United States Veteran Reserve Corps
1st Illinois Battalion
LEADERSHIP
Commanding Officer
Midwest Brigade
CPT Dean Argiris
OIC - 1st Illinois
CPT Argiris started as an Army cadet in Western Illinois University (Leatherneck Battalion) before moving over to Loyola University Chicago "Rambler Battalion" where he continued his Military Science studies.
He joined the Veteran Reserve Corps as 1st Indiana's Public Affairs Officer.
CPT Argiris holds a degree in Political Science / Constitutional Law, has worked for a U.S. President, and currently works for the Governor as a political employee with a state regulatory agency. He was also a news content developer for the Orthodox Christian Network, a faith-based, international medial outlet and his work on domestic and geo-politics has been featured in multiple international news media.
CPT Argiris comes from a longline of veterans. His great-grandfather was in the Wisconsin 4th Engineers in World War I, His grandfather was among the first Navy Seabees created after Pearl Harbor, while his great-uncles served on a carrier at the Battle of Midway and as an Infantry Officer in the U.S. 3rd Army, respectively.
Both his parents went through the Army ROTC program in the early 1970's.
MSG Melvin Pennington, Jr
NCOIC - 1st Illinois
MSG Melvin Pennington, Jr. joins 1BN-IL from the Indiana units of the Veteran Reserve Corps.
His military career began in the United States Navy , where he attended the Basic Enlisted Submarine School (NAVUBASE NLON) and eventually Command Career Counseling School, where he was tasked with helping sailors in their professional development.
In the early 2000's, he enlisted in the United States Army and served overseas in America's War on Terror, earning the GWOT and Iraq Campaign medal.
Before joining the VRC, 1SG Pennington served in the Indiana Guard Reserve. In his professional career, MSG Pennington works as a Production Supervisor at GELITA USA, Inc.