Veterans

AllenForce held a grand opening for its Veteran Wellness & Recreation Center at 3581 Hennepin Ave. in Joliet on Friday, July 25, 2025. The center includes space for remote work, an activities area and a quiet wellness room.

Alan Hanke was convicted in federal court of defrauding investors in an $8 million Ponzi scheme. Thursday he pleaded guilty in McHenry County to fraudulent use of a debit card belonging to McHenry American Legion.

Support Over Stigma, Inc. a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting military personnel, veterans, first responders, and their families facing mental health or service-related challenges is celebrating a ribbon-cutting and networking event on July 29 in St. Charles.

AllenForce will host a grand opening for its Veteran Wellness & Recreation Center in Joliet on Friday.

D-Day veteran ″Papa Jake″ Larson, who survived German gunfire on Normandy’s bluffs in 1944 and then garnered 1.2 million followers on TikTok late in life by sharing stories to commemorate World War II and his fallen comrades, has died at 102

North Central Illinois Council of Governments' transportation committee identifies needs to improve transportation services for the general public with an emphasis on seniors, people with disabilities, individuals with lower incomes, and veterans.

Five Kane County veterans recently received fully refurbished vehicles from the Project Spark initiative at Soldier Field in Chicago. The project helps break barriers to transportation for vets and their families.

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp honored local Veterans including the Peru Veterans Memorial Group before the game on Thursday, July 3, 2025 at Schweickert Stadium in Peru.

Celebrate this Independence Day with the Donovan American Legion at its annual Biscuits, Sausage and Gravy Breakfast fundraiser on July 4 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

In observance of PTSD Awareness Day, 13 volunteers, including veterans, jumped out of a perfectly good airplane Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Chicagoland Skydiving Center in Rochelle.

PDM Plumbing, Heating & Cooling’s website said it can “repair, maintain and install every brand of plumbing, drains, heating and air conditioning equipment.”

Thirteen volunteers agreed to jump out of a perfectly good airplane Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Chicagoland Skydiving Center in Rochelle in recognition of PTSD Awareness Day. The jumps were organized by the Valor Support Project in Sterling.

The ninth annual Huntley VetFest will be from 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday.

The annual motorcycle run will take off from the Grundy County Fairgrounds in Morris and end at the Middle East Conflicts Wall in Marseilles.

Julia Ritz joined the U.S. Navy in 1989 during the Gulf War era. Her career included active duty at Hurlburt Field with Air Force Special Operations Command following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and deployments to Kandahar, Afghanistan, and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

The STC Six breweries will launch their 2025 collaborative beer, a West Coast Pilsner benefiting Support Over Stigma, at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, at Pollyanna Brewing & Distilling in St. Charles.

Future center for veteran services is being created in vacant office building that was part of the former Silver Cross Hospital campus in Joliet.

Several hundred community members lined downtown streets across from the Yorkville Town Square, urging passing vehicles to honk and cheer in solidarity during the No Kings Day protest in Yorkville on Saturday.

While shining a light on the father of Flag Day and Batavia’s storied past, it was the hands of the town’s youngest citizens, turning tight a 50-year time capsule, best embodying the town’s patriotic promise.

The American Legion will be serving grilled pork chops, plain or barbecued, cheesy potatoes, vegetable, roll, salad and dessert from 5-7 p.m. Friday, June 13.

Rachael Mellen, president of the Illinois State Genealogical Society, will be the featured speaker at the La Salle County Genealogy Guild’s monthly meeting at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 21, in Ottawa.

Some liken it to the military chest-pounding commonly seen in North Korea, a step toward authoritarianism or a perverse birthday party for Trump

Ben Jankowski of Woodstock received a Purple Heart medal for his service in Vietnam War. Now facing a leg amputation, Jankowski received ramp donated and built by The Home Depot.

Ben Jankowski is a Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient who has to have a leg amputated soon, so The Home Depot donated and built a ramp for him, facilitated by the Veterans Network Committee of Northern Illinois.

A pair of special dedications honored veterans Sunday, June 8, 2025, at the Veterans Park in Dixon.

A pair of special dedications honored veterans Sunday, June 8, 2025, at the Veterans Park in Dixon.

The Plano American Legion held Memorial Day ceremonies at Veterans Walkway and at Little Rock Cemetery in Plano on May 26.

When DeKalb police officer Jesus Rodriguez returned to work after a yearlong hiatus serving his country overseas, he was greeted with a surprise: a packed lobby full of his colleagues, cheering him on as he walked through the front door

Service and sacrifice runs deep in Grant Park youngster regarding Memorial Day.

A complete makeover transformed the former village hall building into the new breakfast and lunch restaurant, which soon will add a dinner menu for evening service. A free monthly breakfast for veterans is one of the special perks.

Five years after his death, the ashes of John Kirnbauer, a man of which little is known, are set to be placed in the Kankakee Memorial Gardens' Field of Honor during a Memorial Day ceremony at the cemetery.

A York Community High School history teacher and a Vietnam War veteran are raising money for a new memorial honoring the 114 graduates of the Elmhurst school who died while serving in the military since World War II.

Over 100 people gathered for a ceremony dedicated to the late John Kirnbauer, a veteran whose ashes went unclaimed for five years, on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Kankakee Memorial Gardens.

It took just over seven minutes to read the 137 names of veterans that have died during the past year with ties to Kankakee County.

Wreaths were laid at two locations and one was thrown into the Rock River on Monday, May 26, 2025 to honor the sacrifice and service of veterans during the Oregon VFW’s Memorial Day program. The day’s event also include a program at the Riverside Cemetery, patriotic music by the Oregon High School Band followed by a family-themed celebration at the Post home. Events were also held in Polo and Mt. Morris.

A Vietnam veteran warns about taking freedom for granted and that those who died in military service "deserve to be remembered forever" at the Crest Hill Memorial Day program.

Veterans were honored during the annual Kankakee County Veterans’ Council annual Memorial Day Ceremony at the Kankakee County Courthouse on Monday, May 26, 2025.

For many Monday, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, a day off work and a chance to haul out the grill. But it’s not a day of celebration, reminded area veterans and dignitaries at DeKalb’s annual Memorial Day ceremony.

The village of Romeoville will be hosting the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall for one week in August.

Veterans of World War II and the Vietnam War spoke in support of Jewish service members at a Joliet synagogue and encouraged people to consider the real meaning behind Memorial Day.

DeKalb County-area veterans groups, cities and organizers will host Memorial Day events throughout the county for the public to come together to honor all who’ve died in service to the country. Memorial Day is May 26.

Mark Hutson of Woodstock is on a mission to document every military service member from McHenry County who has died in service, going back to World War I.

Casey’s General Store in Cortland is spreading some good will to a veterans charity and DeKalb food pantry after a winning $349 million lottery ticket was purchased at the store.

All donations received during the distribution of red poppies is returned to the veterans through the organizations’ service programs.

The Field of the Fallen has been set up in Cary, where it will remain this Memorial Day weekend to honor service members killed in action.

With a number of ceremonies, parades and speakers planned throughout the Sauk Valley on Memorial Day, here is a list of what local communities will be doing to remember the fallen.

Thousands of motorcyclists will ride in Rolling Thunder Demonstration Parades throughout the country this Memorial Day weekend.

Dylan Blackburn of Dixon owns DK9services, a company specializing in obedience training and behavior modification for dogs. For the past several years, he has volunteered his expertise to the Pups for Veterans program.

Polo High School juniors researched veterans' stories and then shared those stories with their classmates as part of “The Grateful Nation Project” – a nationwide effort honoring those who gave their lives while serving.

Ottawa is showing support for veterans through the annual Poppy Days campaign, which will raise funds for local veterans services and the Honor Flight program. Mayor Robb Hasty officially recognized the effort with a proclamation during Tuesday's council meeting.