Illinois National Guard facing financial shortage

Maj. Gen. Richard Neely, adjutant general and commander of the Illinois National Guard. (Facebook/Illinois State University)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – When the federal government needed the help and protection of the National Guard after the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, the National Guard was there.

Now that the Guard has burned through more than $500 million since then, the thank-you may come in the form of layoffs.

“The threat to the Illinois National Guard is $31 million being withdrawn,” said Maj. Gen. Richard Neely, who commands the thousands of Guardsmen and -women in the state, “which would force us into cancelling our August and September drills as well as our other annual training, as well as laying off some of our full-time employees.”

Illinois’ share of the money owed is about $31 million.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…