B-roll package of a welcome home ceremony April 12, 2025, in Peoria, Illinois, for Illinois National Guard soldiers, including an interview with the family of U.S. Army Sgt. Luke Purcell, a combat engineer with Company B, 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion, Illinois Army National Guard. The 1-178th Infantry Regiment and Company B, 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion deployed in June 2024 for Operation Spartan Shield to strengthen defense relationships and build partner capacity in Southwest Asia. (U.S. National Guard video by Staff Sgt. Katherine Jacobus and Barb Wilson)
As part of the National Guard Bureau’s Innovative Readiness Training (NGB IRT) program, Chief Master Sgt. Shawn Moore, Senior Enlisted Leader for the 182nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Illinois Air National Guard, and other service members in his team are engaged in rebuilding homes for members of the Navajo Indian Nation, including World War II veterans, in partnership with the Southwest Indian Foundation (SWIF).
