Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike (center) meets on March 26 with Illinois National Guard unit at the drive-through COVID-19 testing facility in Harwood Heights. (Photo courtesy of IDPH)

SPRINGFIELD —Gov. J.B. Pritzker has activated about 115 additional Illinois National Guard soldiers and airmen in support of COVID-19 response operations.

About 80 of these additional Illinois National Guard members will help with communications and reporting between county health departments throughout the state and the State Emergency Operations Center. Another 30 Illinois National Guard Airmen will assist in the establishment of a medical facility at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago.

“The Illinois National Guard continues to play a vital role in the whole-of-government effort to control the spread of this deadly virus. We provide the state unique capabilities attained from both our military training and our civilian occupations,” said Brig. Gen. Richard Neely, the adjutant general of the Illinois National Guard. “I’m so proud of these Soldiers and Airmen drawn from across the state to help their fellow citizens.”

Approximately 25 Soldiers from the 244th Digital Liaison Detachment, based in Chicago will assist county Emergency Management Operations Centers (EMOCs) in Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage and Will counties, gathering information and reporting that data to the Medical Operations Center in the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Springfield.

About 15 soldiers from the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, headquartered in Normal will assist county EMOCs in Christian, Madison, St. Clair, Cumberland, Clinton, Washington and Jackson counties, gathering information and reporting that data to the Medical Operations Center in the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Springfield.

About 30 Soldiers from the 108th Sustainment Brigade, based in Chicago, will assist county EMOCs in Jo Davies, Stephenson, Winnebago, DeKalb, Kendall, LaSalle, Rock Island, Whiteside, Kankakee, Livingston, Peoria, Woodford, McLean, Champaign, Sangamon and Adams counties,  gathering information and reporting that data to the Medical Operations Center in the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Springfield.

About a dozen airmen from the 183rd Wing based in Springfield, the 126th Air Refueling Wing based at Scott Air Force Base, and the 182nd Airlift Wing based in Peoria, will manage the medical operations center and information collection in Springfield for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Illinois Department of Public Health.

About 30 Illinois Air National Guard members will provide labor in constructing a field hospital at McCormick Place convention center in Chicago. About 10 airmen each have been activated from the 126th Air Refueling Wing, 183rd Wing, and the 182nd Airlift Wing. They were expected to arrive at McCormick Place on Monday, March 30.

This brings the total number of Illinois National Guard service members directly supporting the COVID-19 response to about 380, with about 360 on state active duty.