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NEWS | April 22, 2020

Governor Activates about 190 Additional Illinois National Guard members for COVID-19 Response Operations

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has activated approximately 190 additional Illinois National Guard Soldiers and Airmen to support the operation of two Community Based Testing Sites (CBTS) and other missions in support of COVID-19 response operations. This brings the total number of activated Illinois National Guard members to about 1,150.

Approximately 60 Soldiers, including about 52 Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 108th Sustainment Brigade, based in Chicago, and eight medics from the 708th Medical Company, based in North Riverside, have been activated to operate a Community Based Testing Site in Waukegan. The Soldiers reported for training Sunday, May 3, and the site opened Monday, May 4.

Approximately 60 Airmen, including 30 Airmen each from the 126th Air Refueling Wing, based at Scott Air Force Base, and the 183rd Wing, based in Springfield, have been activated to operate a Community Based Testing Site in East St. Louis. The activation of the 60 Airmen included eight medical technicians from the two wings. The site is expected to open, Wednesday, May 6.

Approximately six Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 198th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, based in North Riverside, were activated as a task force headquarters to provide additional command and control of the CBTS.

Illinois National Guard members are conducting COVID-19 drive-thru testing operations in Harwood Heights, Bloomington, Markham, Aurora, Rockford and now Waukegan and East St. Louis. Since March 23, when the Harwood Heights facility opened, 35,506 tests have been conducted as of April 29.

For a better perspective on the number of swabs used, according to officials, if you stacked the swabs for each test, end to end, you could reach the top of Willis Tower in Chicago more than 13 times.

A two-person Behavioral Health team has been activated from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 108th Sustainment Brigade, based in Chicago. The team is providing provide behavioral health support to service members activated on COVID-19 operations.

An additional 10 Soldiers from the 1644th Transportation Company, based in Rock Falls, has been activated to meet additional manning requirements at the Aurora COVID-19 test site.

Approximately eight Soldiers from the 33rd IBCT have been activated to ensure adequate staffing for missions at Stateville Correctional Center, Crest Hill, and Sheridan Correctional Center, Sheridan.

Five medics from Company C, 634th Brigade Support Battalion, based in Springfield, one medic from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery based in Chicago, and two medics from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, based in Chicago, reported to their readiness center for in processing and screening Tuesday, April 21. The Soldiers arrived at Stateville Correctional Center and Sheridan Correctional Center to support the Illinois Department of Corrections medical mission on Wednesday, April 22.

Four Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery, based in Chicago, have been activated as a task force for command and control of Soldiers and Airmen serving at Stateville Correctional Center, Sheridan Correctional Center, and Hill Correctional Center in Galesburg.

Approximately 11 Soldiers from the 33rd IBCT activated in support of COVID-19 response operations at Henry Hill Correctional Center. The Soldiers started their mission on April 23. The 11 Soldiers came from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion (BEB) based in Decatur; Company B, 766th BEB, based in Marseilles; and Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery, based in Chicago. They were activated to assist with and provide medical support operations to curtail the spread of COVID-19 at Henry Hill Correctional Center, Galesburg. The Soldiers arrived at Henry Hill Correctional Center on April 23.

Approximately 25 Airmen, including about 13 Airmen from the 126th ARW based at Scott Air Force Base and about 12 Airmen from the 183rd Wing based in Springfield, have been activated to assist with the build-out of alternate care facilities.

Approximately 6 additional Soldiers and Airmen have also been activated to serve in various logistical and administrative support roles.

Soldiers and Airmen previously serving in support of COVID-19 response operations include:

  • Approximately 42 Soldiers from the 1644th Transportation Company, based in Rock Falls, and 8 Soldiers from the 708th Medical Company, based in North Riverside, conducting COVID-19 drive thru testing operations in Aurora. They began testing operations in Aurora on April 22.
  • Approximately 50 Airmen, including eight medical technicians, from the 182nd Airlift Wing, based in Peoria, conducting COVID-19 drive thru testing operations in Rockford. They began testing operations on April 24.
  • Approximately 26 Soldiers from the 3625th Classification and Inspection Company, based in North Riverside, assisting with COVID-19 drive thru tests sites in Harwood Heights and Markham. Approximately 18 Soldiers will be assigned to the Harwood Heights test site and eight assigned to the Markham test site.
  • Approximately 44 Illinois National Guard Airmen are providing health screenings at two Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) developmental centers, one in Kankakee and one in Park Forest.
  • About 22 Airmen, including two medical technicians, from the 126th Air Refueling Wing, based at Scott Air Force Base, are temperature checkpoint teams to augment IDHS staff at the Shapiro Developmental Center in Kankakee. The mission is temporary, and is expected to last approximately a week.
  • Approximately 22 Airmen, including two medical technicians, from the 183rd Wing, based in Springfield, are temperature checkpoint teams to augment IDHS staff at the Ludeman Developmental Center in Park Forest. The mission is temporary, and is expected to last approximately a week.
  • Approximately 13 Airmen with the 126th Air Refueling Wing, based at Scott Air Force Base, and approximately 12 Airmen with the 183rd Wing, based in Springfield, assisting with the build-out of an alternate care facility in Melrose Park.
  • Two Soldiers, including one Soldier from the 661st Engineer Firefighting Team, based in Sparta and one Soldier from Forward Support Company, 123rd Engineer Battalion, based in Murphysboro, serving as medical liaisons to augment the expansion of mission to the Coles County area. These medical liaisons will assist in reporting data for six counties, including Piatt, Coles, Edgar, Crawford, Lawrence and Richland counties.
  • An Illinois Army National Guard Soldier, serving as a Contracting Officer representative. The COR will monitor all COVID-19 contracts and support the Joint Task Force during the response operations.
  • A two-person Religious Support Team, consisting of a chaplain and religious affairs specialist from the 44th Chemical Battalion, based in Bloomington, providing religious support to all JTF-Illinois Task Forces and teams north of Bloomington, the teams at Stateville Correctional Center, Crest Hill, and Sheridan Correctional Center, Sheridan.
  • A two-person Religious Support Team from the Illinois Air National Guard, providing religious support to all JTF-Illinois Task Forces and teams. This team will replace the 44th Chemical Battalion RST, which will deactivate.
  • Four Soldiers, including two Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Battalion, 106th Cavalry Regiment, based in Kewanee, one Soldier from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, based in Marion, and one Soldier from Company C, 634th Brigade Support Battalion, based in Springfield, conducting support operations at Stateville Correctional Center to curtail the COVID-19 outbreak at the facility. These four Soldiers will replace four Soldiers already on mission at the facility.
  • Approximately 10 Soldiers with the 708th Medical Company, assisted as a hospital screening team to conduct COVID-19 swabbing and health assistance in order to release residents from quarantine in support of the Christian County Health Department.
  • Approximately 40 members of the Illinois National Guard manning the Harwood Heights Community Testing site in Chicago and the McLean County Community Testing site in Bloomington have established a third COVID-19 test site in Markham, Illinois, which opened April 14. The test site is authorized to provide 750 COVID-19 tests daily. Criteria for this third site will be determined by health officials.
  • Approximately 20 Illinois Air National Guard members are conducting logistical support missions at hotels in Schaumburg, Springfield and Mount Vernon that are being established as alternate housing facilities. The facilities will help when health officials recommend that an individual self-quarantine, but that individual does not have the housing needed to quarantine from others.
  • About 10 Soldiers from the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, headquartered in Urbana are assigned to provide medical support at Sheridan Correctional Facility in Sheridan. The Soldiers assigned are medically trained and will be providing health screenings to the inmates at the facility augmenting the Illinois Department of Corrections’ health professionals at the prison. The team will work closely with the Illinois Department of Corrections to ensure the safety of Soldiers and inmates while conducting health screenings.
  • The 44th Chemical Battalion Unit Ministry Team, based in Bloomington, consisting of a chaplain and religious affairs specialist, as well as a religious support team from the Air National Guard were activated to provide religious support operations over Easter weekend at various locations where our service members are on duty.
  • Three additional medics have been activated to support medical screening operations at Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill. One Soldier is from Company C, 634th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB), based in Springfield, and two Soldiers are from Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Battalion, 106th Cavalry Regiment, based in Kewanee. They reported to their readiness center for in processing and screening on April 10.
  • Approximately 40 Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment, with headquarters in Chicago, have been activated to assist the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. The Soldiers reported April 11 for in processing and screening and received training regarding the care and ethical considerations of providing mortuary assistance.
  • In addition, the 634th Brigade Support Battalion Unit Ministry Team, consisting of a chaplain and religious affairs specialist, both with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 634th BSB, based in Sullivan, have been activated to provide religious support to the mortuary assistance teams
  • About 30 Army and Air National Guard members from the 183rd Wing and 65th Troop Command make up the Joint Task Force – Headquarters, based in Springfield. The Joint Task Force provides command and control for over approximately 400 National Guard personnel deployed throughout the state.
  • Approximately 35 Soldiers from the 708th Medical Company, based in North Riverside, supporting hospital medical screening operations at impacted hospitals throughout the state.
  • About 22 Airmen from the 126th Air Refueling Wing, based at Scott Air Force Base, the 183rd Wing, based in Springfield, and the 182rd Airlift Wing, based in Peoria, and two Soldiers from Joint Force Headquarters, Springfield, are assigned to the Unified Area Command-North (SUAC-N) at the Thompson Center in Chicago. SUAC-N is a planning coordination cell assisting with the state’s response to COVID-19 in the Chicagoland and out-laying areas coordinating with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and other state agencies.
  • An additional approximately 30 Illinois Air National Guard Airmen are providing labor in support of the Army Corps of Engineers and McCormick Place buildout mission. About 10 Airmen each have been activated from the 126th Air Refueling Wing, 183rd Wing, and the 182nd Airlift Wing. This is in addition to the 30 Airmen previously activated for the first phase of the McCormick Place mission.
  • Approximately 30 Soldiers from Company C, 634th Brigade Support Battalion, based in Springfield, providing medical support at Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, near Joliet.
  • Approximately 25 Soldiers from the 244th Digital Liaison Detachment, based in Chicago assisting county Emergency Management Operations Centers (EMOCs) in Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage and Will counties, gathering information and reporting that data to the Medical Operations Center in the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Springfield.
  • About 15 Soldiers from the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, headquartered in Normal, assisting county EMOCs in Christian, Madison, St. Clair, Cumberland, Clinton, Washington and Jackson counties, gathering information and reporting that data to the Medical Operations Center in the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Springfield.
  • About 30 Soldiers from the 108th Sustainment Brigade, based in Chicago, assisting county EMOCs in Jo Davies, Stephenson, Winnebago, DeKalb, Kendall, LaSalle, Rock Island, Whiteside, Kankakee, Livingston, Peoria, Woodford, McLean, Champaign, Sangamon and Adams counties, gathering information and reporting that data to the Medical Operations Center in the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Springfield.
  • About a dozen Airmen from the 183rd Wing based in Springfield, the 126th Air Refueling Wing based at Scott Air Force Base, and the 182nd Airlift Wing based in Peoria, managing the medical operations center and information collection in Springfield for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Illinois Department of Public Health.
  • About 30 Illinois Air National Guard members providing labor in constructing a field hospital at McCormick Place convention center in Chicago. About 10 Airmen each have been activated from the 126th Air Refueling Wing, 183rd Wing, and the 182nd Airlift Wing.
  • Approximately 50 Soldiers from the 3637th Maintenance Company, based in Springfield assisting with logistics, administrative and safety procedures at a community-based testing site at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington. The site became operational Saturday, March 28.
  • Approximately 50 Soldiers from the 1844th Transportation Company based in East St. Louis, supporting medical warehouse operations in central Illinois.
  • Another six service members working at the State Emergency Operations Center to help with communications, analyze COVID-19 response operations and to provide analysis for potential flood response operations.
  • Approximately 60 Soldiers from the 3625th Maintenance Company, based in North Riverside, Illinois, were activated to assist with logistics and operations at the Harwood Heights Community-based testing site in Chicago, Illinois, which began operations on Monday, March 23.
  • Approximately 45 nurses, doctors, nurse practitioners and medical technicians from the Illinois Air National Guard’s 182nd Airlift Wing Medical Group, based in Peoria, assisting with the Harwood Heights Community-based testing site and another state testing site at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington.
  • About 20 full-time Air and Army National Guard members from the 5th Civil Support Team, based in Peoria, including medical professionals and experts in biological decontamination, assisting with command and control of National Guard forces at the community-based testing sites.
  • The 183rd Wing, the 182nd Airlift Wing, the 65th Troop Command, based in Peoria, and the 108th Sustainment Brigade, based in Chicago, have approximately 30 liaisons and planners including geospatial planners and medical planners who are embedded with the State Emergency Operations Center, the Chicago Office of Emergency Management, and Communications, the Illinois State Police as well as serving at Illinois National Guard headquarters on Camp Lincoln in Springfield.