exposed to significant risk while participating in more than 40 ground and air combat patrols covering thousands of miles to remote locations across all major provinces in Afghanistan. He also monitored the oversight of more than 500 construction, security, service and maintenance contracts valued in excess of $1.6 billion.
When Hauser returns to the states he will take a position at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., with G-3/5/7 (plans, strategy and Police) in the International Affairs Division.
