PEORIA, IL (07/07/2014)(readMedia)-- Approximately 40 members of the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria are scheduled to return home Tuesday, July 8, after serving as part of Operation Enduring Freedom since February 2014. The returning members are a mix of aircrew and maintainers, who supported and flew C-130 missions within U.S. Central Command Area of Operations. About 40 members of the 182nd Airlift Wing were activated in February and were assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia.

The 182nd Airlift Wing flies the C-130 aircraft which is primarily used to transport cargo, personnel and aeromedical evacuees. Since Sept. 11, 2001 the 182nd has deployed over 4,000 members to support operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. Many of the wing's members have deployed numerous times. The wing has flown more than 17,500 hours in direct support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. This deployment cycle is one of many in the wing's history of supporting the Global War on Terrorism.

Both C-130 aircrafts and the crew are expected to return Tuesday, at approximately 1:30 p.m., to the 182nd, located at 2416 S. Falcon Blvd in Peoria.

Media is welcome to attend both returns and should contact Lt. Col. Steve Thomas at (309)633-5534 to be added to the entrance list and provided updates on any changes in the arrival times.

FORT RILEY, KANSAS (07/01/2014)(readMedia)-- Lt. Col. Neil Putnam, a native of New Haven, Connecticut, assumed command of the Illinois Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment from Lt. Col. Clayton E. Kuetemeyer of Chatham, Illinois in Fort Riley, Kansas, on June 26.

Putnam, upon leaving active duty, joined the Illinois National Guard in 1999. His previous assignment was with the Special Operations Command Pacific at Camp Smith, Hawaii serving as the Commands' National Guard Advisor.

Kuetemeyer will be advancing his career at the U.S. Army War College.

Law to assist military students goes into effect today

MASCOUTAH - June 28, 2014. Lt. Governor Sheila Simon today joined Governor Pat Quinn who signed legislation crafted by her office to ease the transitions of military students moving in and out of Illinois schools. House Bill 3939 sponsored by Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) and Rep. Eddie Lee Jackson (D-East St. Louis) passed the General Assembly almost unanimously.

"Military families make tremendous sacrifices for our country, and today we are taking steps to support them. This law shows that Illinois is a state that protects military families and protects good jobs," said Simon, who chairs the state's Interagency Military Base Support and Economic Development Committee (IMBSEDC). "This new law is the result of a lot of hard work, and I commend Rep. Jackson and Sen. Bush for their leadership in the legislature. I would like to thank Governor Quinn for quickly signing it into law."

In 2010, Illinois joined the Interstate Compact for Military Children and adopted the state's first-ever law recognizing the unique educational challenges of military students. With today's action, Illinois joins other Compact states in ensuring that military students enter the same grade level at their new schools, retain previously earned credit and are offered opportunities for extracurricular activities.

"I am proud to represent many of Illinois' military families, who call this community home," said House sponsor Rep. Jackson. "Military families and military communities face unique challenges, and it is important that we as a state demonstrate our commitment to supporting the men and women - the families - who sacrifice on our behalf."

"These families give up so much in order to serve in our military. The least we can do is ensure that school transfers are as easy on their children as possible," said Sen. Bush, who sponsored the measure in the Senate.

The Simon-backed law brings Illinois into alignment with other Compact states, providing protections military students deserve while also preserving local control. They include :

• Grade Level: Students must be allowed to continue their enrollment at grade level in the receiving state at the time of transition; subsequent evaluation to verify placement is allowed.

• Course & Program Placement: Schools shall initially honor course and program placement for military students at the time of transition, including Advanced Placement and ESL, provided that the courses are offered and space is available; subsequent evaluation to verify placement is allowed.

• Extracurricular Activities: Schools shall facilitate the opportunity for inclusion in sports and other activities to the extent that children are qualified and space is available as determined by the school principal.

The state of Illinois is home to approximately 10,000 military students, most of whom have at least one parent on active duty at major installations in North Chicago, the Quad Cities and Metro East. They may transfer schools up to nine times between kindergarten and high school graduation, a rate three times that of their civilian peers.

Simon added that with potential federal defense spending reductions and potential base closures on the horizon, this measure positions our bases for expansions, not drastic cuts.

During a series of listening posts hosted by the Simon-chaired Interagency Military Base Support and Economic Development Committee (IMBSEDC) held last year near Scott Air Force Base, Naval Station Great Lakes and the Rock Island Arsenal, families and military leadership consistently raised the issue of improving school transition.

As chair of the IMBSEDC, Simon helps coordinate the state's activities and communications relating to current and former military bases in Illinois. This spring, Simon joined U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), members of Illinois' congressional delegation and officials from the U.S. Air Force to discuss the future of Scott Air Force Base in Belleville. This fall, her office intends to release an economic impact study of the state's military industry with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

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New law will ease school transitions for military students

MASCOUTAH - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will joined Governor Pat Quinn, legislators and other leaders for the signing of legislation that will significantly improve regulations for military students transferring in and out of Illinois school districts.

House Bill 3939, sponsored by Rep. Eddie Lee Jackson (D-East St. Louis) and Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake), was initiated by Simon and received almost unanimous approval by the General Assembly. The new law will bring Illinois into alignment with 47 other states by allowing military students to enter the same grade level at their new schools, retain previously-earned credit, and have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities.