Campus-Style Community Designed to Serve Veterans with Families Now Open in Chicago

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today announced the opening of Hope Manor II, one of the first large-scale housing developments in the nation designed to address the needs of female veterans and veterans with families at risk of homelessness. The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) provided approximately $1 million in funding to finance the development located at 60th and Halsted streets in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. Today's event is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to make Illinois the most veteran-friendly state in the nation.

"Hope Manor II is not only about housing, it is about helping our veterans get a job, keep a job and provide for their families," Governor Quinn said. "We have a duty on the homefront to take care of our heroes and protect those who protected us especially when it comes to jobs, education and housing. For all they have sacrificed in the name of freedom, Hope Manor II will give our servicemembers the comforts and safety of home they deserve."

Developed by the Volunteers of America of Illinois (VOA), Hope Manor II is designed for veterans and their children. It will be home to more than 100 Illinois heroes and family members who were previously homeless or at risk of homelessness. The development will be an important part of the state's goal to help struggling veterans change and improve their lives over the long-term by promoting self-sufficiency, building new skills, creating strong support networks and integrating veterans more positively into community life.

Services at the campus include employment readiness classes, job training and coaching, computer training, peer support groups, recovery resources, individual and family counseling, mental health screening, emergency assistance for food and household items and case management support. Residents will also have access to the Volunteers of America of Illinois' True North Project which aids veterans who are struggling, in crisis or at risk of serious instability in their lives.

"This is a great day for our veterans, Chicago businesses and for Illinois," Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Acting Director Rodrigo Garcia said. "We know that employment and stability for families is critical in helping veterans and those at-risk bridge from the military to a thriving civilian life. Hope Manor II will be a great base for our veterans to find great jobs here in Illinois and help businesses thrive."

The campus-style community features a mix of single-family town homes and apartments built around a park, all located on a three-acre site donated by the city of Chicago. In addition to state resources, the development also received a $1.9 million loan and a $3 million tax-increment financing grant from the city of Chicago. All 73 apartments will receive Project-Based Rental Assistance from the Chicago Housing Authority.

"We are excited to partner with the Volunteers of America of Illinois to provide the stability and support our veterans need to transition back into civilian life," IHDA Executive Director Mary R. Kenney said. "Our goal is to provide a comprehensive response to the unique challenges of today's veterans, delivering the tools they can use to change their lives over the long-term."

Women veterans and those with dependent children are the fastest growing demographic in the veteran community, often facing significant challenges as they transition to civilian life. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that approximately six to eight percent of all homeless veterans are women and as many as 175 female veterans, most with children, are homeless in Chicago each night. After IHDA provided federal stimulus funds and federal tax credit financing for Hope Manor I to provide housing and services to single veterans, a community to serve families was the next appropriate step.

Since Governor Quinn took office, Illinois has made it a priority to address the need for affordable housing and supportive services. He is the first Governor in Illinois history to dedicate state capital dollars to supportive housing, creating approximately 2,150 community-based supportive housing units since 2009. IHDA has financed 860 units of affordable housing either reserved or specifically targeted to veterans in that same timeframe.

SPRINGFIELD, IL (10/14/2014)(readMedia)-- Story by Staff Sgt. Aleah M. Castrejon, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -Lt. Col. Tammy Duckworth of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, an Illinois National Guardsman with Joint Force Headquarters, announced her military retirement 10 years after her Blackhawk helicopter was shot down in Iraq and she lost both legs.

Duckworth commissioned with the Army Reserves in May 1992 and joined the Illinois Army National Guard in 1996, with dreams of becoming a Foreign Service officer, and someday an ambassador, she said.

"I was studying for my master's degree and in my classes were a lot of vets, drilling Reservists and Guardsmen," said Duckworth. "I just naturally gravitated toward those folks as my friends."

Her college friends advised her to understand the military better and attend military classes. Before long, she was heading off to military training.

"I had just been laid off from my job and everything worked out," said Duckworth. "I was able to go to basic training. So off I went to cadet basic training. It was miserable, but I loved the challenge."

Duckworth faced many hurdles throughout her career. In 2004, she deployed to Iraq as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot for the Illinois Army National Guard. She was one of the first Army women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade Nov. 12, 2004. Duckworth lost both legs and partial use of her right arm in the explosion and received a Purple Heart for her combat injuries.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kurt Hannemann of Chicago, with Company B, 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation in Peoria, Illinois, served as a door gunner on the same Blackhawk that was shot down. Hannemann said he considers Duckworth a mentor, admiring her mission-focused attitude and attention to detail.

Having been in the military for 23 years, Duckworth said balancing her civilian job and military career was the most challenging.

"I've always been a Reservist or Guardsman," said Duckworth. "During my command of Company B, 106th Aviation, it was a part-time job. That balance between being a citizen-Soldier and my civilian job has always been a real challenge throughout my career."

While Duckworth mentioned many fond memories and many testing situations, she always had a mentor to guide her.

"The person I have worked both closely with and for has been Colonel Sikowski," said Duckworth. "He taught me to be thoughtful, whereas the Army teaches you to be decisive. You want to make a decision and execute, but he taught me to be patient."

Sikowski responded to situations after taking time to think and come up with a better solution, one that had better long-term effects, said Duckworth.

"I carry his thoughtfulness to Washington and I teach that to my staff," said Duckworth, who is also a congresswoman. "I've always admired that and I carry that through the rest of my career."

Duckworth was not originally scheduled to deploy to Iraq in 2004, but volunteered for the deployment, said Sikowski.

"She was my right-hand person as far as operations for the entire task force," said Sikowski.

Sikowski required his staff to fly twice a week and remain fully engaged in the mission during the deployment.

"Tammy's always been driven," said Sikowski. "She's the type of person who can accomplish anything she wants to do whether this incident happened or not."

After her helicopter was shot down, Duckworth was determined to stay in the military.

She said she learned to enjoy other aspects of the military just as much as flying. She joined to become a pilot and flying was her passion; however, working in a tactical operations center (TOC) is something she enjoyed second to flying.

"I am a total TOC rat," said Duckworth. "I love writing operations orders, even though I cannot fly. The other thing I really love is TOC operations and being in the Joint Operations Center."

"It has been a privilege to serve with all of these amazing folks. I am so proud of what they do," said Duckworth. "The American people do not know what our National Guardsmen give up to wear the uniform."

Duckworth recalled many notable missions during her military career. She said she flew Bell UH-1, also known as a Huey, around the Pyramids in Egypt, Blackhawks over glaciers in Iceland and completed a deployment to Iraq.

"The greatest part of my career was when I was in command of Company B, 106th Aviation," said Duckworth. "As tough as it was and the hard work that it was, that was by far the best part of my career."

Duckworth maintained many great relationships and built a network of friends while in the military.

"We all have friends that go way back," said Duckworth. "You may not see them for ages, but when you do it's old home week. I treasure it."

In talking about her 10-year anniversary, Duckworth tears up thinking about that day and the Soldiers who saved her.

"They literally carried me off of the field," said Duckworth. "It's my turn to do a little carrying. Not a day goes by that I don't get up and say, 'What can I do to pay back?"

Choosing to remain in the military after the incident, Sikowski said it is quite an amazing accomplishment given the severity of her injuries that she continues serving so well.

Duckworth recently got her fixed wing pilot license and started flying again. Her motivation comes from the lifestyle of being a pilot, said Sikowski.

"The requirements, time and effort it takes to become a pilot becomes a lifestyle," said Sikowski. "It doesn't leave your blood. It's another one of those accomplishments that requires the drive that she possesses."

As she continues with her civilian career, she is working to ensure the veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom receive the care they need.

"I am working with respiratory and neurological associations to do studies," said Duckworth. "I don't want our Soldiers to wait 20 years before they are treated like agent orange and Gulf War syndrome."

Duckworth recently announced her pregnancy and said she has big plans after retirement.

"I plan on continuing my civilian job, raising this baby and being as big a cheerleader of the Guard as I can," said Duckworth. "I'll be a Guard spouse, as my husband is still in."

In the last decade, Duckworth has accomplished many personal goals including scuba diving, surfing, skydiving, marathons, going back to school, and helping in her community.

"Through her, I have learned that humans can be very resilient, both physically and mentally," said Hannemann. "I am very proud of how she has taken a negative thing and turned it into such a positive outcome."

SPRINGFIELD, IL (10/10/2014)(readMedia)-- SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Staff Sgt. Kellye Brestan of Bloomington, Illinois, recruiter for the Illinois Army National Guard, placed third in the North American Strongman (NAS) National Competition in Reno, Nevada, Oct. 4 and 5.

NAS is the premier amateur strongman corporation in the world. This event attracted more than 200 men and women to prove their strength against each other within their own weight class. Challenges ranged from lifting cars to throwing kegs.

"I have known Brestan for three years," said 1st Sgt. Holly Donald of Peoria, Illinois, Recruiting and Retention Battalion.

"When she first joined, she struggled to pass the Army fitness test. She decided to become fit and better as a recruiter. She wanted to be a better role model for future recruits."

Brestan is the epitome of the noncommissioned officer creed. She lives the Army values and is the whole Soldier concept, said Donald.

"I train five to six days a week for a few hours a day," said Brestan." I started training for this competition three months ago and I have five months to train for the Arnold World championship in March. I had to drop 27 pounds for this competition, learn how to dead lift a car, carry a 1,150 pound wheel barrow, lift kegs over a bar and press one over my head."

Brestan maintains her fit and healthy lifestyle for competitions, but also maintains Army standards.

"I stay active for my health and to inspire my Soldiers," said Brestan. "I have a few Soldiers that have trained with me. I also have applicants I am currently training for weight loss and then they should be joining the Illinois Army National Guard."

Comparing the competitive strongman lifestyle and being an Army recruiter has many similarities.

"I live a very structured life now, food measured out and my workouts are all very structured," said Brestan. "I think that it all goes hand-in-hand, the structure I need in training and in recruiting. I plan everything so well now. Time management has never been more important."

Placing third in the NAS competition, Brestan is just shy of obtaining the title of the World's Strongest Woman.

"I don't think it has even set in that I am the third strongest in the nation," said Brestan "I'm still in shock."

Brestan said she plans to attend the Arnold World Championship in Columbus, Ohio, but will attend local charity shows until then to maintain her competitive shape.

Veterans Affairs hospital officials in Shreveport, La., used bayou magic to conjure up additional linens, stocking their cabinets last weekend after a Watchdog.org investigation exposed the fact that patients were doing without sheets, pajamas and towels.

Three employees at the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center told Watchdog.org that linens were plentiful at the 10-story facility beginning Friday morning, a day after Watchdog's story was published.

This is in stark contrast to the norm, where linen cupboards are bare on weekends while the hospital awaits its regular Tuesday laundry delivery truck, which travels 125 miles, employees said.

"I was just shocked that this happened so fast.. I believed something would change when the story came out, I just didn't think it would happen so soon," one employee said. "It's amazing to open a door and see linen stacked there. Even after the truck comes, it's stocked more than that."

The employees asked to remain anonymous because they feared retaliation at work.

"The head of the linen department was up there checking to make sure they had enough," another employee said. "He was saying, 'We are going to look into getting you fitted bed sheets. We want to make sure you have everything.'"

A third employee offered: "I was surprised to see a cart going down the hall with linen. You never see that this late in the week."

Overton Brooks' linen supply  apparently also is a hot topic at the Department of Veterans Affairs as investigators from its Office of Inspector General showed up Sept. 25 after receiving a call from Watchdog.org requesting comment.

"This is ongoing and we have no comment at this time," said VAOIG spokesperson Cathy Gromek in an email response to Watchdog.org. "This is being worked by our office of Healthcare Inspections."

Employees said the sheets, blankets, towels and pajamas didn't look new, so it's a mystery where they came from.

On Friday, the American Legion blasted the hospital, saying it was angered over poor treatment of veterans and vowed to deliver linens and toiletries, which are also in short supply. The supplies are scheduled to be turned over Tuesday.

"That supply didn't come from us," said William Detweiler, American Legion's past national commander.

Hospital officials say the linen supply has not increased.

"There isn't additional linen," said Tina Taylor Jackson, executive assistant to Overton Brooks' director. "That is not a true statement."

Added VA spokesperson Jessica Jacobsen: "Overton Brooks VAMC has required in circulation inventory based on the needs of the facility."

The fact that linen is scare is nothing new, one of the employees said.

"This has been going on for years and years," the employee said. "They've had meetings where this was brought up and basically they didn't do anything about it. All they would say is, 'This is how it's always been.'"