April 15, 2025
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Streator 1st Sgt. Aaron Paus retires from the Illinois Army National Guard

Paus served 23 years, 4 deployments

By Maribeth M. Wilson
First Sergeant Aaron Paus, the first sergeant of Logistics Advisory Team 6612, talks with Brig. Gen. Michael Eastridge, the Deputy Assistant Adjutant General of the Illinois Army National Guard, following the unit’s welcome home ceremony on April 6 in Marseilles. The 6th Battalion, 54th Security Assistance Advisory Brigade’s LAT 6612 returned from a deployment to the Philippines. The welcome home ceremony was the last day of military duty for Paus, who retired after 23 years of service. Paus has deployed to Iraq twice, to Jordan, and to the Philippines in his 23 years of service. As a civilian, he works for Union Pacific Railroad as a foreman of a tie gang.

First Sergeant Aaron Paus, the first sergeant of Logistics Advisory Team 6612, talks with Brig. Gen. Michael Eastridge, the deputy assistant ddjutant general of the Illinois Army National Guard, following the unit’s welcome home ceremony on April 6 in Marseilles. The 6th Battalion, 54th Security Assistance Advisory Brigade’s LAT 6612 returned from a deployment to the Philippines. (Photo provided by Barb Wilson)

Streator native 1st Sgt. Aaron Paus retired from the Illinois Army National Guard after 23 years and four deployments.

Paus’ last day in uniform was April 6, the day that the National Guard held LAT 6612’s welcome home ceremony after a deployment to the Philippines, which began in February 2024. According to the news release, they worked with the Philippine military to increase interoperability and support security cooperation objectives in the region.

A citizen-soldier throughout his career, as a civilian Paus is a foreman for a Union Pacific Railroad tie gang responsible for maintaining and replacing railroad ties.

Paus retired as the top enlisted Soldier in the Rock Island Arsenal-based Logistics Advisory Team 6612 of the 6th Battalion, 54th Security Forces Assistance Brigade – an elite unit which advises and trains the militaries of U.S. allies, according to a news release.

“First Sergeant Paus has left a legacy both with the Soldiers of the Illinois Army National Guard and with our allies,” Assistant Adjutant General Army for the Illinois National Guard and Commander of the Illinois Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Lenny Williams said in a news release. “He has had a positive impact on our organization through more than two decades of service to our state and nation.”

Paus was first deployed in 2006 to 2007 to Iraq with the 1744th Transportation Co., then based in Marseilles but now based in Crestwood. He returned to Iraq in 2011 with the 1244th Transportation Co. based in North Riverside. The unit helped move U.S. and allied equipment out of Iraq and was among the last U.S. units to leave Iraq during the drawdown. He deployed from 2017 to 2018 to Jordan with the Springfield-based 3637th Maintenance Co., where the unit repaired and maintained U.S. and allied equipment.

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