Military

Camp Lincoln

The Illinois National Guard State Headquarters is located at Camp Lincoln in Springfield. The as Illinois Adjutant General is in charge of the Department of Military Affairs. In October 1993, Headquarters Illinois Air National Guard moved its personnel from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago to Camp Lincoln in Springfield. The move enables the leadership of the Air National Guard to more effectively coordinate its efforts with the Adjutant General's staff and the Army National Guard leadership.

The 129th Regiment Regional Training Institute (RTI) is headquartered at Camp Lincoln, with a mission is to train current and future leaders in those skills and traits necessary to lead, train, coach, and mentor soldiers to United States Army standards. The 129th Regiment's academic structure is based upon Battle-Focused instruction in a small group format. The Regional Training Institute's staff provides instruction in both the classroom and field environment. Certain subjects, such as, personnel and supply management, are more classroom oriented; while other subjects, such as tactics and land navigation, are more hands-on practical application and take place in the field.

Camp Lincoln is named after Abraham Lincoln. In 1898, year of the Spanish-American War, the National Guard was sent to Cuba. Camp Lincoln was too small for wartime maneuvers, so the state fairgrounds, dignified by the name of Camp Tanner, became the mobilization point."

The Illinois State Military Museum at Camp Lincoln is located in temporary quarters - a World War II vintage barracks building. General Santa Anna's wooden leg is part of the Illinois State Military Museum's collection. The leg is physically located on the second floor of The Adjudant General's (TAG) building on Camp Lincoln, Springfield, Illinois.

The Illinois National Guard conducts its annual Youth Camp at Camp Lincoln for children of Illinois National Guard members and Department of Defense employees. The Youth Camp, sponsored by the Family Readiness Program of the Illinois National Guard, provides a variety of activities, which teach children life skills and provides a fun and safe environment during the summer.

An agreement signed today between the Department of Military Affairs and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency will insure that 14 historic military buildings across the state will be preserved. The 14 buildings that will be managed as historical properties for as long as the Department of Military Affairs owns them include the Camp Lincoln Commissary in Springfield, built in 1903. These facilities will retain their original look and configuration under the agreement. Restoration work, when necessary, will include historic window repair, tuckpointing, stone and masonry repair, roof work, retention of historic open drill hall spaces, and painting interior ceremonial rooms with historic color schemes.