Congressman to speak in Pinckneyville on Veterans Day

The Pinckneyville American Legion is pleased to have Congressman Bill Enyart as the main speaker at the Veterans Day ceremony to be held on Monday, November 11th, at the Perry County Courthouse starting at 11:00 a.m.

In 1969, Congressman Enyart enlisted in the Air Force. He returned from active duty and worked his way through collage and law school at SIU.

Following his active duty commitment, he served in the Air Force Reserve and then the Army National Guard and he rose to the rank of Major General.

He was then appointed as Commander of the Illinois National Guard. As commander, he oversaw the largest Illinois National Guard deployment of troops overseas since World War II. He also led a number of mobilizations of hundreds of troops during the various flood and storm disasters which took place in Illinois. In 2000, Congressman Enyart earned his Master of Science degree in strategic studies from the Army War College, Carlyle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

Last year, Congressman Enyart retired as Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard to run for the position he now holds. Being an individual with a strong military background, one of his more important assignments as a congressman is as a member of the House Armed Services Committee. He is a strong supporter of Veteran's programs and is deeply committed to protecting Scott Air Force Base, the largest employer in the district.

Congressman Enyart and his wife, Annette, who is a retired judge, live in Belleville where they raised two sons. Dr. Jay Enyart, a Belleville chiropractor, and Alex Enyart, a third-year law student at SIU-Carbondale.