US Veteran Reserve Corps - 1st Illinois Battalion

It's almost here!

This weekend, we will be joining our siblings over at US Veteran Reserve Corps. - 1st Indiana Battalion, the Marshall County Sheriff's Department and the Plymouth, Indiana Police Department for the Marshall County Blueberry Festival!

The recently formed recently formed VRC MEDCOM (Medical Command) will also be attending this year.

Our teams will be conducting traffic management services from Friday to Monday.

Every year, the VRC has been an integral part of the overall safety of the event.

Today we remember the 13 servicemen who lost their lives during the ISIS terrorist attack at the Hamid Karzai International Airport's Abbey Gate in Afghanistan (2021).

MARINES

SSG Darin T. Hoover
SGT Johanny Rosariopichardo
SGT Nicole L. Gee
CPL Hunter Lopez
CPL Daegan W. Page
CPL Humberto A. Sanchez
LCPL David L. Espinoza
LCPL Jared M. Schmitz
LCPL Rylee J. McCollum
LCPL Dylan R. Merola
LCPL Kareem M. Nikoui

NAVY

Hospital Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak

ARMY

SSG Ryan C. Knauss

Our training NCOs, SGM Sichterman and SFC Lopez, are teaching the junior enlisted the basics of being in the field.

In the event 1st Illinois is activated for an ICS / NIMS operation in a rural setting, these skills will ensure our personnel don't become victims.

📸 CPL Kadelak

This morning our unit has been doing invasive species mitigation at the Izaak Walton Conservation League.

In addition to enhancing teamwork and cooperation, this operation has important goals.

Invasive species can cause the extinction of native plants and animals by changing the local ecosystems and reducing biodiversity.

A loss in biodiversity can have larger impacts, such as economic losses due to decreased produce supplies, as well contaminating local waterways and laying the groundwork for natural disasters.

We are monitoring an active for the areas below.

According to the US National Weather Service Chicago Illinois the following are possible:

• Tornadoes
• Hail larger than .75 inches
• Wind gusts of 60 mph

Consider staying indoors.

are a day we remember everyone who has deployed and our hopes that they all come home.

The Veteran Reserve Corps has many combat veterans within its ranks, from Vietnam to the Global War on Terror.

We thank everyone of them for their continued service to our nation, as a volunteer in our units. To their brothers and sisters who deployed alongside them, we are forever in your debt.

Congratulations to 1SG Sichterman on his promotion to SGM.

SGM Sichterman is the senior training NCO. His goal is to take his decades of experience and ensure all our personnel have the capabilities and discipline to participate in an ICS / NIMS environment

Today is National Purple Heart Day.

This day is set aside for honoring and remembering the service members, both current and former, who were wounded in action while serving our Armed Forces.

On 7 AUGUST 1782, the Badge of Military Merit (Purple Heart) was established by President George Washington.

After World War I, wear of the badge was reproposed as a way to replace "Wound Chevrons" which were worn on the right cuff of a soldier's service uniform. The first War Department policy was issued on 22 FEB 1932.

Executive Order 9277 (1942) extended the Purple Hearts wear to all branches of the military.

Why the VRC?

There are those who served and miss the comraderie, but don't want to sign another contract. They want to serve locally, while maintaining their families and jobs.

Others, for whatever reason, never got around to serving and wish they had.

When you put on that uniform, you are part of a team and a family.

You find common bonds with people from different backgrounds and experiences, but who see commitment to our communities and country first.

We are VRC and we are here for you.

alert for our .

Effecting: Central Illinois

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois and west
central Illinois.
DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Thunderstorms will move across the area this morning. They are likely to be strong to severe, with damaging winds the primary threat.
Periods of heavy rain will result in localized ponding of water.

Another cluster of storms is expected after midnight, with the best chances closer to the I-74 corridor. These may also be severe.

Outside of the storms, heat index values around 100 degrees are expected this afternoon.
DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Strong to severe storms will continue into Thursday morning, with damaging winds and heavy rain the main threats. While additional
storms are expected on Friday, the severe weather threat should be further east.

Heat index values of 100 to 105 degrees are expected Thursday afternoon.

Storm movement is SE at 40 mph.

The Oath.

"If you are a volunteer organization, why do you administer an Oath?"

An oath is defined as a solemn promise regarding an indiviidual's future behavior.

By joining the VRC and taking an oath, our members are promising to be good citizens and patriots. We do this by putting the mission, our communities, and our country above our own individual preferences, opinions, and beliefs.

We are apolitical and are committed to faithfully answering the call of our local, state, and federal governments, when asked.

The Oath is a promise to put our country and our mission above our our own interests.

It is something we take very seriously in the VRC.

28 July 2024

The VRC was represented at the Algonquin Founders' Days festival today. Today's focus was recruitment and community relations building.

Today was set aside for vendors and organizations like the Algonquin Police Department and Algonquin - Lake in the HIlls Fire Protection District, with vehicles for the kids, live music, and fireworks.

Pictured: CPT Argiris, Chaplain Catella, and PVT Wootton

27 JULY 2024

Leadership from HQ meet to discuss NCO Boards, promotion points, and TO.

CPT Argiris swears in SSG Sal Dazzo as the newest member of the VRC. SSG Dazzo is prior service U.S. Army (63S) Operation Ensuring Freedom Veteran.

He will serve as a new SL for 1st Squad, HQ Co.

Come visit us at Algonquin Founders' Days on Sunday (July 28th 2024).

We will have our VRC tent set up with recruiting brochures, lanyards, and speak with some of our personnel about how the VRC can fit into your life!

Welcome our newest members of 1st Illinois (from left to right)

• PVT Tim Colby - USMC
• PFC Noah Schoedel - Army (88M)
• PVT Ray Rothschild

📸 CPL Paul Duplessie

CPT Argiris presents CH (CPT) Catella with the President's Volunteer Service Award - Silver for his continued support of MW BDE personnel.

The PSVA was created by President Bush in 2003 as a way to encourage more Americans to volunteer for their communities and country by recognizing individuals who have gone above and beyond towards that end.

Photo: CPL Paul Duplessie

SFC Lopez (IL), SGT Leschman (IL), and CPL Duplessie (IN) satisifed the unit's curiosity regarding the "Front-Leaning Rest Position" during DNC drills.

20 JULY 2024

1st Illinois loaded up and attended a joint training with US Veteran Reserve Corps. - 1st Indiana Battalion on traffic management procedures led by the Marshall County Sheriff's Department.

Global cyber outage grounds flights, hits banks, telecoms, media A software update wreaked havoc on computer systems globally on Friday, grounding flights, forcing some broadcasters off air and hitting services from banking to healthcare.

🤯

As of July 17, there had been 1,421 tornado reports in the U.S., well ahead of the historical average of 1,001. https://bit.ly/3y1acm0

Do you have an Illinois issued CDL "Passenger" endorsement?

Were you an 88M in the Army, or equivalent MOS in another branch of service?

• E-4 guaranteed for civilian CDL drivers, assigned to our Transportation Co.

• Prior service E-4s will receive an automatic promotion to an NCO rank within Transport Co.

• This is a new Company within the unit and you will work with our WO1 in building it from the ground up.

Join us today!

ABOUT THE BATTALION | 1st Illinois Battali The United States Veteran Reserve Corps (U.S.-VRC). draws its heritage from the Civil War Veteran Reserve Corps component of the Army, which was tasked with light duties. In 1864, General Order No. 111 was issued allowing soldiers whose enlistments had expired, to join the VRC. should they wish to c...

🚨🚨🚨 ALERT 🚨🚨🚨

, news outlets are reporting the dam in Nashville, Illinois has failed.

Flooding is occuring.

Temporary shelter is at 680 W. Walnut St. In Nashville, IL

I-64 is shut down between Mile Marker 50 and 61.

IL-177 closed between IL-127 and US-51

DO NOT ATTTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOOD WATERS!

Sunday night saw 2, EF-0 tornadoes touchdown.

Last night, there were reports of 10 tornadoes that touched down in the greater Chicagoland area.

We are on the phones with various Emergency Management Agencies, ready to assist with clean up efforts.

Damage Assessment crews will have a hand in determining the scale of the tornadoes using the Enhanced Fujita Scale (below).

Last year, members of the VRC underwent training with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and the National Weather Service to conduct damage assessment operations.

US National Weather Service Chicago Illinois is reporting the following:

Kane County - system has weakened and appears to no longer be able to produce tornadoes.

This warning has now expired.

***************

DuPage County - TORNADO ON THE GROUND

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely.

This tornado will be near...

Naperville, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Plainfield, and Woodridge.

If you are outdoors, find shelter in the closet substantial structure.

Stay away from windows.

Go into the basement, lower level, or interior room.

Tornado warnings are in effect for DeKalb, Kane, Putman, and Bureau Counties.

If you are in an impacted area seek shelter immediately!

Here is a statewide outlook.

Anyone from Springfield and north should be prepared for:

• Damaging winds of up to 80 mph.
• Tornadoes
• Hail and frequent lightning.
• Heavy rains

Precautions:

• Stay indoors
• Secure any outdoor items.
• Bottled water
• Non-perishable food
• Flashlights & extra batteries
• Extra clothing & blankets
• An extra set of keys & cash
• Medications & a first aid kit
• Personal hygiene items
• Pet supplies
• A weather alert radio or portable AM/FM radio

, are you ready for another round of severe thunderstorms?

Yesterday's tornadoes in the area have been identified as EF-0s.

What??? The heat index could top 110° today in central Illinois?

Holy cow.

Stay inside. If "inside" isn't cool enough, find a cooling center here:
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/325f18499d2347e3919b68fbb883bc04