The 53-year-old Kearns, who grew up in Boulder Hill in Kendall County and is a 1989 Oswego High School graduate, is a lieutenant at the Oswego Fire Protection District, which serves the communities of Oswego, Montgomery, Yorkville and Plainfield.

Downers Grove North teacher and coach Larry Baca says military service prepared him for life's challenges.

For the last 10½ years, Jake Zimmerman has been responsible for the welfare of 18,644 veterans, in addition to surviving spouses and dependents.

Piety Hill native Susan “Suz” (Gaull) Whitman changed the course of Navy history. She retired from the U.S. Navy in 2018 as Fleet Master Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. She was the highest-ranking, non-commissioned female officer in the Navy.

The lower an American Legion post’s number is, the older it is. With 680 active posts in Illinois, Patrick Fegan American Legion Post No. 83 is one of the oldest.

Minor Mobley is an auto mechanic and successful owner of Excel Auto, located at 1207 Foundry St., in St. Charles. He concurrently runs his foundation, Big Hearts of Fox Valley, to help children within St. Charles Community Unit School District 303.

Denise Carson joined the Women's Army Corps in 1974.

Joe Olvera of Shorewood volunteers for several veterans organizations, including the "We Honor Veterans" program for Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care in Joliet.

The Joliet Police Department Battle Buddy program connects officers to veterans before a crisis occurs and works with them “after a negative event in their lives to reduce recidivism."