SPRINGFIELD - Governor Bruce Rauner signed Executive Order 15-14 today, which establishes the Illinois State Commission on Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform.

The commission will examine the current criminal justice system and sentencing structure to develop comprehensive and evidence-based strategies to improve public safety. It will analyze all aspects of the current system from the initial arrest to re-entry into the community. Some areas the commission will specifically examine are ensuring there is uniformity in sentencing structure, sentencing practices, community supervision and the use of alternatives to prison.

"Illinois is in desperate need of criminal justice reform. Our prisons are overcapacity and too many offenders are returning to prison," Gov. Rauner said. "We need to take a comprehensive, holistic approach to our justice system."

The Department of Corrections (DOC) is operating at more than 150 percent of the inmates it was designed to house, which threatens the safety of inmates and staff. It also undermines the DOC's ability to rehabilitate. Many of those inmates often return to prison; the recidivism rate in Illinois hovers around 50 percent.

WARSAW, POLAND (02/10/2015)(readMedia)-- Five Soldiers with the Illinois Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion in Springfield, Illinois travelled to Warsaw, Poland from 26 to 30 January for a workshop aimed at best practices between the partner nations at Poland's Armed Forces Operational Command.

Brig. Gen. Andrzej Tuz, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Armed Forces Operational Command, addressed the group on the opening day to share ideas and build upon the partnership between Poland and Illinois. The workshop focused on adapting Illinois' models for recruiting, retention, marketing, and attrition management to Poland's Armed Forces recruitment. In 2008, Poland ended mandatory conscription into its armed forces. Poland started its National Reserve Forces in 2010, and has experienced the challenges associated with recruiting.

"We see the same challenges here," said Command Sgt. Maj. Stephen Donaldson, of Chatham, Illinois, Recruiting and Retention Battalion Command Sergeant Major. "They understand where they are currently and where they want to go, but also understand that it will take time to get there."

Personnel from the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command gave a general overview of their force structure and function of not only the active component, but also the National Reserve Forces. Personnel discussed how Poland's Operational and General Commands operate as part of the Ministry of National Defense.

Aleksandra Szmitkowska and Grzegorz Romanski of the Ministry's Department of Education and Defense Promotion discussed recruiting ideas and campaigns and how they are seeking quality over quantity when it comes to recruits. Donaldson and Maj. Darren Horton, of Williamsville, Illinois, Recruiting and Retention Battalion Enlisted Accessions Officer in Charge, followed by giving a presentation on retention, sponsorship programs in the Illinois National Guard, and the importance and effectiveness of proper retention counseling.

Sgt. Maj. Allen Morrison, of Rochester, Illinois, Enlisted Accessions Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge, gave an overview of the Illinois National Guard's recruiting strategy and target audience. Lt. Col. Daniel Reichen, of Springfield, Illinois, Recruiting and Retention Battalion Commander, said his Polish counterparts were receptive to the idea of leveraging high schools and centers of influence within that demographic to increase recruiting.

"We sell ourselves as the component of choice. Our partners were very interested in how we take a 'community first, nation always' approach to marketing the Guard," said Reichen.

Reichen said the U.S. military, the Illinois National Guard, and Poland all face the same challenges.

"We're always trying to do the same three things: man, train, and equip the force. Our partners in Poland have the same goals and are looking for the best practices to do the same," he said.

Reichen said the workshop was successful and a great partnership opportunity, but said future opportunities to work with the Polish National Reserve Forces should not be limited to recruiting practices.

"I think that the next step is not only talking the recruiting piece, but how we man and train personnel in the reserve component, involving the personnel and operations branches in a workshop may be incredibly useful to our partners," he said.

Van Nuys, CA - February 3, 2015

During the months of November and December, 10,184 generous dentists, companies, families and individuals from across the country collected Halloween candy and other Operation Gratitude Care Package items to send to the United States Military for the holidays.

In total, they collected and shipped more than 401,052 pounds of candy to Operation Gratitude. That poundage represents more than 12 Million individual pieces of candy lovingly donated to our military men and women.

"In addition to this enormous amount of candy, millions of other items, including snack food, toiletries, entertainment products, and hand-made scarves and paracord bracelets, were collected throughout the year for our troops," said Angel Cuevas, Operation Gratitude's Director of Operations and a Marine Veteran. "Just in this past year, we worked with 48,592 individual and corporate donors who made it possible for us to fulfill our mission of support to the military."

In 2014, Operation Gratitude's volunteers assembled and shipped 117,279 care packages to Troops deployed in harm's way, and to Veterans, New Recruits, Military Families, First Responders, Wounded Warriors and their Care Givers.

Since its founding in 2003, Operation Gratitude volunteers have shipped a total of 1,188,661 care packages to the Military community.

Links
Operation Gratitude Website- www.operationgratitude.com
Pictures - https://www.facebook.com/OperationGratitude/photos_stream

About Operation Gratitude
Operation Gratitude annually sends more than 100,000 care packages filled with snacks, entertainment, hygiene and hand-made items, plus personal letters of appreciation, to New Recruits, Veterans, First Responders, Wounded Warriors, Care Givers and to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed overseas. Its mission is to lift the spirits and meet the evolving needs of our active duty and veteran communities, and provide volunteer opportunities for all Americans to express their appreciation to members of our military. Each package contains donated product valued at $75-$100 and costs the organization $15 to assemble and ship. Since its inception in 2003, Operation Gratitude volunteers have shipped almost 1.2 Million Care Packages.

State Program Offers $5,000 Down Payment Grants to Service Members and Veterans

 

Des Moines - Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds joined state officials today to announce that the Military Homeownership Assistance program has assisted nearly 3,400 military service members and veterans purchase a home in Iowa. The program is jointly administered by the Iowa Finance Authority and the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs and funding is appropriated by the Iowa Legislature.

The Military Homeownership Assistance Program provides eligible service members with a $5,000 grant that may be used towards down payment and closing costs to purchase a home located in Iowa.

"More than 800 veterans have already been matched with jobs in our state through the Home Base Iowa initiative, with the opportunity for us to welcome thousands more. A key component in the transition to civilian life for these veterans is making their own permanent home right here in Iowa and this program will help them to achieve that goal," said Governor Branstad.

"Our efforts to match veterans and their spouses with quality careers in Iowa are working. With the Iowa Finance Authority's work to assist veterans in making a down payment on a home, we believe even more veterans will make our great state their home base," said Lt. Governor Reynolds.

When combined with the Iowa Finance Authority's other down payment assistance programs, eligible service members could receive a total of up to $7,500 in grant funds toward the purchase of a home. In fiscal year 2014, the program assisted 423 military service members and their families to fulfill their dream of homeownership.

"Upon my return from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, my wife and I started looking for a house in Osceola, where I now serve as a reserve Sheriff's Deputy and volunteer firefighter," said tenured military veteran Sergeant Byron Jimmerson. "We were excited to discover that we qualified for IFA's Military Homeownership Assistance Grant Program to help with the down payment. The grant helped ease the financial cost of owning a home, especially with the anticipated expenses of starting a family."

"The Military Homeownership Assistance Program was created by the Iowa Legislature in an effort to foster affordable homeownership opportunities for service members," said Iowa Finance Authority Executive Director Dave Jamison. "Down payment assistance is a valuable resource and it affords service members and veterans an avenue to conduct civilian life in a permanent, stable home in Iowa."

 

"The Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs' mission is to assist veterans with obtaining services and benefits that they are entitled to.  We are also concerned about the successful reintegration of veterans into civilian life and the community," said Colonel Robert King, Executive Director, Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs. "The Military Homeownership Assistance Program is an excellent program that directly impacts qualified veterans' ability to purchase a home. We are extremely pleased with the response of veterans requesting this program."

The Military Homeownership Assistance Program has provided more than $15.4 million in funding to support approximately 3,400 military service members and their families since the program's inception in 2005. Availability of funding for this program is subject to annual state appropriation and funds are made available on a first-come, first-served basis. More information about the program is available at IowaFinanceAuthority.gov.

The Iowa Legislature created the Iowa Finance Authority in 1975 to undertake programs to assist in the attainment of housing for low-and moderate-income Iowans.

# # #