Meet the Board

 Jennifer Hobbs was raised in Lincoln, Illinois where she enlisted into the Army National Guard at 17 years old.  In her first year of college, her National Guard 1544th Transportation Unit was mobilized and sent on a year deployment to Log Base Seitz.  Resting just 1500 meters from Abu Ghraib, she formed life's strongest bonds with the members of her 1544th family.  She went on to finish college and married her husband, who also served with the 1544th, Ryan Hobbs.  Ryan Hobbs was hit by a roadside bomb, the same bomb that took the life of Miss Jessica Cawvey.  Jessica's memory, as well as our other fallen 4 live on in our hearts and minds forever.    

Jennifer and Ryan have three kids; Noah 13, Brinnley 8, and Caroline 4.  She attended Southern Illinois University where she completed her Bachelor's degree.  Since then she has worked as a Special Education Teacher and a 3rd grade General Education Teacher while she went on to obtain her Master's in Curriculum in Instruction and a second Master's in Educational Leadership.

She published her first book, a dual memoir about her time in the military called Calmed.Growth After Trauma.

She now continues her mission to give back through her business BUFF & HOBBS IMPACT, her podcast Celebrate the Struggle, and through her love of writing. 

Shelly Johns joined the 1544th Transportation Company (TC) out of her hometown of Paris, Illinois at 17 while still a high school student. In 2003, during Shelly's first semester of her freshman year at the University of Illinois, the 1544th TC was placed on mobilization orders. While deployed, Shelly served as a gun truck driver on various missions throughout the country. The 1544th endured extremely dangerous conditions not only on the hazardous roads of Iraq, but at their living quarters on Log Base Seitz. During their year-long deployment in Iraq, the 1544th would tragically lose five Soldiers with dozens of others suffering injuries resulting in Purple Hearts. 

Upon her return home, Shelly graduated from the U of I with a Bachelors in Psychology, hoping to pursue a career in Forensic Psychology, which explains her deep love for crime documentaries and Forensic Files. In November of 2009, dozens of members of the 1544th volunteered to deploy overseas with their sister unit, the 1244th TC for the next four years serving as a Squad Leader. Shelly transferred to the 1744th TC out of Crestwood, Illinois for a promotion and served as a Platoon Sergeant, Operations NCOIC, and currently the 1SG.

She currently resides in Chicago where she enjoys being a tourist in her city, cooking, sipping on bold coffee, and exquisite wines, binge watching documentaries, The Office, and The Mindy Project, and walking/ruck-marching as much as possible. Shelly has spent the last 10 years in the finance, risk, and consulting industries holding various positions at JP Morgan Chase, Aon, iJet, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Accenture. She is currently the Jr. Vice President for the VLBS and contrary to popular belief, she as zero cats and does not know how to knit. Shelly has two nephews, Jace and Jaxon, that she loves spoiling and pestering as much as possible. 

Jessica Woolum is an HR Professional from Paris, Illinois. She is currently working as an HR Associate for IEA Management Services. Jessica graduated from Harrison College in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management. She has over 15 years of HR experience, with 12 years working in the nonprofit sector. 

Jessica’s connection to the VLBS organization came in 2008 when she married Robert Woolum. Robert served in the United State Army from 1998 – 2002, deploying to the Middle East in 2001. From 2002 – 2006 he was a Chemical Operations Specialist with the 1544th Transportation Company, deploying to Iraq with the unit in 2003. Robert and Jessica still reside in Paris, and their blended family includes 4 children; Blake, Macie, Gage and Bryan.

Jessica is a member of SHRM and an active member of the Wabash Valley Human Resources Association. She is also a member of the PHS Band Parents Association and is involved in many activities through her children’s’ schools. When they aren’t busy with the kids’ activities, the Woolum family enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors, especially hiking and camping with their dog, Walker. 

Andrea Green (Bryan) of Carbondale, Illinois is originally from Effingham, Illinois and joined the Illinois Army National Guard 1544th Transportation Company in March 2000, at that time she was eighteen years old and a senior at Effingham High School in Effingham, Illinois. Andrea was in first platoon and was deployed with the 1544th out of Paris, Illinois to Iraq in December 2003. While in Iraq she was assigned to a both a gun truck and radio detail working with base security at Log Base Seitz, Iraq. Upon returning home, Andrea continued to serve the 1544th through March 2008. 

At the time of deployment Andrea was attending John A Logan College in Carterville, Illinois persuing a degree in dental hygiene; upon returning home Green was able to finish her degree earning an Associates Degree in Dental Hygiene in the Fall of 2007. She is a registered dental hygienist currently working as a surgical assistant for a leading orial surgeon in Southern Illinois. 

In August 2007 she married Michael Green and the couple have two daughters, Darby and Karina. As well as the children, she and her husband also enjoy having their two dogs, Herm and Stink, and Carl, the cat.

Shelly Feller (Burton) was raised in Decatur, Illinois. She enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard when she was 17 years old and still in high school. She went to basic training at Fort Jackson, SC and AIT at Fort Leonard Wood, MO and was then assigned to the 1544th TC. She was enrolled in college when she was deployed in December of 2003. She made the best friends she could ever make while serving overseas with bonds that could never be made anywhere else or described in any way. After returning home from Iraq, she went back to school to earn her Associates in Arts. She married Jesse Feller in 2007. They have two children, Destiny and Jonah. Shelly is enjoying staying home and raising her children and taking care of their many pets. Shelly has aspirations of becoming a veterinarian.

 Robert Woolum was born and raised in a military family. His father retired from the Marine Corp in 1993 when Robert was a freshman in high school and the family settled down in Paris, IL. Robert graduated from Paris High School in 1997 and enlisted in the United States Army as a Chemical Operations

Specialist. Robert’s first duty station following basic training was Ft. Stewart, Georgia, as an NBC NCO for a Combat Engineer Unit. His next duty station was in Ft. Bliss, Texas, where he was attached to an Air Defense Artillery Unit and deployed to Saudi Arabia in 2001.

Robert fulfilled his active duty obligation in 2002 and returned to Paris where he joined his hometown National Guard, The 1544 th , as the units NBC NCO. He deployed with his unit to Iraq in December of 2003. The unit returned in early 2005 and Robert had the opportunity to attend Primary Leadership Development Course where he graduated as Distinguished Honor Grad. Robert continued to serve until August 2006. Robert lives in Paris and is very happily married to his wife, Jessica Woolum. They have 4 children: Blake, Macie, Gage, and Bryan. The Woolum Family loves to travel and explore the great outdoors.

 Greg Decker was raised in Paris Illinois by his grand parents. He joined the National Guard when he was 17 in 1997 and deployed with the 1544th to Iraq. He recently retired as of this year. He is a graduate of Paris High School in 1998. He has two children Cole 16 and Reese 7. He is an Injection Molding Technician at Pretium Packaging, and he also serves as President of the safety comittee. Hobbies include spending time with family, golf and going to the gun range.
Member of Lake Ridge Christian Church in Paris.