Wonder Women & Hometown Heroes ️

Please meet Victoria Hargrave. She serves as a Family Nurse Practitioner at Jersey Community Hospital in the Illini Clinic when she is not serving in the Army reserves as a 66P, which is her MOS (Military Occupation Specialty) and the same role in which she works in her civilian profession. Victoria serves with the 811-1 Urban Augmented Medical Task Force (UAMTF), a unit recently established during this COVID 19 crisis. Members of her unit and she were given little time to report, roughly 48 hours for most. They traveled to the east coast. 

Currently, her unit is housed in Stamford, Connecticut which is close to New York City and the Bronx. They are staffing two units at Stamford Hospital with military personnel caring for all COVID 19 positive patients. A few days ago, leadership identified Victoria's unit as a joint task force, comprised of not only Army reservists but also active duty Navy providers and Air Force Reservists. The task force is new to the Army Reserves, so they are indeed making history!  You can learn more about Victoria's unit and their mission HERE. 

Having a family makes one's time as a service member extremely difficult. Victoria has an eight-year-old daughter, Aubrey, who is in the second grade. Her husband, Dr. Brad Hargrave serves as a dentist in his hometown of Jerseyville, Illinois.  While Victoria feels blessed to serve her country, leaving her daughter and husband behind is challenging, as one can only imagine. Her husband is also an essential provider, which creates a great burden on the family, as their daughter had to leave home to stay with family due to the high risk jobs held by both parents. 

The sacrifice made by our military active duty members and health care providers is great indeed. Please keep these hometown heroes in your thoughts and prayers. Their service on behalf of OUR country and communities is commendable in every way!  We look forward to Victoria's safe return home and having this incredible family together again! May God Bless! 

Please meet another hero, one of our own from Shipman, Illinois: Taylor Dunham, Tate as many of her family and friends refer to her.  If you would have asked family and friends a few years ago what Taylor would be doing today, not many would guess she would be leaving the rural area at which she lives and serving her country in the big city of New York!

Tate is a member of the 932nd MDS Airlift Wing out of Scott AFB. Her role when on active duty in the Air Force is as a medical technician, trained to practice at the level of an LPN. When not active in our military, you will find her serving patients as a CNA at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon.

Tate’s unit mobilized to New York recently to assist the medical staff during this pandemic and, unfortunately, do not have a return date planned. She shared a few words about her deployment and anyone who knows her would not be surprised by the kind statement that reflects the Taylor we know and love, “I am very happy to be here and do my part to help keep everyone safe and healthy.” You can learn more about Taylor's unit and deployment HERE. 

Please keep Tate, Robbie, and her family in your thoughts and prayers. We are so grateful for Tate’s service on behalf of her country and look forward to her safe return home!  May God Bless!