Plainfield native and Air Force veteran Michael Collins was a Plainfield police officer, Illinois state trooper, volunteer Plainfield firefighter, trustee of the Plainfield Fire Protection District and the village of Plainfield, and served three terms as Plainfield president.

Joliet-area veterans soon will have a new place to socialize and access services targeted to their needs – through the efforts of AllenForce.

Dr. Joseph Hindo, chief of medical staff at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox and U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corps veteran said service "is part of us being human."