1st Illinois Battalion is a Civil Support Battalion of the U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps. Initially, soldiers from Illinois were assigned to 1st Indiana, which drilled out of ARNG Armory in Lafayette, Indiana.  

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Civil Support operations range from domestic emergencies and disasters to sporting events.  

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Like the National Guard and Army reserves, our Battalion drills once a month. Drills consist of continued FEMA education, Physical Training, SGAUS emergency response training, first-aid, search and rescue training, and much more.

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To serve in the U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps, a candidate must be:

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• 18 years old or older.

• Pass a criminal background check.

• Must be able to carry out the physical duties of any emergency response or natural disaster operation, and

• May not be part of antigovernmental militia group, or harbor any antigovernmental sentiment.

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Prior service applicants must have a Honorable Discharge on their DD-214 / NGB-22, or a favorable Re-entry code if they were discharged under conditions Other Than Honorable.

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IET is waived for prior service applicants and they receive an automatic promotion upon entry into the VRC. 

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Initial Entry Training follows TRADOC 600-4 and recruits must successfully earn their BASIC MEMS before being able to graduate.

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To join the U.S. VRC, you can fill out an online application.