SPRINGFIELD, IL (10/01/2014)(readMedia)-- SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - In 2008, a group of five people came together for nothing more than to help Soldiers and their families. Operation Blackhawk began raising money to help servicemembers.

Staff Sgt. John K. Clinton of Greenup, Illinois, deployed twice, was working a temporary job with the Illinois Army National Guard when that ended, he found himself struggling to make ends meet. Clinton was no longer able to pay his bills and was in jeopardy of losing his transportation.

During a family day picnic with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry in Effingham, Illinois, Operation Blackhawk made a substantial difference in one Soldiers life. Clinton heard of Operation Blackhawk and asked for help.

"I was unemployed at 49 years old with a bad back," said Clinton. "I told them my story and they offered me a job, where I started a few days later. They helped my family get caught up on bills."

Operation Blackhawk made arrangements and helped Clinton become current with the payments on his bills. Paul Gutman, owner of Legacy Harley Davidson in Effingham, Illinois, hired Clinton full-time at the dealership.

"We supported him, as he supported us," said Gutman, one of the original five to start Operation Blackhawk.

Operation Blackhawk gives back to the Soldiers who gave so much, said Gutman.

"Without the Blackhawk group support, my wife and I would have lost a lot," said Clinton. "The organization helped pay my bills so we didn't lose anything. They helped us keep our sanity through a bad time."

The organization started with a group of men from Effingham, Illinois, who had a deep sense of support for the military. Boris Bonutti, Bob Lakin, Dennis Brown, Bob Ferguson and Gutman understand Soldiers go through different hardships. They want Guardsmen to know community businesses support military members.

The organization said it understands that unplanned and expensive issues arise, such as, a broken car or plumbing issues. The organization wants to ensure Soldiers and their families make it through those challenges, said Gutman.

Operation Blackhawk wants to let Soldiers know if they need help in any way, their organization is a resource, financially and otherwise, said Bonutti.

"That is the mission," said Gutman. "We want to be able to support our local guys and let them know we are here for them."

Future plans for the organization are to educate other groups or organizations around Illinois, who can start similar organizations. They are currently working through the process to receive donations.

20th Anniversary of President Clinton's call for their "eventual elimination"

Press Release - For Immediate Release

(Washington DC, September 23, 2014) Today's announcement by the United States that it will not use antipersonnel landmines anywhere in the world except on the Korean Peninsula is a positive step, but the geographic exception must be overcome if the US is to ever join the Mine Ban Treaty, said the US Campaign to Ban Landmines.

The US policy announced September 23 commits the United States to not use antipersonnel landmines outside of the Korean Peninsula and commits it to destroy antipersonnel mine stockpiles "not required for the defense of the Republic of Korea." This affirms the de facto US policy against any antipersonnel mine use that has existed since 1991. Yet these indiscriminate weapons pose a danger to civilians no matter where they are used and further use of antipersonnel mines on the Korean Peninsula cannot be justified under any circumstances.

During the 1997 negotiation of the Mine Ban Treaty, the US tried to get a geographic exception for Korea, but was strongly rebuffed by its closest military allies, which concluded that the humanitarian dangers of such mines outweighed any military utility and that permitting one geographic exception would encourage other nations to seek similar exemptions from the ban treaty.

Today's policy announcement also committed the US to not assist, encourage, or induce other nations to use, stockpile, produce or transfer antipersonnel mines outside of Korea. The White House announcement notes that all NATO member states except the US are now party to the Mine Ban Treaty. A total of 162 nations are party to the treaty, which prohibits antipersonnel landmines, requires the destruction of stockpiled mines, and requires clearance of contaminated land and assistance to victims.

Today's White House announcement was made on the eve of the 20-year anniversary of President Clinton's 1994 speech to the United Nations General Assembly when he became the first world leader to call for the "eventual elimination" of antipersonnel landmines.

Previously, on June 27 at the Third Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty in Maputo, Mozambique, the US announced an immediate ban on the production and acquisition of antipersonnel mines, but did not address use of the weapons. In both policy announcements, the US has confirmed it is "diligently pursuing ... solutions that would be compliant" with the Mine Ban Treaty and "that would ultimately allow us to accede" to it.

The US Campaign to Ban Landmines has repeatedly urged that the outcome of the policy review initiated in 2009 be a decision to join the Mine Ban Treaty as soon as possible, to immediately prohibit the use of antipersonnel mines, and to begin destruction of all stocks of antipersonnel mines. The US Campaign to Ban Landmines reiterated this call in a September 12 letter to President Obama.

According to US officials, the policy announced today does not represent the final outcome of the landmine policy review initiated by the Obama administration in 2009, but is an interim announcement. The US Department of Defense is currently conducting a detailed study into alternatives to self-destructing antipersonnel mines and the impact of no further use of the weapon on the Korean Peninsula.

The US has a stockpile of about 3 million antipersonnel mines.

The United States Campaign to Ban Landmines is a coalition of more than 400 non-governmental organizations. It is the US affiliate of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, co-laureate with former ICBL Coordinator Jody Williams of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize.

According to the White House announcement, the new policy will "bring U.S. practice in closer alignment with a global humanitarian movement that has had a demonstrated positive impact in reducing civilian casualties" from antipersonnel landmines.

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For more information, see:

• US Campaign to Ban Landmines letter to President Obama, September 12, 2014: http://www.uscbl.org/fileadmin/content/images/Letters/USCBL_Letter_to_Obama_12Sep2014.pdf

Veterans from WWII and Korean Wars view monuments built in their honor

Washington, D.C. - September 18, 2014 - Congressman Dave Loebsack today welcomed the Quad Cities Honor Flight to the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington. Loebsack presented the members of the Honor Flight with copies of the Congressional Record statement he submitted in recognition of their service, as well as a booklet entitled "Our American Government." The Quad Cities Honor Flight brings World War II and Korean War veterans o Washington to visit our nation's capital and Memorials built in their honor.

"I look forward to welcoming each Honor Flight to our nation's capital so they can see the memorials that were built in their honor. Being able to welcome these veterans today was especially meaningful," said Loebsack. "We cannot thank these veterans enough for their service to our nation. I was honored to present them with a copy of the statement I made for the official Congressional Record to recognize their service."

The Honor Flights are all fully paid for, and the veterans are typically accompanied by volunteers who donate their time to ensure that the veterans have a safe trip. This group included 90 veterans. The Quad Cities Honor Flight left from the Quad Cities Airport this morning and will return tonight.

Loebsack is an avid supporter of our veterans. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, he has worked to improve care and benefits for our servicemembers and veterans, including expanding Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits for the National Guard; expanding access to mental health care; helping our veterans find civilian jobs; and opening new Community Based Outpatient Clinics to improve access to VA services for Iowa veterans. He also co-introduced bipartisan legislation to eliminate the waiting period for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits for servicemembers wounded in combat.

SPRINGFIELD, IL (09/17/2014)(readMedia)-- FORT BENNING, Ga. - Illinois National Guard Soldiers placed in the All Army Long Range Championship at Fort Benning, Georgia, September 8-11.

Sgt. 1st Class Tracy Mix of Marseilles, Illinois, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in Chicago, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brandon Gibbs of Pleasant Plains, Illinois, with Company B, 634th Brigade Support Battalion, took first and second overall in the service rifle category.

The competition is an advanced combat live-fire training event open to Active Army, National Guard and Army Reserve.

This year, seven National Guard Soldiers competed out of 32 competitors. The Soldiers made up three two-man teams and had one individual competitor.

The two categories for this competition are service rifle (U.S. rifle, 7.62mm, M21 or M24) and bolt (U.S. rifle, caliber .300 Winchester Magnum M2010 or M-24). In all five matches, the competitors had 15 shots for record at each distance of 800, 900 and 1,000 yards.

"It's fun," said Maj. David Stapp, sustainment commander at the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center in Camp Robinson, Arkansas.

Even though many competitors enjoy competing, they must spend a lot of time with their weapon to be successful.

"I have to know the data and wind charts to prepare," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Ryan Landon of Creal Springs, Illinois, with the 3637th Support Maintenance Company in Springfield, Illinois.

The Soldiers have to know the data for their weapon and learn how wind affects distance and direction of their shot, which requires the Soldiers to practice in their personal time.

"I go to civilian ranges to practice on my own and start going over my wind charts and data in advance to mentally prepare," said Mix.