WEBVTT

00:03.380 --> 00:05.700
- [Interviewer] Hi, can
I have you start by say

00:05.700 --> 00:08.070
and spell your name and
give me your title please?

00:08.070 --> 00:09.170
- Johnny O'Brien.

00:09.170 --> 00:12.680
J-O-H-N-N-Y O-B-R-I-E-N.

00:12.680 --> 00:15.230
I'm the Command Sergeant Major
for Illinois National Guard's

00:15.230 --> 00:16.960
Recruiting and Retention Battalion.

00:16.960 --> 00:18.940
- [Interviewer] Okay, so right now

00:18.940 --> 00:22.100
with the social distancing
and the restrictions

00:22.100 --> 00:23.930
and some high schools
or all the high schools

00:23.930 --> 00:28.780
in Illinois being closed at this point,

00:28.780 --> 00:30.810
I'm sure that has created some challenges

00:30.810 --> 00:34.190
and makes it difficult for
recruiters to do their job.

00:34.190 --> 00:35.450
What are those challenges?

00:35.450 --> 00:36.900
And how are you managing them?

00:36.900 --> 00:39.202
- Our biggest challenge is
we're not able to get out

00:39.202 --> 00:41.890
and offer the opportunity
to as many people

00:41.890 --> 00:44.763
just based on you know,
the schools being closed.

00:46.380 --> 00:49.720
The covid-19 has a lot of
people with their health

00:49.720 --> 00:52.650
and physical safety you
know, on their mind.

00:52.650 --> 00:54.550
So that way we're
practicing everything we can

00:54.550 --> 00:56.270
with the social distancing.

00:56.270 --> 00:59.210
You know, our appointments
are kinda limited,

00:59.210 --> 01:00.170
you know, at this point.

01:00.170 --> 01:01.890
So we're conducting a
lot of our appointments

01:01.890 --> 01:03.610
through FaceTime or the technology

01:03.610 --> 01:05.930
that we have right now to do that.

01:05.930 --> 01:07.667
It's just making it a
little more challenging

01:07.667 --> 01:09.260
to reach more people.

01:09.260 --> 01:11.610
I mean we're out there,
we're trying to get it done.

01:11.610 --> 01:13.090
You know, the best we can though.

01:13.090 --> 01:14.500
- [Interviewer] So our
opportunity to be out there

01:14.500 --> 01:16.880
is limited but if somebody is interested

01:16.880 --> 01:17.713
and wants to know more,

01:17.713 --> 01:20.780
how can they get in
contact with a recruiter

01:20.780 --> 01:23.750
and maintain those safe
physical distances?

01:23.750 --> 01:27.340
- Well, the easiest way is
either through nationalguard.com

01:27.340 --> 01:29.520
or through any of the
social media platforms.

01:29.520 --> 01:31.480
We have the Illinois National Guard,

01:31.480 --> 01:33.760
as well as the Illinois
National Guard Recruiting

01:33.760 --> 01:35.320
and Retention battalion on Facebook.

01:35.320 --> 01:37.810
So any of those, we can get linked up

01:37.810 --> 01:39.833
with the local National Guard recruiter.

01:42.620 --> 01:44.480
- [Interviewer] Once
there's been a conversation

01:44.480 --> 01:45.980
and somebody decides they're interested,

01:45.980 --> 01:48.030
there's obviously has to be
a face to face at some point.

01:48.030 --> 01:50.460
There's the the MEPS process

01:50.460 --> 01:52.020
and shipping to basic training.

01:52.020 --> 01:54.600
How is that being affected
or How will that go forward?

01:54.600 --> 01:56.930
- Well, once we get to that point,

01:56.930 --> 01:59.010
you know, after you know
whether it'd be through

01:59.010 --> 02:02.710
a FaceTime or whatever,
we do have to meet up

02:02.710 --> 02:04.610
so we can get the appropriate signatures

02:04.610 --> 02:07.630
to prepare somebody to
continue the process.

02:07.630 --> 02:09.000
When they continue the process,

02:09.000 --> 02:12.070
they have to go to the Military
Entrance Processing Station

02:12.070 --> 02:15.100
and each of the MEPS that we use,

02:15.100 --> 02:18.670
we use three MEPS, Chicago,
St. Louis and Des Moines.

02:18.670 --> 02:22.360
Every MEPS has the procedures in place,

02:22.360 --> 02:25.080
you know, the proper screening
by medical professionals

02:25.080 --> 02:27.690
before they can even be
allowed into the building.

02:27.690 --> 02:30.420
You know, they do have limitations,
no visitors are allowed.

02:30.420 --> 02:32.890
So unfortunately right now,
if somebody would join,

02:32.890 --> 02:35.445
you know, their parents would not be able

02:35.445 --> 02:37.840
to go watch them you know, swear in.

02:37.840 --> 02:40.970
But to enlist, I mean, they're
screening everybody properly

02:40.970 --> 02:43.570
and then for those shipping
out to basic training,

02:43.570 --> 02:45.130
it's the same process.

02:45.130 --> 02:46.790
They have to go back up through MEPS,

02:46.790 --> 02:48.570
get screened by the medical professionals

02:48.570 --> 02:51.720
before they are cleared to
ship off to the training site

02:51.720 --> 02:53.130
and at the training sites,

02:53.130 --> 02:55.060
they're doing the same screening process.

02:55.060 --> 02:58.090
- [Interviewer] Okay,
let's talk a little bit

02:58.090 --> 03:00.740
about the Illinois National Guard mission.

03:00.740 --> 03:03.540
Now, in the last couple of days,

03:03.540 --> 03:05.260
the governor has activated
a group of airmen

03:05.260 --> 03:07.780
and a group of soldiers from
the Illinois National Guard

03:07.780 --> 03:10.280
to perform State Active
Duty in various functions.

03:10.280 --> 03:12.160
Talk a little bit about State Active Duty

03:12.160 --> 03:13.850
as it relates to being a soldier

03:13.850 --> 03:15.300
in the Illinois Army National Guard.

03:15.300 --> 03:17.840
- The State Active Duty
is a great chance for us

03:17.840 --> 03:19.850
to showcase what we're really here for.

03:19.850 --> 03:21.090
You know having to do a mission,

03:21.090 --> 03:23.110
the Federal mission and the state mission.

03:23.110 --> 03:25.730
It's not that often that we get to go out

03:25.730 --> 03:27.640
and show the local communities you know,

03:27.640 --> 03:29.460
what we're really here for.

03:29.460 --> 03:32.440
So it's great to be able
to have our soldiers

03:32.440 --> 03:36.110
and airmen help their
neighbors, help their community,

03:36.110 --> 03:37.970
you know people take pride in it.

03:37.970 --> 03:40.410
But also in times like
this, a lot of the community

03:40.410 --> 03:42.040
wants to step forward and do the same.

03:42.040 --> 03:45.610
So they wanna help their
neighbors, help the community

03:45.610 --> 03:48.200
and kinda help the greater
good at times like this.

03:48.200 --> 03:49.033
- [Interviewer] Great.

03:49.033 --> 03:52.100
So what are some military jobs available

03:52.100 --> 03:54.850
to anyone who may be
interested in joining the guard

03:54.850 --> 03:57.330
or who may wanna know more
about the military top jobs?

03:57.330 --> 03:59.010
- We've got jobs throughout
the state you know,

03:59.010 --> 04:01.330
some of our top jobs that
we're looking at now,

04:01.330 --> 04:03.240
we have you know, your infantry soldiers,

04:03.240 --> 04:05.390
your field artillery, we've got you know,

04:05.390 --> 04:07.610
communications jobs, medical jobs,

04:07.610 --> 04:09.240
we've got cybersecurity jobs.

04:09.240 --> 04:11.850
So you name it and we have it somewhere

04:11.850 --> 04:13.250
throughout the state of Illinois.

04:13.250 --> 04:14.690
- [Interviewer] Okay, and
what are some of the benefits

04:14.690 --> 04:15.900
of being in the guard?

04:15.900 --> 04:18.670
- The benefits are outstanding
at this point you know,

04:18.670 --> 04:20.790
some some of the jobs we
offer like some of the ones

04:20.790 --> 04:22.780
that I mentioned offer up to $20,000

04:22.780 --> 04:25.290
for an enlistment bonus.

04:25.290 --> 04:27.560
But simply by serving
in the National Guard,

04:27.560 --> 04:29.090
you know in Illinois we get

04:29.090 --> 04:30.940
the National Guard grant
which pays you know,

04:30.940 --> 04:32.120
for their college tuition.

04:32.120 --> 04:34.500
So you know, members of the National Guard

04:34.500 --> 04:35.930
can go to college tuition free,

04:35.930 --> 04:38.690
as well as making you know,
the Montgomery GI bill.

04:38.690 --> 04:41.560
So a lot of people use
the education benefits

04:41.560 --> 04:42.393
but not everybody.

04:42.393 --> 04:44.550
Some people like to get
job skills out of it.

04:44.550 --> 04:47.233
It is just the the pride
in service to country.

04:47.233 --> 04:49.360
So no matter what you're looking for,

04:49.360 --> 04:51.380
we can satisfy you know, any need.

04:51.380 --> 04:52.800
- [Interviewer] Okay, and
for someone who's looking,

04:52.800 --> 04:54.240
where can we find you again?

04:54.240 --> 04:57.080
- nationalguard.com or find
the Illinois National Guard

04:57.080 --> 04:58.530
or Illinois National Guard Recruiting

04:58.530 --> 05:00.747
and Retention on our Facebook.

05:03.349 --> 05:07.016
(helicopter engine roaring)