The Illinois Air National Guard is headquartered at Camp Lincoln, Springfield, led by its Commander, Major General Daniel (Dan) McDonough; Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Kevin Jacobs; and Command Chief Master Sergeant Marlon Burton.

Illinois ANG units are trained and equipped by the Air Force and are operationally gained by a Major Command of the USAF if federalized.

State missions include disaster relief in times of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and forest fires, search and rescue, protection of vital public services, and support to civil defense.

The unit distinguished itself in World War II, performing anti-submarine patrols in North American O-47 aircraft from a base near the Panama Canal.

The 304th FS was assigned to the 337th Fighter Group (FG) at the Pinellas County Airport, Florida, and served as an operational training unit equipped with the P-39 Airacobra and the P-40 Warhawk.

On 24 May 1946, the United States Army Air Forces, in response to dramatic postwar military budget cuts imposed by President Harry S. Truman, allocated inactive unit designations to the National Guard Bureau for the formation of an Air Force National Guard.

The original base consisted of a shale runway and a single hangar for eight F-51D Mustang fighters, four AT-6 trainers, and a B-26 tow target plane.

On 1 April 1951 the 126th Bombardment Wing (Light), with units at O'Hare and Midway Airports, was ordered to federal duty for 21 months as part of the National Guard mobilizations for the Korean War.

The Wing participated in NATO exercises in several countries to include France, the United Kingdom, West Germany and Italy.

Members of the 182d TASG provided relief assistance during state active duty for the Canton tornado disaster in July 1975.

President George H. W. Bush called for limited reserve forces on 22 August, but did not activate Illinois National Guard units until September and November.

The 126th flew 546 missions and delivered more than 27.3 million pounds of fuel to more than 2,880 U.S. and Allied aircraft in support of the Desert Shield Tanker Task Force.

By the time the crisis was under control in the early fall, over 700 personnel from the 126th Air Refueling Wing and assigned units had pulled duty in the flood ravaged towns.

During a September 2002 deployment to Oman, 182nd AW aircraft flew combat supply missions into Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom.

On 29 March 2003, SSgt Jacob Frazier of the 169th Air Support Operations Squadron was killed in action while serving with United States Army Special Forces in Afghanistan.

In March 2003, immediately following mobilization, six Illinois ANG C-130 aircraft and over 350 personnel were deployed to Minhad, United Arab Emirates, for Operation Iraqi Freedom.