Michael
L. Cunniff, commander of the 108th Air Refueling Wing, was
promoted to Brigadier General in a ceremony was held at
The Club, McGuire Air Force Base on Thursday, Aug. 2.
The Adjutant General,
Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, read the oath of office to the
new general. Gen. Rieth was assisted by Cunniff's wife,
Diana, in pinning on the new rank.
Daughters, Alecia and Lauren, and son, Christopher,
pinned the star on his cap and put the new epaulettes on
his shirt.
Members
of the Air and Army Guard, retired 108th and Air Guard personnel
along with members of Gen. Cunniff's family were there to
watch the ceremony.
57th
Troop Command: Softball Warriors
By
1st Lt. Susan D. Cook
Outstanding
performances on July 31 by Lt Col. Walter Alvarado, 2nd
Lt. Matthew Zilinski and Sgt. 1st Class Steve Austin contributed
to our 22-8 victory against Showtime.
Offensively we dominated the entire game.
Lt. Col. Alvarado went 3-4 with 2 singles and a double
with 2 RBIs. Lt.
Zilinski went 3-4 with a single, a double and a homerun
with 2 RBIs. Austin went 4-4 batting the cycle with 2 RBIs.
Defensively we played swimmingly.
Alvarado had 2 put outs along with Zilinski and Sgt.
Austin both contributing 1 put out each.
This
win put us over 500 with 4 wins and 3 losses. Our next game
is schedule for Aug. 2 at 6:30 p.m.
Other Major Subordinate Commands... Bring it on!
Town
Hall meeting for DMAVA scheduled for Sept. 6
Deputy
Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. Maria Falca-Dodson, and retired
Col. Stephen G. Abel, Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs,
will conduct a Town Hall meeting on Sept. 6, 2007 at 8 a.m.
At
8:45 a.m. retired Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Pierson and retired
Col. Jay Lovas will brief employees on the COOP/COG, which
is how the department would function in the event of a disaster.
The
Town Hall meeting and briefing will take place on the Drill
Floor at the Lawrenceville Armory. Attendance for DMVA state
employees is mandatory.
Campbell's
Soup recognized for support of National Guard and Reserve
By
Tammy Cartagena, NJ ESGR
On
June 7, fellow Campbell's Soup Company employees welcomed
Petty Officer 2nd Class Joe Riley after he completed a deployment
to Iraq with the U.S. Navy Reserve. Representatives from New Jersey Committee
for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) came
to Campbell's to welcome Joe home and present the company
with an ESGR "Above and Beyond Award" for its exceptional
support of national defense and employees who serve in the
military.
"Campbell's has gone above and beyond the requirements
for granting leave and providing support for employees who
are called to active duty," said retired Brig. Gen. Robert
Dutko, state chairman of the NJ ESGR Committee. "It is clear that Campbell genuinely cares about its employees,
and is truly committed to demonstrating its patriotism."
In
addition to the award, Gen. Dutko
presented CEO Doug Conant
with a general's coin.
The
award nomination was submitted by Riley's family.
In the application, they said, "the extended benefits
Campbell provided us with were exceptional.
In addition to helping our children have access to
their own doctors, representatives from the company maintained
active contact with our family during his service, and co-workers
organized gift collections for the holidays to help improve
our children's morale. Because he knew his family was taken
care of, Joe was better able to focus on the job he had
while deployed."
SBA's
New Patriot Express Loan
The
Small Business Administration recently launched Patriot
Express Pilot Loan, the latest extension to the financial,
procurement and technical assistance programs the organization
provides to the nation's small business community. Designed
specifically for service members and their qualifying spouses,
the loan program goes directly to the needs of American
patriots interested in starting and sustaining their own
businesses.
Patriot Express loans are available to community members
including veterans, service-disabled veterans, active-duty
service members participating in the military's Transition
Assistance Program, Reservists and National Guard members,
current spouses of any of the above, and the widowed spouse
of a service member or veteran who died during service,
or of a service-connected disability. Loans feature interest
rates from about 2.25 percent to 4.75 percent over prime,
based on loan size and maturity, creating SBA's lowest interest
offering for business loans.
To
find out more about the program, go to http://www.sba.gov/
patriotexpress/.
Safe
boating Dos and Don'ts
From
the desk of Sgt. Maj. Nick Kampf, Safety Office
Recreational
boating casualties are the second leading cause of transportation-related
fatalities after automobile accidents.
The following statistics were taken from the 2006
Safe Boating Campaign Accident Facts.
v
More than 3,750 reported recreational boating casualties
in 2004.
v
More than 3,100 injuries.
v
629 deaths.
v
Seven out of 10 people who died in boating related accidents
drowned.
v
Nine out of 10 reported drowning victims were not wearing
a life jacket.
The
vast majority of boating accidents are caused by human error
and not by the boat, equipment or environmental factors.
The
Dos and Don'ts of Boating Safety
DO wear a life jacket. They float.
You don't.
DO know the water and environment where
you will be boating.
DO keep a good lookout while underway.
DO shut your engines off when people
are in the water near your boat.
DO observe the nautical "rules-of-the-road".
DO check the weather forecast before
getting underway.
DO keep a balanced load and a trim boat.
DON'T overload your boat.
DON'T stand up in a small boat.
DON'T ride on the gunwale, bow, seat
backs, or any place that is not designed for sitting.
DON'T
drink and boat.
TRICARE
dental coverage; enroll today
From
the office of J1-HRO
Did
you know..... Your patriotism ENTITLES you to dental coverage.
The TRICARE dental program is affordable and comprehensive.
It's
the ONLY dental insurance plan sponsored by the Department
of Defense for:
v
National Guard and Reserve Members
v
National Guard and Reserve Family Members
v
Active Duty Family Members
Enroll
today to claim the dental benefits you've earned and experience
the service you and your family deserve.
Call 800-866-8499 or visit www.TRICAREdentalprogram.com
for more information.
Army's
Environmental Update available online
The
Summer 2007 edition of Environmental Update is now available
online at: http://aec.army.mil/usaec/publicaffairs/update/sum07/sum07.html
Or
type http:/aec.army.mil
and click "Spring 2007 Environmental Update" under
Hot Topics.
For Your Calendar
Pre-retirement seminars
slated for AGR, technicians
From
the desk of Lorraine
Jamison, Human Resource Development Specialist
HRO
is sponsoring two retirement seminars on Fort
Dix
at the JT2DC in August.
The technician pre-retirement planning seminar is
Aug. 21-22. The
AGR pre-retirement planning seminar is scheduled for Aug. 23.
These
seminars are important step in planning for your future. For more information, call Lorraine Jamison
at 609-562-0874 or e-mail lorraine.jamison@us.army.mil.
Celebrate
Labor Day at Jenkinson's on the Boardwalk
Jenkinson's
on the Boardwalk in Point Pleasant, N.J., is hosting a New
Jersey National Guard Appreciation Day on Sept.
3, at Jenkinson's Pier, open only to N.J. National Guard
personnel (with IDs) and their immediate family.
Details will follow in a future issue.
Honorable Mention
Pay
news for state employees
Salary
increases (effective July 7, 2007) for Executive Branch
employees in CWA, AFSCME, IFPTE, and non- aligned employees
in units V,W, and Y are reflected in this paycheck.
Clothing Allowances for eligible employees in the
Executive Branch in CWA, AFSCME, and IFPTE are also included
in this paycheck.
Salary
increases for eligible employees in the Judicial Branch
are reflected in this paycheck.
Effective
July 7, Executive Branch employees covered under labor agreements
with the CWA, AFSCME, and IFPTE, and employees not covered
by a labor agreement, are required to contribute 1.5 percent
of their annual base salary for health and/or prescription
drug coverage under the State Health Benefits Program.
Employees affected by this agreement will see the
new deduction beginning with this paycheck.
Also
effective July 7 - for all members of the PERS and TPAF
retirement systems employed by the Executive and Legislative
Branch of State Government, the pension deduction will increase
from 5.0 to 5.5 percent of compensation. Employees affected by this change will see
the increased deduction beginning with this paycheck.
Pilot
bonus program for Army to aid recruiting effort; reward
helpers
From
the desk of Cyndi McCoy, NJARNG Recruiting, Marketing Representative
Every
Soldier a Recruiter (ESAR) is a pilot referral bonus program
of the Active, Reserve and National Guard components of
the Army that provides select Soldiers and retired members
of the U.S. Army the opportunity to assist with recruiting
efforts and rewards those efforts with referral bonuses
up to $2,000. For more information, contact NJARNG Marketing
Representative Cyndi McCoy at 609-672-6308.
Discounts
offered for State employees
Are
you a state employee looking to save a few $$$?
Visit
www.state.nj.us/personnel/discounts/index.htm and you can find a number of businesses who
offer discounts to New
Jersey state employees.
From amusement parks to fitness to computer to phones
and lots of other discounts between, you will find many
ways to save money. For more information, please contact
Cindy Leese at cindy.leese@njdmava.state.nj.us or call 609-530-7056.
For the Families
Military Family Day at Six Flags on
Aug. 27
Bring the family to Family Appreciation
Day at Six Flags, Great Adventure, Jackson, on Aug.
27. The park
opens at 10:30 a.m. and the discounted tickets cost $20
per person, children under 3 have free admittance.
Parking will cost $15 per car.
Tickets include all the rides and the
safari. Tickets can be purchased at JFHQ', Family
Program's Office (see Marie or Amanda) or at any Family
Assistance Center.
For further information, please contact the Family Program
Office at marie.durling@nj.ngb.army.mil or amanda.balas@us.army.mil. This is a one-day ticket only, not
a season pass. This offer is available to all New
Jersey National Guard soldiers, airmen and DMAVA
State
and Federal civilian employees.
Job assistance for military spouses,
retirees, injured military
From the desk of retired Command
Sgt. Maj. Mike Hughes, Family Assistance Specialist
Re/Max in conjunction with the US Department
of Defense Military Spouse Employment Initiative launched
Operation Re/Max in 2006 to help mentor interested military
members and their family members in a career in real estate.
Interested military spouses, retirees and injured soldiers
can obtain detailed Operation Re/Max information at http://www.remax.com/inside_remax/become_an_agent/new_to_
real_estate/index.aspx or contact operation remax@remax.net
or 1-800-826-7720.
Youth trip to Camp
May
zoo, lighthouse on Aug. 23
Family Programs is conducting a youth
trip to Cape May zoo and lighthouse on Aug. 23 for youths, ages 8-15. Cost
is $5 per child for the T-shirts
The Family Programs staff is renting
a charter bus for the day and taking 35 children and 10
staff members as chaperones. There will be two pick-up and drop-off points
- Fort
Dix Reserve
Center
on Route 68 at 7:15 a.m./5:15 p.m. and the Hammonton Armory
at 8:30 a.m./4:30 p.m.
Reservations can be made by calling
Amanda Balas, State Youth Coordinator, at 609-562-0742 or
by e-mail at Amanda.balas@us.army.mil. They will
be taken on a first come, first serve basis and children
of deployed service members have
priority.
Sports and Entertainment
Baseball, food and supporting the Fisher
House Foundation
Come watch the Lakewood Blue Claws
play baseball, eat lots of hot dogs and hamburgers and support
the Fisher House Foundation all at the same time.
On Aug.
6, The Fort Monmouth chapter of the Association of the
United States Army is sponsoring a "Night at the Baseball
Park"
to salute disabled service members and their families. For
the cost of $20 for adults or $15 for children, you can
get all you can get all you can eat hot dogs and hamburgers.
Sponsors at various levels are also needed. To make
payment, reservations or for sponsorship, contact Kit Roache at 732-380-9500 or kit.roace@gdc4s.com.
Proceeds from the night are being donated
to the Fisher House Foundation. The Fisher House Foundation
supports America's military
in their time of need; the Foundation provides "a home
away from home" that enables family members to be close
to a loved one (military member) at the most stressful time
-- during hospitalization for an illness, disease or injury.
Military golfers have chance to win
$10,000
Hey all you military golfers - here
is a contest for you! On August
11, at Greely Field, Fort
Monmouth, at 1 p.m., the 2007 Military
Long Drive Championship is being held.
Take your best shot and you could win $10,000. You can win an all-expense paid trip, luxury
hotel, premier golf outings and play in a pro-am event in
Mesquite, Nevada.
For rules and information, or to register,
call 732-532-8404 or visit www.armymwrgolf.com.
Veterans Appreciation Day with the
Trenton Thunder, August 25
Go to Waterfront
Park in Trenton on August 25 for the Veterans Appreciation Day. The game starts at 7 p.m. and will be between
the Trenton Thunder and the Binghamton Mets. Stay for the postgame fireworks.
Tickets will cost $10 each and a portion
of the ticket sales will support troops serving in the Middle
East and their families.
The evening is sponsored by the Mercer
County Veterans Council and the New Jersey State Elks Association.
For more information and to purchase
tickets, call:
Col. Norman Matthews at 609-838-0354,
John Tymash at 609-499-3339, James Hall at 609-610-2240,
Cus Dalik at 732-295-8370 or retired Brig. Gen. Robert
Dutko at 609-273-1004.
Trenton Vets Center, Trenton Thunder offer "cheap" seats
The Trenton
Vet Center
with support from our community partner, Trenton Thunder
Baseball, will sponsor baseball tickets at a special rate
for Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard, separated,
and retired veterans. A regular $10 season ticket will be offered at $7 for veterans and family
members. The primary purpose of the program is to
allow veterans and their families an opportunity to experience
Trenton Thunder baseball due to their service and sacrifice
for our country. If you have questions, call Matt Petima, director
of ticket operations for the Trenton Thunder at 609-394-3300,
ext 1200 or the ticket box office at 609-394-3300.
Proof
of Veteran Status: Interested veterans
must have a picture I.D. and provide proof of their veteran
status by showing one of the following documents:
Military I.D.
card; Federal Department of Veteran Affairs medical I.D.
card; DD Form 214.
Here's to the Heroes provides a single
day's free admission to any one SeaWorld or Busch Gardens
park, Sesame Place, Adventure Island or Water Country USA
for the service member and as many as three direct dependents.
Any active duty, active reserve,
ready reserve service member or Guard member is entitled
to free admission under the program. He or she need only
register, either online at www.herosalute.com or in the entrance
plaza of a participating park, and show a Department of
Defense photo ID.
Scholarship, Education News
Scholarships for OIF/OEF veterans
The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished
Americans is offering scholarships to combat veterans of
Iraq and Afghanistan. It offers a scholarship
of up to $1,250 per year for person pursuing a BA/BS degree.
You must have an honorable service record and a 2.0 GPA.
The deadline for applying is Sept. 28, 2007. Contact: www.horatioalger.org.
Free SAT/ACT Offer Extended
A group of NFL, NFL Europe, AFL,
and CFL football players have announced they are extending
their sponsorship of the SAT/ACT training to all military
families.
The sponsorship allows any military
person (active, Guard, reserve, or retired) to request as
many programs as they need for the students in their lives.
There is a secure website to confirm a person's military
status before directing the user to the software order site.
Logon to::
www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/portal/page/itc/MHF/MHF_DETAIL_0?current_id=20.20.100.30.0.0.0.0.0
Programs are shipped to domestic
U.S. addresses and APO
addresses. The sponsorship
covers the purchase price of $199 and the family pays only
the shipping and handling of $9.95.
American Legion offers scholarships,
booklet on their Web site
The American Legion has scholarship
information on their Web site - www.legion.org
- including the 152-page booklet, Need
a Lift, which is a complete financial aid reference
guide for veterans, veterans' dependents and members of
the American Legion family. When you get on the site, click on "Scholarship
Information" in the "Useful Links" block.
Association News
NGANJ group life insurance available
to members
Are you covered by the NGANJ Group
Life Insurance Program?
As a member of either the Officers or the Enlisted
Association, you are entitled to enroll in your Association
Life Insurance Program.
This special program provides from $5,000 to $50,000
of Life Insurance for you, "round the clock".
Premiums range from as little as $2 per month and
may be payroll-deducted from your drill check.
Family coverage is also available at low rates designed
for you as a member of the New Jersey Army and Air National
Guard. Think of it!!
No aviation exclusions...No hazardous duty restrictions...No
war clauses.No checks to write. Dependent coverage includes spouses and all
children. Information
can be obtained by contacting retired CWO Jack Petrosilli
at 609-530-6843, or retired Brig. Gen. Robert S.
Dutko Sr. at 609-273-1004.
Enrollment forms can be obtained by calling retired
Col. Frank L. Carlone, Program Coordinator at 732-249-8335.
Enlisted Association of the National
Guard of New Jersey
Give our state a larger voice by
becoming a member of the Enlisted Association.
The increased numbers will help us speak on all legislative
issues that will benefit you and your families. The association
works hard for you at the Federal & State level on all
important issues. Visit the web site EANG-NJ.org, click on Become a Member for the application and find out more about what
the association does.
Enlisted Association of NGNJ Conference
slated for Oct. 5-7
The
34th annual conference of the Enlisted Association of the
National Guard of New Jersey will be held at the Radisson
Hotel, Valley Forge,
Penn., Oct.
5-7.
Proceeds
from this weekend event are spent directly on our membership. It is a nice feeling to know that for every
50/50 ticket and Chinese Auction ticket you buy helps fund
the scholarship program, allows junior enlisted to attend
the National Conference and supports legislative actions
for benefits and so much more.
Friday
night features "The American Game Show Challenge," which
is a series of fun trivia contests and physical challenges.
Saturday
is back to business with a business meeting and elections
for the executive council. The new Junior Enlisted Team is sponsoring
the Chinese Auction. Local
attractions are abundant; register for trips to Valley Forge
and/or Longwood Gardens. Saturday Night wraps up our conference with
our customary formal Military Ball.
There
are several package plans to fit your particular needs. If you have any questions, call retired Sgt.
Maj. Jerome Zebrowski at 609-214-6959 or e-mail at jcptfalc@aol.com
or Co-Chairman retired Sgt. Maj. Edward Goetschius at 609-965-1972
or e-mail at esgtmaj@comcast.net. Visit the association's web site at www.eang-nj.org/conference_2007.pdf for additional information, updates and applications.
NGANJ's calendar for members in 2007
The National Guard Association of
New Jersey will be conducting the following event.
All members (active and retirees) are encouraged
to participate:
§
National
Guard Association of the United
States (NGAUS) 129th Conference - this conference will be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico
from August 25-27,
2007. The New
Jersey delegation will be staying
at the Caribe Hilton (15 minutes from airport).
Our hotel is located on the beach, has a great pool
for the family and is located close to the convention center
(10 minutes). We
have reserved 30 rooms on a first come, first gets basis. Additional information and registration forms
will be coming out shortly.
If you are interested, please contact Capt. Jose
Maldonado.
§
NGANJ
Website - The above information is posted on the NGANJ
website. If you need
copies of the forms, specific contacts or additional information,
please go to the website at:
www.nganj.org.
Veterans Information
DMAVA Veterans Outreach Campaign continues
The DMVA Veterans Outreach Campaign
continues with kiosk displays at selected malls throughout
New Jersey. The schedule is as follows:
August
8, 9, 10 |
Newport
Centre Mall |
September
12, 13*, 14 |
Livingston
Mall |
October
2, 3, 4 |
Deptford
Mall |
October
30*, 31, November 1 |
Brunswick
Square Mall |
November
27, 28, 29 |
Quaker
Bridge Mall |
*Medal ceremonies begin at 10:30
a.m. on these dates.
The kiosk will be open from 10 a.m.
to 6 p.m., July-Sept.; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Oct. and Nov.
N.J. Vietnam
Veterans Memorial
N.J. Vietnam Veterans' Memorial and
Vietnam Era
Educational Center's
upcoming events:
=================
Free guided tours of the Memorial are offered on the first
Saturday of each month at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.