Media Advisory: IL National Guard offers media chance to ride in UH-60 Blackhawk during Bears game

SPRINGFIELD, IL (10/30/2017) (readMedia)-- WHO:

• Illinois Army National Guard's 106th Aviation Regiment based in Kankakee, Illinois

• Illinois Army National Guard's Company B, 935th Aviation Support Battalion in Kankakee, Illinois

WHAT:

• Media invited to tour the new $64.6 million readiness center and flight facility in Kankakee, Illinois.

• Media will then see a flyover from a "bird's eye view."

• Media will board a UH-60 Blackhawk in Kankakee, Illinois and will be part of a four-ship flyover to start a Chicago Bears/Green Bay Packers football game at Soldier Field in Chicago.

WHEN/WHERE:

• Nov. 12, 2017

• Pick-up/drop-off location will be the Kankakee Army Aviation Support Facility and Readiness Center, 3200 S. Justice Way in Kankakee. Pick-up will be at approximately 10:30 a.m.

• Media is welcome to arrive no later than 9:30 a.m. for a tour of the flight facility.

• Flyover will occur prior to the Bears vs. Packers football game at 12 p.m. with UH-60 Blackhawk's from Company B, 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment.

• Flight time will be approximately 90 minutes.

WHY

• The football game is part of the Chicago Bear's Salute to Service campaign encouraging military appreciation.

• In September 2017, the Illinois Army National Guard moved its aviation assets from Chicago's Midway Army Aviation Support Facility to a newly constructed facility in Kankakee, Illinois.

• The Midway facility was home to an Illinois Army National Guard aviation unit since 2002.

• The $64.6 million project is one of the largest National Guard projects.

• The new two-story building in Kankakee includes helicopter maintenance hangar, storage hangar, classrooms and fuel distribution and fire suppression systems.

• The readiness center and flight facility will be home to approximately 130 Soldiers with Company B, 935th Aviation Support Battalion and approximately 40 Soldiers with Company B, 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment.

• There are also about 40 full-time employees who work out of the facility and ten UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters stationed at the airport.

• The Illinois Army National Guard signed a 50-year lease with the city of Kankakee and Greater Kankakee Airport in 2013 to lease the 30 acres of property. The military installation consists of a 73,050-square-foot Readiness Center and 112,150 square-foot Army Aviation Support Facility.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Media personnel who wish to attend must RSVP to the Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office at ng.il.ilarng.list.staff-pao@mail.mil or 217-761-3569 with full name, media outlet, email, phone number, date of birth no later than Nov. 1, 2017.

• You do NOT have to fly to attend the event.

• Contact the Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office for more information.

Become our Facebook Fan!

www.facebook.com/illinoisnationalguard

-30-