Originally featured in our November 2023 Legacy Ledger in honor of Veterans Day, this alumni spotlight shares the story of Scott Ham, Floyd Central High School Class of 1985.
Scott’s path of service began with the Indiana Army National Guard while he was still a student. Over the years, his career included deployments to Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq, leadership roles at Camp Atterbury, and promotion to Command Sergeant Major, the highest rank awarded to noncommissioned Army officers.
Today, Scott continues to serve others through his involvement with 22challenge and its work in suicide awareness, prevention, and training.
Rex Bickers (FCHS ‘70)
Scott Ham
FCHS 1985
The career timeline of Scott Ham bears some similarities to Jim Dexter’s life and some big differences. Jim joined the Marines in the spring of his senior year by graduating mid-term. Thanks to a unique arrangement with the Indiana Army National Guard, Scott was offered local training at age 16 in May of his junior year. In September of his senior year, at the age of 17, he was allowed to “officially” enlist. As a result, he had already qualified as an expert with mortars, rifles, pistols and hand grenades before he even went to basic training. It prepared him to join an “11C” (mortar) platoon in the “1-151st IN BN”. That’s shorthand for the 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment. (Read more on the history of the Indiana Army National Guard and its two infantry regiments, the 151st and the 152nd.)
Enlisting in the National Guard typically allows the pursuit of a civilian career. Advancing in rank and experience is a choice for those who seek it. As a teen, Scott had developed a serious interest in public utilities (water and wastewater) and worked his way up through Greenville and Floyds Knobs Water companies. In 1989, he joined the Silver Creek Water Corporation; simultaneously, he became squad leader of his unit in the Guard. It led to opportunities, including a tour of West Point… not long after the World Trade Center attacks of 9/11. On that same trip, Scott decided to go visit Ground Zero. It instilled in him an urge to seek active deployment “serving wherever needed.” Thus, unlike Jim, Scott’s service overseas began at age 34!
From 2002 to 2008, he spent over 30 months deployed in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq. His duties ranged from personal security (for command officers) to educating Bosnian children on the dangers of unexploded ordinance. He oversaw the drilling of water wells and repairing water systems in Afghanistan. He served as a mortar platoon sergeant and separately, helped meet the needs of refugee camps. Between his second and third deployments, he was promoted to 1st Sergeant and re-aligned with the B-Troop of Indiana’s 152nd Cavalry regiment. Located at a Marine base in Iraq, his troop was part of a Sustainment Support Brigade to units that ran over 1200 combat logistics patrols.
In 2012, he became Branch Chief for Non-Commissioned Officers Courses at the Indiana Regional Training Institute (Camp Atterbury), then went on to attend the Sergeant Major Academy, a full year at Fort Bliss, Texas. After his promotion to Command Sergeant Major… the highest rank awarded to noncommissioned Army officers… Scott retired in 2015.
He’s deeply engaged in 22challenge, a local organization involved in suicide awareness, prevention and training. He’s an avid outdoorsman, a unicyclist and a great entertainer. Scott’s story has countless other chapters, and surely, there are still more to come.
Read the entire November 2023 Legacy Ledger (Issue 39) edition.