By Sgt. Xzavier Marte, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

C Co. of the 341st Military Intelligence Battalion (Linguist) cased its colors on Saturday, Sept. 19, at the General Jones Armory in Chicago.

The unit was divested from the Illinois Army National Guard as part of U.S. Army modernization and transformation. Many of the Soldiers will transfer to the 217th Military Intelligence Battalion, an intelligence and electronics warfare unit slated to be activated next month and stationed in nearby Forest Park.

“These colors represent more than a unit. It represents every Soldier who has served under them. Every challenge we’ve overcome, and every accomplishment we’ve achieved together,” said 1st Sgt. Dolores Lechnar, C-Co 341st MI BN. The Casing of the Colors ceremony is held to commemorate the unit and its history.

One of those Soldiers who served in the unit was Brig. Gen. Jorge Fonseca, the Director of the Illinois National Guard Joint Staff and Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence (USAICoE) at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Fonseca joined the unit as a platoon leader and would later serve as its executive officer and finally, commander.

“So, when I look at this guidon today, I don’t simply see a piece of cloth. I see people,” Fonseca said. “I see young Soldiers arriving at drill carrying languages and cultures from virtually every corner of the world. I see drill weekends, language training, field exercises, interrogation lanes, readiness requirements, annual training, late nights, early mornings – and friendships that have lasted decades.”

The unit’s most recent commander, Capt. Marketa Jimenez, also expressed gratitude to have been part of C Co., 341st Military Intelligence Battalion. “Thank you for allowing me the grace to grow and learn. Thank you for the privilege to lead and guide, and the challenges that only made me a better leader, a Soldier, and a person,” Jimenez said.

The 341st Military Intelligence Battalion was activated on December 1, 1989, and headquartered in Washington State, under the command of Lt. Col. David J. Siefert. It was within this proud lineage that C Co. was established in Chicago in the mid-1990s, calling the Donnelly Armory home.

Since its inception, C Company’s mission was clear: to provide human intelligence collection capabilities in support of Army and joint warfighter missions. The unit is composed primarily of human intelligence collectors or “35Ms.”

From 2004 through 2025, the unit’s Soldiers developed and maintained proficiency in more than 20 languages, along with countless regional dialects, making the unit a strategic asset.

Between 2007 and 2009, C Company extended its reach by establishing a detachment in Champaign Urbana, supporting 10 to 15 additional Soldiers across the central and southern regions of Illinois. The detachment reflected the unit’s commitment to retaining qualified personnel and expanding its footprint across the state but it concluded operations in 2009.

In September 2008, C Company was attached to 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team and deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, serving as part of Joint Task Force Phoenix.

Since its inception, the unit’s Soldiers have also augmented various missions and operations. These engagements have provided Soldiers with opportunities to apply and strengthen their human intelligence, linguistics, and intelligence capabilities while working alongside U.S. joint forces and multinational allies and partners.

In 2019, when flooding threatened communities across Illinois, the unit’s Soldiers were activated for State Active Duty, demonstrating the unit’s ability to support both federal missions and domestic emergency-response requirements.

“For me, this ceremony is especially personal. I had the privilege of serving with this company for over 10 years. Over those years, I’ve watched this unit grow, overcome adversity, and build a reputation for excellence,” Lechnar said.

In August 2021, C Company marked a new chapter by relocating to the historic General Richard L. Jones Armory, here in Chicago, one of Illinois’ most storied military facilities that once supported the Manhattan Project. The move marked a significant chapter in the company’s history, placing the unit within one of the Illinois’ most historic military facilities and continuing its longstanding presence in the Chicago area.

“Whatever the war fighters ask of us , we will rise to the challenge,” Jimenez said. “The Soldiers that made up the heart of Charlie 341st, and military intelligence will always be ‘Always Out Front.’”