Public Accountability Report

As your Director of the Department of Military Affairs, the department supports the Illinois National Guard, and oversees the Illinois State Military Museum, the Illinois Military Relief Fund, and Lincoln’s ChalleNGe Academy.

The accomplishments of our Soldiers, Airmen, and civilian employees in the Illinois National Guard and the Illinois Department of Military Affairs during Fiscal Year 2024 are truly amazing. Illinois’ taxpayers received tremendous value for the Illinois National Guard’s overall $600M budget, with approximately $500M of the budget coming from the fed­eral government.

Our Soldiers, Airmen and civilian employees are part of the State of Illinois’ team serving the people of this great state. We were an important part of the federal, state and local team ensuring the Democratic National Convention in Chicago was safe and secure. We helped protect our elections from cyber attacks working with our state and federal partners.

We worked closely with emergency management and law enforcement. The Bartonville-based 5th Civil Support Team provided real-world support to 30 major events. It routinely supports multiple law enforcement agencies with counter biological, chemical, and radiological expertise and equipment. The Illinois National Guard’s Counterdrug pro­gram supported 20 law enforcement agencies throughout the state with analytical and aviation capabilities resulting in the seizure of more than $425 million in illegal drugs.

The Illinois National Guard served in more than 30 nations throughout the world from Somalia and Niger to Thai­land and the Philippines, to the Caribbean, to multiple nations in the Middle East and in Europe. This includes Poland and our relationship with our State Partnership Program country continues to be the gold standard. It has become even more important after Russia launched its illegal invasion and brutality upon Ukraine and its people on February 24, 2022.

Our Soldiers supported the U.S. Border Patrol on the Southwest Border and are protecting missile sites in Alaska. Our Airmen helped build housing for the indigenous people of Hawaii. We have trained and worked all throughout America.

Both the Illinois Army National Guard and the Illinois Air National Guard continue to garner national accolades and honors in leadership and readiness while deploying hundreds of service members.

The Illinois Army National Guard is nationally ranked in medical readiness and in our ability to maintain our per­sonnel strength. We had two units recognized in the Chief of Staff of the Army Combined Logistics Excellence Awards Program, an annual competition that consists of the Award for Army Maintenance (AAME), Deployment Excellence Award, and the Supply Excellence Award. The 108th Multifunction Medical Battalion in North Riverside was the AAME winner across the Army for small-sized units in 2024 and the 725th Transportation Company, based in Machesney Park and deployed to Europe, was winner for the AAME across the Army for medium-sized units.

Capt. Elizabeth Mead of Williamsville was awarded the Army’s General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award for her extraordinary work leading the East St. Louis-based 1844th Transportation Company during its deployment to the Southwest Border. She was one of only seven National Guard officers to receive that honor nationwide.

The Illinois Air National Guard also continues to lead the pack nationally. All three wings supported contingency operations and exercises worldwide as well as domestic operations.

The 126th Air Refueling Wing based at Scott Air Force Base maintained an aircraft Mission Capability Rate of 83.7% and an Aircraft Availability Rate of 73.5%., leading the nation in both metrics across all components. The wing stream­lined repair for 1,200 aircraft parts resulting in 422 parts being returned serviceable and saving $713,000. That team won the National Guard Bureau-level General Larry O. Spencer Innovation Award.

The 182nd Airlift Wing based in Peoria was selected for conversion to C-130J aircraft, generating $40M in related military construction and sustainment, restoration, and modernization projects. The wing followed up its leading role in Air Defender 2023 in Europe by sponsoring an exercise called Proptoberfest with the German Air Force. This brought a German A400M Atlas aircraft to Peoria for joint operability training across multiple states.

The 183rd Wing in Springfield deployed more than 20% of its Airmen in fiscal year 2024. The wing managed $21 million in construction, including the new Base Civil Engineer Complex project, Vehicle Maintenance Facility, and Base Fire Sup­pression system.

The Illinois National Guard is devoted to increasing the resilience of our service members and their families and to prevent sexual harassment and assault, suicide, domestics violence and drug and alcohol addiction. Our Integrated Primary Prevention Workforce (IPPW) developed the first state-level Command Integrated Prevention Plan. In 2024, the IPPW played a key role in developing, conducting and evaluating pilot programs aimed at addressing problem areas within the ILNG.

The Illinois National Guard is dedicated to ensuring we support equal opportunity within our formations and our diversity reflects the Great State of Illinois. Our State Equal Employment Management office trained more than 1,300 personnel in equal opportunity and equal employment opportunity. We continue community outreach into diverse communities throughout the state and to counter discrimination.

We are also making a difference in the lives of youth. Lincoln’s ChalleNGe Academy received high school accredi­tation in fiscal year 2024. The life-skills and character-building academy for Illinois youth ages 15.5 to 18 graduated 240 cadets, recovered more than 540 high school credit hours, awarded six high school diplomas and 96 GEDs, returned 71 cadets to high school, placed more than 50 cadets into jobs, and completed more than 16,000 hours in vocational programs and nearly 12,000 hours of community service. Ten cadets enlisted in the U.S. military.

The Illinois State Military Museum continues to tell the story of the Illinois National Guard and its more than 300- year history. In fiscal year 2024, the museum had more than 10,500 visitors, did outreach and educational programming for more than 50 schools and tour groups, and held 13 public events.

The accomplishments outlined in our annual report are even more amazing considering that more than 80% of the Illinois National Guard are part-time. It takes commitment and dedication to serve both the state and nation in the National Guard. It is the people of the Illinois National Guard who makes us outstanding.

Always Ready, Always There!

RODNEY C. BOYD

Major General, ILARNG

The Adjutant General