Jul 19, 2004 — New York's National Guard soldiers in Iraq are struggling with a rash of gastro-intestinal infections. The troops stationed north of Baghdad are also battling cruel heat, with temperatures each day topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Major Eric Olsen, Army chaplain from Saranac Lake, has been sending back regular diary entries from Iraq. This morning, he interviews Capt. Michael Dollard, a physician's assistant from Albany serving with the 2nd of the 108th.