INDIANAPOLIS - The remains of four Indiana National Guard soldiers will receive dignified transfer honors this evening at Dover, Del., with members of all their families and senior military leaders of the Department of Defense, U.S. Army, the Army National Guard, the Indiana National Guard, and other distinguished guests in attendance.

Among those present to render honors will be: Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army; Lt. Gen. William E. Ingram, director, Army National Guard; Kathryn A. Condon, executive director, Army National Cemeteries Program; and the adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger.

"We have no more solemn obligation than rendering the proper respect, honor, and tribute to these faithful warriors and to provide the fullest possible support to their families during this difficult time." said Maj. Gen. Umbarger.

These fallen citizen-soldiers include three Hoosiers: Staff Sgt. Jonathan M. Metzger, 32, Spc. Brian J. Leonhardt, 21, Spc. Robert J. Tauteris Jr., 44, and Illinois native Spc. Christopher Patterson, 20.

The four are members of the 713th Engineer Company headquartered in Valparaiso, Ind., and were killed by an improvised explosive device during combat route clearance operations in Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan, on Jan. 6.

The soldiers' remains arrived at Dover Air Force Base, Del., before being returned to Indiana and Illinois within the next two weeks.

Twenty-three soldiers of the Indiana National Guard have now fallen in the last decade, and the last to return through Dover was in 2008.

The Indiana National Guard has directed full attention and resources to support the families and will defer to their wishes concerning media engagement.

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