Unique event provides Avon Township leader insight into daughter’s military life

GRAYSLAKE – As proud as Michele Bauman is of her 19-year-old military daughter, she misses her daily.

Madeline Bauman left her hometown of Grayslake on May 20 for basic training at U.S. Army base Fort Sill in Oklahoma. She’s had limited contact with her mother since. It’s the not knowing that’s often difficult.

But for one day this past June, Michele Bauman felt a bit more connected to her daughter.

“I had a tiny glimpse of what her days are like,” she said. “It was so impactful for me.”

Michele, the Avon Township supervisor, was chosen as one of 20 community leaders from across Wisconsin and Illinois to take part in the 88th Readiness Division Community Leader Engagement event.

Hosted at Fort McCoy Army Base in Wisconsin on June 17, the event brought elected representatives and senators, business and corporate leaders and community partners together to learn about training and facilities.

Bauman was recommended by retired U.S. Army Col Paul Hettich of Antioch, a U.S. Army Reserve ambassador, to attend the event. She co-founded Lake County Military Families United as One and serves as a member of various organizations, including the Grayslake area Chamber of Commerce, Boy Scouts of America and National Exchange Club.

The experience uniquely brought a mother and daughter together to experience training at the same time miles apart, Hettich said.

For Michel Bauman, it further encouraged her to support all military families. That’s a main incentive behind the event.

“Less than 1 percent of people serve in the military today. For families with a military service background, enlisting in one of our military branches may be relatively normal and uneventful,” Hettich said.

“However, for a family and a daughter without any military experience, to join the Army was a life-changing event,” he said. “This is where the crucial role of community support comes in, making the transition smoother and the journey less daunting for these families.”

The engagement event in June included a tour of a Medical Simulation Training Center, an aerial tour of training areas in a UH-60 Blackhawk, participation in a Medical Simulation Center, a look at other simulators and some time at a live fire range, where participants visited with U.S. Army Reserve soldiers. Participants also observed soldiers from Rockford qualifying on their M4 weapons.

“This was a great experience for me,” Michele Bauman said. “And I would love that they would be able to open this up for regular moms and dads and husbands and wives that have family members serving.”

During the time at the rifle range, Maj. Gen. Matthew Baker, the 88th Readiness Division commander, emphasized that enemies target soldiers because of the flag on their uniforms, she said.

She later spotted an American flag in one of the display cabinets.

“When I looked closer at the flag, there was a picture of a soldier on the flag with the words ‘Freedom Isn’t Free,’” she said. “This experience has forever changed the way I view the American flag. Now, when I see a flag, I see the courageous soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our nation’s freedom.”

Upon her expected graduation from basic training in early August, Madeline Bauman’s job will be in medical logistics where she will be responsible for ensuring that medics have the equipment they need to help injured soldiers.

“This is what this event emphasized,” Michele Bauman said, “how important everybody’s job is and to be proud of that. The military cannot function unless everyone knows and does their jobs.

“It doesn’t matter what job you have, whether you’re in the kitchen making meals, whether you’re gathering intel, every job is so important in the military to make sure things flow right. That was what I was learning.”

Michele Bauman helped found Lake County Military Families United as One after Madeline first joined the military late last year. Madeline trained with the U.S. Air Force before joining the U.S. Army.

Through a Facebook page and various activities, Lake County Military Families United as One serves as a resource and provides camaraderie, friendship and fun for area family members of military service members. All are encouraged to meet and share their experiences.

“If you’ve never had someone in the military, it’s hard to explain everything going on, but you need support,” Michele Bauman said.

“We all need to support one another. Everyone has a story, and your story could help someone out.”