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  • Conquering Fear

    “I was scared, so I took a lot of vitamins,” said Senior Airman Destiny Zuniga. The 182nd Logistics Readiness Squadron traffic management specialist had initial concerns after being placed on state active duty with the Illinois Air National Guard for a COVID-19 domestic operation at McCormick Place

  • Faces of the Defender: Flight Engineer

    U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jared Hildebrand, a C-130 flight engineer with the 169th Airlift Squadron, Illinois Air National Guard, describes his job in an interview recorded Nov. 7, 2020, in Peoria, Ill. Flight engineers inspect and operate the mechanical systems of the aircraft.

  • The First 115 Days

    In what’s become the most chaotic year in recent American history, the 182nd Airlift Wing took a formidable step towards normality July 2020, paved by months of balancing the so-called “new normal” with military operations. This is the story of four herculean months that won’t soon be forgotten.

  • War medal returns to family after 61 years

    No matter whether they were in Illinois, Wisconsin, or anywhere in between, Annie and Rich would see contrails in the sky from a jet plane flying high overhead, and their mother would remind them, “There’s Dad flying up in heaven. Dad’s watching.”Ann J. Ward was just 2.5 years old and Richard L.

  • Faces of the Defender: Cyber Surety

    U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jacob Morgan, a cyber surety specialist with the 182nd Communications Flight, Illinois Air National Guard, describes the duties of cyber surety during in an interview recorded in Peoria, Ill., Dec. 2, 2019. (U.S. Air National Guard video by Tech. Sgt. Lealan

  • Faces of the Defender: Fire Protection

    U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Ryan Taylor, a fire protection journeyman with the 182nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Illinois Air National Guard, describes the duties of an Air National Guard fire fighter in an interview recorded in Peoria, Ill., Nov. 3, 2019. Fire protection specialist protects people,

  • Faces of the Defender: Public Affairs

    U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jason Grabiec, a photojournalist journeyman with the 182nd Airlift Wing, Illinois Air National Guard, describes the duties of the public affairs career field in an interview recorded in Peoria, Ill., April 7, 2019. Public affairs specialists are responsible for

  • Faces of the Defender: Combat Systems Officer

    U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Daniel Wallace, a mobility combat systems officer with the 183rd Wing, Illinois Air National Guard, describes the job of a combat systems officer in an interview recorded in Peoria, Ill., April 23, 2019. Air Force combat systems officers serve as mission commanders for

  • Faces of the Defender: Fuels

    U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Matthew Henry, a fuels apprentice with the 182nd Logistics Readiness Squadron, Illinois Air National Guard, describes the fuels career field during an interview at the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria, Ill., March 27, 2019. Fuels specialists are responsible for refueling

  • Faces of the Defender: Avionics

    All flight systems are normal in the skies miles above the Earth, when suddenly all that’s in front of the aircrew are black screens and dead gauges. Complete, catastrophic instrument failure. The aircrew of a C-130H Hercules is now cruising at 25,000 feet with no navigation, no instruments, no