Bond County Sheriff Returns to Illinois National Guard After 25 Years

Story by Sgt. Michael Camacho, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs

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Bond County Sheriff Jeff Brown of Greenville is sworn into the Illinois Army National Guard by Lt. Col. Rodney Thacker, a Sorento native Jan. 30 at Camp Lincoln in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD, IL (01/31/2013)(readMedia)-- Bond County Sheriff Jeff Brown of Greenville enlisted as a sergeant first class assigned to the Illinois Army National Guard's Provost Marshal's Office Jan. 30 at Camp Lincoln in Springfield.

Brown has a nearly 19 years of previous military service. He originally enlisted in the Illinois National Guard in August 1982 until 1988. In 1982 he was sworn in alongside fellow Greenville High School graduate Rodney Thacker, a Sorrento native now lieutenant colonel and the deputy director of plans and operations with the Illinois National Guard. Eleven years after leaving the Guard, Brown joined the Air Force Reserves as a agent with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations in 1999.

As a special agent, Brown's main duty was to provide protective service for military leaders and visiting dignitaries traveling across the U.S. and to roughly nine countries in Europe and the Middle East.

"We traveled around the world and made sure our protectee was safe," said Brown.

Brown would go on to teach protective service operations to new agents in the Air Force.

When Brown wasn't traveling the world or training new agents, he was back home in Greensville protecting members of his community as a Greenville police officer. In 1994 Brown was elected sheriff of Bond County, a position he still holds.

Throughout their careers Brown and Thacker's paths have crossed. As Brown enlists into the Illinois National Guard, Thacker said he is excited about his return.

Brown can provide the Illinois National Guard a lot of experience in his civilian and military law enforcement.

"As citizen Soldiers ... our civilian skill sets rollover into the Army side," said Thacker. "Jeff is taking his civilian skill sets which have been honed for Homeland Security by the Air Force Reserves."

Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Chepulis of Chatham the deputy director of the Provost Marshall's Office, said he looks forward to Brown becoming a member of the Provost Marshal's Office.

"Sgt. 1st Class Brown will bring a wide array of law enforcement knowledge with him," said Chepulis. "He has extensive background in personal security details and that will be a major advantage for the Provost Marshal's Office."

As a traditional Soldier assigned to the Provost Marshal's Office, Brown will be responsible for training traditional and full-time Soldiers.

"His main focus will be training specific non-lethal weapons tactics to our National Guard Reaction Force, supervising security details, and providing expertise on all matters pertaining to law enforcement," said Chepulis.

Brown said he looks forward to serving in the Provost Marshal's office and the Illinois National Guard.

"I'm excited to get back into the Illinois National Guard," said Brown. "It's like my old home."

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Camacho, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs/ Bond County Sheriff Jeff Brown of Greenville is sworn into the Illinois Army National Guard by Lt. Col. Rodney Thacker, a Sorento native Jan. 30 at Camp Lincoln in Springfield.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Camacho, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs/ Bond County Sheriff Jeff Brown of Greenville is sworn into the Illinois Army National Guard by Lt. Col. Rodney Thacker, a Sorrento native Jan. 30 at Camp Lincoln in Springfield.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Camacho, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs/ Bond County Sheriff Jeff Brown of Greenville enlisted as sergeant first class assigned to the Illinois Army National Guard's Provost Marshal's Office Jan. 30 at Camp Lincoln in Springfield. Brown has a nearly 19 years of military service most recently in the Air Force Reserves.