By John Montesano –
Jon Birkey is the May 2019 Veteran of the Month. He was born May 3, 1990 and lived in West Chicago. He was home-schooled through third grade. When he was put into the school system, he was put into the third grade because of a learning disability with reading and writing, which meant he always was a year behind and in a special class until high school. He was motivated to get over his learning disability and was admitted into result classes in high school. It made high school difficult because he went from the held-back class to the regular class. He desperately wanted to be like a result kid. He did fairly well, but by senior year, this extra effort began to wear him down and his motivation hit an all-time low.
John Montesano photo
At 18, Jon Birkey knew enough to know that he was not going to go to college. The military was a better choice for him and he enlisted in the Army as a medic, June 29, 2009. After training for six months, he was sent to Fort Irwin, Calif., the premier Army training center, assigned to the 11th Armed Cavalry Regiment. In early 2010, he was deployed to Afghanistan with the 555th Maintenance Company. He was based at Camp Dehdadi II outside of Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan. His job was to provide convoy security for all of the routes. They were charged with transporting items and making sure that those things got to where they needed to go.
Jon returned to Fort Irwin in May 2011 and soon after, reenlisted for another four years. He was sent to Fort Campbell, Ky. in January 2014 with the 101st Airborne Division/Air Assault. The unit deployed in February 2014 to Afghanistan with Jon as the Company medic.
When it became apparent that he would not get an overdue promotion to E6, after he had been an E5 (buck sergeant) for two years, he starting looking into education benefits for when he got out. He was accepted at Aurora University. In 2017, he received his honorable discharge after eight years of service.
When Jon began his college career, his time in the Army had helped him improve his reading and writing skills. He did well academically.
He started the Aurora University Veterans Association. The AUVA’s goals are: To provide a network and structure in which the student veteran can operate; to promote academic achievement; and to spread awareness of veterans issues. Through Jon’s efforts a Veteran’s Suicide Awareness Program was started.
Jon’s time in the military enabled him to reverse his previous academic difficulties. He will graduate this month, Magna Cum Laude and receive two degrees: A bachelors of science in computer science; and a bachelor of arts in criminal justice. The list of additional awards is impressive:
• Gold Ivy Leaf Award, graduating Magna Cum Laude;
• Kappa Mu Epsilon National Mathematics Honor Society,
• Certificate of Recognition from Hines VA Hospital, for his continued dedication to his community and country after separation from military service;
• Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society;
• Program of the Year to the AUVA from the Aurora Students’ Association
• SALUTE National Veterans Honor Society;
• Alpha Phi Sigma National Criminal Justice Honor Society;
• Phi Eta Sigma National Freshman Honor Society;
• John McKee Citizenship Award, an Aurora University award which reflects a commitment to “service before self.”
Jon already has a job as a software engineer with Northrop Grumman.
He has been accepted by UIC in their Masters of Science in Computer Science program.
Jon Birkey shows what can be accomplished with the proper motivation and determination.