Check under the hood and kick the tires or tracks

SPRINGFIELD, IL (05/11/2015)(readMedia)-- The Illinois State Military Museum and private collectors will display an array of U.S. and international military vehicles May 16, 2015 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1301 N. MacArthur Blvd., in Springfield, Illinois.

WHO:

• Illinois National Guard and Militia Historical Society

• Illinois State Military Museum

• Private vehicle collectors

WHAT:

• See an array of U.S. and international military vehicles from the iconic jeep to 21st Century equipment. Private collectors are invited to display vehicles. For more information visit: http://ilng-history.org/wp/upcoming-events/ismmmilitaryvehicleshow/

WHEN: Saturday May 16, 2015 at 09:00AM Central Time (US & Canada)

WHERE:Illinois State Military Museum
1301 N. MacArthur Blvd
Springfield, Illinois 62702

NOTES:

• Admission and parking are free.

• Free registration for private vehicle collectors. Visit http://ilng-history.org/wp/upcoming-events/ismmmilitaryvehicleshow/

For additional information, please contact the Illinois State Military Museum at 217-761-3910.

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced Franklin County, Story County, Muscatine County and the City of Johnston have met the criteria to become designated as a Home Base Iowa Communities. Today they also announced Kirkwood Community College and North Iowa Area Community College have been designated as a Home Base Iowa Certified Higher Academic Military Partners (CHAMPs).

Franklin County, Story County, Muscatine County and the City of Johnston join fourteen existing communities in becoming a certified Home Base Iowa Communities. To become a Home Base Iowa Community, an area must meet the following criteria: 10% of its businesses with potential to hire sign on as Home Base Iowa Businesses; local government supports the effort; signage indicates the community is a Home Base Iowa Community and the community creates local incentives that offer additional benefits for Veterans and that complement those in the statewide Home Base Iowa Act.

"We've seen the momentum build with this program through the 1,300 veterans hired thus far," said Branstad. "With the support of our education CHAMPS, our Iowa communities and the aggressive career and recruitment efforts of the program, we are both pleased and excited to know what began as a great idea is now becoming a program recognized as a national model."

Kirkwood Community College and North Iowa Area Community College join the existing  HBI CHAMPs?Upper Iowa University, Mount Mercy University, University of Dubuque, Mercy College of Health Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Des Moines Area Community College, Hawkeye Community College, Iowa Central Community College , Eastern Iowa Community College and Western Iowa Tech Community College.  The Home Base Iowa CHAMP program allows Iowa colleges and universities to become certified for their ability to educate and assist Veterans on campus. The certification will help attract Veterans and transitioning Service Members to Iowa. It also helps academic institutions market their campus as Veteran-friendly. To become a Home Base Iowa CHAMP, education institutions must meet criteria in each of the three categories: On-Campus Veteran Resources, Mindfulness of Service Member Transitions and Financial Considerations.

"Iowa is proud to provide transitioning and retiring service members with every opportunity for success?whether through education, employment or continued service," said Lt Governor Kim Reynolds. "Iowa has 15 education institutions designated as CHAMPS and with 18 Iowa communities embracing the Home Base Iowa initiative, our state is creating a culture that is welcoming and attractive to recruit and retain veterans."

The City of Johnston is the first Des Moines metro city to be designated as a Home Base Iowa Community and is the home to Camp Dodge. A high percentage of the community is already military service-connected. With the enviable assets available to all Service Members of any branch of Service available through Camp Dodge and the strong support of local business incentives in Johnston, the city considers itself well-positioned to welcome military families.

Story County offers an aggressive $2500 relocation incentive for qualifying Veterans and gained an impressive list of 70 businesses committed to hiring Veterans. Ames has already landed veteran families to the area as it worked toward designation and recently attracted attention of the Wall Street Journal. Story County's efforts were led by the Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development.

Franklin County offers qualifying Veterans a $500 cash grant to work with a Franklin County company and $500 cash grant to live in Franklin County, plus an enticing package of offers from local merchants. Eighty-seven percent of businesses with potential to hire signed on as a Home Base Iowa company. Contact Franklin County Development for more information.

Muscatine County?an area with some of the state's largest employers?has earned Home Base Iowa designation with incentives that range from closing cost assistance to substantial discounts from area businesses. Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry led the efforts for designation.

BACKGROUND ON THE HOME BASE IOWA ACT 

Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds launched the Home Base Iowa initiative in November of 2013 at the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum at Camp Dodge. Branstad and Reynolds named Congressman Leonard Boswell and Casey's CEO Bob Myers the co-chairs of the initiative.

The Home Base Iowa Act was signed into law on May 26, 2014. It passed the Iowa Senate 46-0 and the Iowa House 94-2. The Home Base Iowa initiative does the following:

• Fully exempts military pensions from state income tax.
• Gives veterans, their spouses and dependents in-state tuition at Iowa's colleges and universities.
• Allows Iowa's licensing boards to adopt rules allowing credit for military training and experience in the licensing process.
• Allows private-sector companies to follow the public sector's lead by allowing a preference in hiring and promoting veterans.
• Eliminates the special plate issuance fees charged for plates associated with military service.
• Expands eligibility for the Military Homeownership Assistance Program, which provides $5,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance.  Additional funding for the program is provided in a separate appropriations bill.

In addition to the Home Base Iowa Act, Branstad also signed Senate File 2352 in 2014.

Senate File 2352 an Act relating to the additional homestead credit for certain disabled veterans and including effective date and applicability provisions.

For more information on Home Base Iowa, please visit www.HomeBaseIowa.org. Those interested in becoming a Home Base Iowa Business, a Home Base Iowa Community or a Home Base Iowa CHAMP should contact Kathy Anderson, Home Base Iowa Program Manager at 515.725.3149 or kathy.anderson@iowa.gov.

SPRINGFIELD, IL (04/29/2015)(readMedia)-- CHICAGO - The Illinois National Guard hosted foreign military attachés from more than 30 different countries April 27.

Maj. Gen. William Cobetto of Hillsboro, Illinois, Assistant Adjutant General-Air, Illinois Air National Guard, said the group was particularly interested in how the Illinois National Guard works with civil authorities during domestic operations.

"They were all very intrigued by our command structure during emergency incident response where civilian authorities are in charge and the National Guard elements play a supporting role," said Cobetto. "I also got quite a few questions about recruiting and retention, and how we budget."

After a short presentation, the foreign military attachés toured the Pritzker Military Museum and Library in Chicago before visiting the Illinois National Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility # 2 at Midway in Chicago.

Brig. Gen. Mohammad Shamsuzzaman of the Bangladesh Army, said he learned something new every day of the tour, which included several days not hosted by the Illinois National Guard.

"In Bangladesh we have a force like the National Guard of the USA, but not so structured. We are trying to develop these forces so that the pressure on the active forces reduces," said Shamsuzzaman. "It's new learning for me, the way the National Guard supports the community in cases of national emergency."

Lt. Col. Daniel Rousselot with the Swiss Air Force said the military in Switzerland is very similar to the National Guard in that about 98 percent of the force is reserve.

"It's interesting to visit the different places and different units," said Rousselot. "It was interesting to see what the differences are between your armed forces and ours and go where we can learn something."

Cobetto said he was surprised the group asked questions about Lincoln's Challenge Academy in Rantoul, Illinois, a quasi-military second chance school for Illinois' troubled youth, but said he understood there are similar issues with some youth in their home countries, which explained their interest.

"The take away from this visit is that we've established or extended an endearing relationship with our military counterparts around the world," said Cobetto. "We've got a common bond and are working toward common goals and interests."