LT. COL. JOHN DWYER RETIRES FROM ILLINOIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD AFTER 30 YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED MILITARY SERVICE

After three decades of dedicated service to his community, state, and nation, Lt. Col. John Dwyer will officially retire from the Illinois Air National Guard on June 1, 2026. His 30-year military career reflects a profound commitment to duty, spanning across active duty in the United States Air Force, the Air Force Reserves, and the Air National Guard. “John is a great example of how service in the Illinois Air National Guard can enhance and complement your civilian career and vice versa,” said Brig. Gen. Steve Rice, the Assistant Adjutant General – Air of the Illinois National Guard. “We are grateful for his decades of dedicated military service and for his continuing service to Champaign County.” Beyond his military uniform, Lt. Col. Dwyer has been a steadfast public servant in civilian life. For the past 13 years, he has served as the Coordinator for the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency under the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office. In this capacity, he maintains the county's emergency operations plan and coordinates disaster responses alongside local agencies, public safety departments, hospitals, the University of Illinois, and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. Lt. Col. Dwyer’s final military assignment was at Camp Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, where he served for 15 years as the Domestic Operations and Homeland Security Officer for the Air Staff, Headquarters Illinois Air National Guard. In this critical role, he coordinated state Air Guard members’ responses to major domestic events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest in Chicago, election support, and severe weather emergencies. He was also instrumental in promoting mission-ready air packages and championed professional development by launching the Illinois Air National Guard's first Company Grade Officer's Workshop. Originally from Woodville, Virginia, Dwyer graduated from Rappahannock County High School in 1992. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in biology with a chemistry minor from the Virginia Military Institute in 1996, commissioning into the Air Force that same month. Later in his career, he furthered his education by earning a Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois-Springfield in 2013. His early active-duty assignments included a tour at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, where he served in leadership roles within the 49th Services Squadron. During this time, he deployed to Kuwait for over 120 days as a Protocol Officer for top military and civilian leaders. He later served as Commander of the Combat Support Flight at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, overseeing a $1 million budget and a team of over 110 personnel. In 2003, Dwyer transitioned to the Air Force Reserves at Grissom Air Base, Indiana. During his eight-year tenure there, he made history as the first Air Force member to deploy to the Joint Personnel Effects Depot at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. In this solemn role, he managed the operations section responsible for inventorying and returning the personal effects of fallen and wounded service members, defense civilians, and embedded media from operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dwyer is deeply embedded in his community of St. Joseph, Illinois, where he has resided for 23 years. He serves as the Commander of the St. Joseph American Legion Post 634 and is an active member of the Post Honor Guard, providing funeral honors for fellow veterans. Lt. Col. Dwyer met his spouse, Carmine, in 1998 while both were serving on active duty at Holloman Air Force Base. Together they have two sons: Jacob, born in 2003 at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, and Caleb, born in Urbana in 2008. As he transitions into retirement, the Illinois Air National Guard and the surrounding community extend their deepest gratitude to Lt. Col. Dwyer for his 30 years of unwavering leadership and service. Notice:This press release was developed with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (Gemini Enterprise) for drafting and formatting purposes. The content was reviewed and verified for accuracy and appropriateness by relevant Department of War personnel prior to release in accordance with DoDI 5400.19.