SPRINGFIELD, IL (05/14/2013)(readMedia)-- The Illinois Army National Guard is among the nation's leaders taking advantage of a U. S. Military Academy at West Point program that sets aside 85 appointments to the academy for enlisted Army National Guard or Army Reserve Soldiers.

At least five Illinois National Guard Soldiers have secured seats at West Point, with a sixth Soldier, Pfc. Jacob Weiss of Sherman, receiving a Congressional appointment to the academy. This currently ties the Illinois Army National Guard with the Georgia Army National Guard for the most appointments to West Point this year, said Lt. Col. Mark Alessia, of Sherman, the Recruiting and Retention Commander for the Illinois Army National Guard.

"We look at this as a short-term loss, but a long-term gain," Alessia said. "It is a loss because the Illinois National Guard is giving up outstanding enlisted Soldiers to the academy and the active Army, but it is a gain because these same individuals will represent the National Guard, throughout their military career."

Other West Point graduates may learn about the Illinois Army National Guard through these officers as well.

The program, dubbed "Operation Opportunity," recognizes "outstanding junior enlisted Soldiers who demonstrate the ideals and values of the Corps of Cadets - Duty, Honor, and Country," according to Lt. Col. Mark A. Boettcher, the Chief of the Army National Guard's Strength Maintenance Division.

To be eligible for the program, a Soldier must be a U.S. citizen, at least 17 years old, no older than 22 years old on July 1, 2014, unmarried, and have no legal obligation to support a dependent. The Soldier must also be a high school graduate or pass the General Educational Development test, be eligible for re-enlistment, have completed basic combat training and be recommended by his or her company commander. The student must have SAT scores of 500 or higher or ACT scores of 20 or higher.

West Point is among the nation's top institutions producing more Rhodes Scholars than any other college or university in the country except Harvard, Princeton and Yale. It has produced more winners of the Hertz Fellowship than all other schools except Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. But unlike those other prestigious institutions, the U.S. Army pays for all tuition, room, board, books, uniforms, medical and dental care, training costs and pay for its West Point cadets. A West Point education is valued at more than $300,000.

Operation Opportunity is particularly valuable because it exponentially increases a Soldier's chances of acceptance to West Point. Each year, West Point receives some 12,000 applications. Only about 1,200 are accepted, including those 85 slots set aside for National Guard or Reserve Soldiers. Soldiers meeting the eligibility requirements may start the initial application by going online at www.usma.edu/applynow.

The June 7, 2013 Smokey Robinson concert at the iWireless Center has been cancelled due to a personal scheduling conflict. Refunds will be available at the original point of purchase beginning Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 10 am.

The iWireless Center will offer all patrons who purchased Smokey Robinson tickets the opportunity to purchase tickets for Chicago at the iWireless Center scheduled for June 17, 2013 at a $10 per ticket discount.

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Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the Department of Defense announced that most of its civilian employees, including Rock Island Arsenal employees, will be furloughed for 11 days due to budget cuts under sequestration and other budgetary factors.  Loebsack has been opposed to these drastic cuts since they were created by the Budget Control Act, which he voted against.  He has repeatedly called on Congressional leaders to work to find a balanced, commonsense way to replace sequestration and responsibly deal with the fiscal situation facing the nation.  He also called on Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to avoid furloughs and raised his strong concern about the effect of furloughs on national security and civilian personnel with Secretary of the Army John McHugh and Army Chief of Staff General Raymond Odierno.

"The men and women working at Rock Island Arsenal stand up for our country and support our troops day after day.  It is unconscionable that they and their families will be forced to take a pay cut because Congress and the Administration can't work together to replace the arbitrary cuts caused by sequestration.  Forcing middle class families and the Quad Cities economy to pay for Washington's dysfunction is reprehensible.

"Sequestration is an irresponsible and illogical way to deal with our nation's fiscal challenges.  I have repeatedly called on Congress to come back to the table and replace sequestration in a commonsense, balanced fashion.  Doing so would address our economic needs while more substantially reducing the deficit over the long-term.

"It makes no sense to me that the only people that are not feeling any pain from sequester are members of Congress themselves. It is time for Congress to step up and pass legislation that I introduced that would reduce Members of Congress' pay by 10 percent. The last time Congress saw a pay cut was in 1933 - eight decades ago.  Passing this bill would show Congress is serious about restoring fiscal discipline and putting some skin in the game."

Loebsack has consistently called for Members of Congress to have a personal stake in our nation's recovery.  In addition to authoring the CHIP IN and Cut Congressional Pay Act, he has previously cosponsored legislation that would tie the eligibility for Members of Congress to draw their pension benefits to their Social Security retirement age.  He has also voted multiple times to cut Congressional office budgets.

May is National Military Appreciation Month - a month dedicated to celebrating and honoring the courageous men and women who have served our country and made incredible sacrifices on our behalf.

As a Navy veteran and proud member of American Legion Post 562 in Cumming, I know firsthand the profound patriotism of America's veterans.  It is patriotism not of words, but of deeds and sacrifice.  Here in Iowa, veterans come from all walks of life - from farms, small towns, and big cities - but they are united by their shared experience of service to country.

Veterans in our state are also a growing demographic in need of better medical, education, and employment opportunities. Yet those who have put their lives on the line for our freedom often face obstacles to receiving the care they deserve.

Current service members and those who are returning from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq often need specialized assistance to help them acclimate back into Iowa's communities.  That's why I'm proud to cosponsor several bills that aim to provide a better support system for our returning veterans. The Wounded Warrior Research Enhancement Act and the Wounded Warrior Workforce Enhancement Act would create programs to improve the quality of life for returning service members injured in the line of duty.  In addition, the Ruth Moore Act is a bill that would require the VA to provide better access to mental health care to victims of military sexual trauma.

I have also taken a stand against for-profit colleges and universities that have aggressively recruited veterans, collected their precious GI benefits, and then failed to deliver on the promise of a quality education.  My work to uncover this waste, fraud, and abuse played a key role in the Executive Order that President Obama signed one year ago to curb such unscrupulous practices, safeguard veteran education benefits and taxpayers, and ensure that veterans have the information, support, and protections they need to make the decision that is best for them.  I have also worked to introduce numerous bills to improve outcomes for veteran students and will continue to support measures that enable veterans to get the very best training and higher education they need to further their career goals.

Honoring our veterans also means ensuring they receive the decorations they have earned.  To obtain lost, stolen or never-received medals, follow these directions and send a letter to one of my state offices requesting that you be issued all your decorations.  Deceased veterans' family members may also send a letter on behalf of their loved ones.

For more information, please visit http://www.harkin.senate.gov/, or follow Senator Harkin on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tomharkin and Twitter https://twitter.com/SenatorHarkin.

A PDF version of this article is available by clicking here.

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