October 30, 2001

Vaccine refuser would still say no to inoculation


Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. ÷ A pilot who was grounded by the 115th Fighter Wing of the Wisconsin Air National Guard in 1999 after refusing anthrax vaccinations says that, despite anthrax deaths and scares across the nation, he would still refuse the vaccine.

Mike Angarole of Madison was one of seven pilots in the wing who were grounded for refusing anthrax vaccinations.

He has since transferred to the Air Force Reserve. Three of the others have since left military service and the other three are in the guard or reserve but not as pilots, he said.

Angarole said Monday he still believes the vaccine is unsafe and could produce serious side effects that might threaten his career as a civilian pilot.

Although the anthrax scare has been on the minds of many, Angarole said the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have had a bigger impact on his life and the lives of other airline pilots.

ãIt really has changed things dramatically,ä he said.

ãWe talk about those events [Sept. 11] almost daily and how we would have handled them and what we can do in the future.ä

Angarole noted that all airlines will be mandated to take steps to secure the cockpit of each plane, whether it be additional locking or monitoring systems or other means of slowing down anyone other than the pilot from flying the plane.

He said he thinks more about ãdefensive flying,ä ways to put a hijacker off balance, knowing where the closest airport is and what it would take to quickly land.

Angarole also thinks about what would happen if his plane was hijacked and military planes intercepted him.

ãI donât know exactly what their orders are, but I would believe it would be to disable us. It hurts my heart to think about that, but I can accept it,ä he said.

Passengers have changed their attitudes, he said.

ãThey are more cognizant of what is going on in the plane,ä he said.

Increased airport security touched Angarole personally. He said he has been searched several times, even though he was in uniform, and had his razor, tweezers and pocket knife taken from him.

Passengers treat him differently, too.

ãI have been called Îsirâ and have had people say, ÎGod bless youâ and thank me for the safe flight. That never happened before,ä he said.