News For Your Views
Freedom
Salute to be held for 250th BSB
A Freedom
Salute Ceremony for Company D, 250th Brigade Support
Battalion will be held at the Bordentown Armory on
Oct. 14.
The 250th
was mobilized in September 2005.
After completing their training at Camp
Shelby, Miss.,
the unit served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom
from March 2005 to June 2007.
The
Soldiers were part of the 1-34th Brigade Combat Team,
Minnesota Army National Guard, which was extended
for the troop surge.
108th to
hold arrival ceremony
The 108th
Air Refueling Wing will hold a KC-135R model Stratotanker
Arrival Ceremony this Monday, Oct. 15 at 11 a.m. at
Building (hangar) 3333. Special speakers, guests and other events
will highlight the ceremony.
This is
the first of eight KC-135R aircraft the 108th will
be receiving, which will replace the Wing's KC-135E
models.
The KC-135R Stratotanker's principal mission is air refueling.
This unique asset greatly enhances the Air Force's
capability to accomplish its primary missions of Global
Reach and Global Power.
The 108th is assigned to Air Mobility Command, which manages
more than 490 total aircraft inventory Stratotankers,
of which the Reserve and Air National Guard fly 271
of those in support of AMC's mission.
The KC-135R can offload 50 percent more fuel, is 25 percent
more fuel efficient, costs 25 percent less to operate
and is 96 percent quieter than the original KC-135A.
Transition
and conversion has already begun for 108th personnel.
Recently Maintenance Squadron Airmen left to attend
KC-135R Model
School in
Grand Forks, N.D.,
and beginning this month, 108th Operations will be
sending pilots to KC-135R school.
New Alert
Complex Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
A ribbon
cutting ceremony was held at the 177th Fighter Wing
unveiling the new state-of-the-art alert complex on
Oct. 9.
Congressman
Frank A. LoBiondo, New
Jersey 2nd District joined
Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, The Adjutant General of
New Jersey and Col. Randall S. King, Commander, 177th
Fighter Wing in cutting the ribbon in front of the
crew quarters Tuesday.
Costing
nearly $13 million, the alert aircraft shelters and
crew quarters provide cutting-edge infrastructure
support to the 177th Fighter Wing's Homeland Defense
mission. With a footprint of more than 33,000
square feet, this complex includes utility support,
security and fire suppression systems, emergency generators,
communication upgrades and an aircraft apron expansion.
The busiest
fighter unit after 9-11, the 177th was the first to
reach 1,000 air patrol missions over the U.S.
Since then, 177th aircraft, pilots and support
personnel have been on alert 24/7, ready to scramble,
intercept and engage targets that might threaten the
Northeastern U.S.
Boys Scouts
Camp At National
Guard Training
Center
The field
of the New Jersey National Guard Training Center (NGTC)
was filled with tents last weekend as upwards of 9,000
Boy Scouts from all 21 counties converged on Sea Girt
for the New Jersey State Police Boy Scout Camporee.
On Saturday
night Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, the Adjutant General
told the scouts to keep learning how to become leaders
in their communities. He praised the scouts for being
part of "What is great about America."
Earlier
in the day The Adjutant General along with his father
retired Brig. Gen. Ken Rieth, Brig Gen. Michael Cunniff,
108th Air Refueling Wing commander and retired Brig.
Gen. Jeff Pierson, NGTC Superintendent presented special
coins to Eagle Scouts on the drill floor of the armory.
The Army
Guard provided water trailers and personnel to keep
them filled to ensure that that the scouts were well
hydrated at this the largest encampment ever on the
NGTC grounds.
Col. James
Grant, Army Chief of Staff served as a co-chair of
the Camporee committee for the event that happens
every three years.
Association
Picks Best of Best
At the Enlisted
Association of the National Guard of New Jersey Annual
Conference at Valley
Forge, PA on Oct. 5-7 the following Outstanding
Airmen and Soldiers were honored:
The Command Sgt, Maj. Wilfred Z. Lea Outstanding
First Sergeant Award
Master
Sgt. June I. Kelly, 177th Fighter Wing
First
Sgt. Patrick A Kildea, 112th Fires Battalion
The Sgt, Maj. Harry Arbeitman Outstanding
NCO Award
Master
Sgt. Joseph
A. Iacovone Jr., 177th Security Forces Squadron
Sgt.
1st Class Frances C. Rutter , Recruiting & Retention
Command
Sgt. John E. Bodine Outstanding Airman Award
Senior
Airmen Tara M. Cullen, 177th Security Forces Squadron
Sgt. 1st Class Robert G. Vuinovich Outstanding
Soldier Award
Spec.
Kelly Crager, 119th Combat Support Battalion
Short Fuse item
Scholarships
for Iraq
and Afghanistan
Veterans
There is
a great opportunity for Iraq
and Afghanistan
veterans who are going to be undergraduate students
in 2008. The application deadline is Monday, Oct. 15.
The Fund
for Veterans Education announced it would award up
to $1 million in undergraduate scholarships for veterans,
including National Guard and Reservists returning
from Iraq
and Afghanistan
for the spring or fall 2008 terms. The awards, which
may be renewed for the following academic year, are
intended to cover financial need not met by need-based
grants and military education benefits. For more information,
visit: www.veteransfund.org.
If you're
in college or are about to begin college, please check
out this scholarship opportunity!
CST is looking
for a few good Soldiers and Airmen
The 21st
Civil Support Team will be hosting an orientation
day on Oct. 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The
orientation will be divided into three sessions. The
sessions will repeat every two hours beginning at
9 a.m. in order to better accommodate participants.
Each session
will consist of the following:
Civil Support
Team Overview, "What it takes to be a Member" briefing
Facility
tour and Equipment Demo
Decontamination
Line Demonstration
Hands-on
participation/familiarization with equipment
Wear of
SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) and level
A suits
(Individuals
who wish to participate in the wear of self contained
breathing apparatus and level A suits may wear PT
uniform, civilian fitness clothing, ACUs or BDUs.)
This is
a unique opportunity for Soldiers and Airmen to see
what the Civil Support Team does.
All applicants, future applicants and interested
soldiers/airmen are encouraged to come and participate
in our orientation day.
Individuals
who wish to participate in wearing of the SCBA and
level A suits; please send an e-mail to terrence.d.taylor@us.army.mil
or toby.tirrito@us.army.mil. This will aid us in accommodating all participants
and meeting safety requirements.
For further
information contact 1st Sgt. Terrence Taylor at (609)
562-3139 or Staff Sgt. Toby Tirrito at (609) 562-3236.
The History
of the New
Jersey National Guard
The Spanish American War
Upon declaration
of war between the United
States and the Kingdom
of Spain on 21 of April 1898, New Jersey again received a call for troops
and responded with a full quota of four regiments.
While not being required for service outside the United States, these troops performed
important service initially in harbor defense securing
lines of communication and protecting munitions plants. They were later used as reserve troops in
Florida. The lack of proper sanitary facilities and
poor rations caused much hardship, illness and many
losses by death.
The cavalry
and artillery units which were not called immediately
lost many of their men and officers who enrolled in
the regular Army in order to see action.
These men were granted leaves of absence from
the National Guard in order to volunteer.
Are you
Red for the Post Deployment Health Reassessment?
Is your
AKO stoplight Red for My Medical Readiness?
Is AKO telling
you that you are due to complete your Post Deployment
Health Reassessment (PDHRA)?
Want to
know how to fix this? The PDHRA seeks to identify
proactively potential health issues before they become
chronic conditions. The PDHRA provides education,
screening, assessment and access to care for a wide
variety of questions and concerns that Soldiers may
have about their health after they return from deployment.
Soldiers who redeployed from a combat zone more than
90 days ago are eligible for the PDHRA.
Just follow
these simple directions.
Option 1:
Begin PDHRA online and complete it over the phone.
You may complete the PDHRA online through AKO by going
to https://apps.mods.army.mil/mwde/ secure/AKOForms.asp
and logging in with your AKO username and password.
You must then call 1-888-PDHRA-99 to discuss your
responses with a healthcare provider.
Option 2:
Complete PDHRA entirely over the phone.
If you do not have access to a computer or
AKO, you may call 1-888-PDHRA-99 and complete the
entire assessment over the phone.
Questions?
Visit www.virtualarmory.com/mobiledeploy/PDHRA for
more information.
Nominate
your co-worker for a state award
Here is
the chance to nominate your fellow employees for a
state award. Has the person in the cubicle next to
you done something that makes you proud?
Nominate
your co-workers for an award in one of the following
categories:
v
Heroism
v
Exceptional service
v
Co-worker recognition
v
Community service
v
Teamwork/Partnership
v
Customer service
v
Professional achievement
Rules, instructions
and forms are available on the Human Resources page
of the DMAVA Intranet or by calling 609-530-7107.
Completed forms must be typed, signed by the
nominee's supervisor and received at DMAVA-HRO no
later than Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. to be considered for
this year's awards.
Veterans
Day ceremony in Ewing
The Department
of Veteran Affairs/Readjustment Counseling Service
requests your company at their annual Veterans Day
celebration on November 7 at noon at their office
located at 934 Parkway Avenue, Ewing. Their will be a reception immediately following
the ceremony.
For more
information contact Darryll
Johnson at 609-882-5744.
Historic
Soldier Weekend will collect for Operation Shoebox
Operation Shoebox, NJ will be on site
accepting donations to ship overseas for our troops
at Historic Soldier Weekend, held on the historic
Burlington riverfront, Oct. 27 and 28.
They are accepting donations for the shoeboxes.
The following list contains items
frequently requested by U.S. Soldiers and Marines
serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Please note that aerosol
products cannot be shipped overseas. Also, all items
must be in their original packaging. When in doubt,
think small. It is easier to ship smaller packaged
items than large, economy size.
Lip balm, Sun block, Moist wipes,
Bug spray - non-aerosol, Bars of soap, Small bottles
of shampoo, Deodorant - non-aerosol, Powdered drink
mixes, Cereal/Snack/Granola bars, Instant oatmeal
- individual packets, Boxes of hot chocolate that
contain individual packets, Small cans of tuna with
pop-tops, Small cans of fruit with pop-tops, Microwave
popcorn - individual bags can be sent, Athletic socks,
Batteries - all sizes, Gum, Candy, Small boxes of
cereal, Small bags of trail mix, peanuts, pretzels,
etc.
Operation
Shoebox
NJ is
a registered non-profit organization.
Operation Shoebox NJ has shipped more than 12,000 packages
to U.S.
military personnel serving in Iraq,
Kuwait, Afghanistan
and other posts in the Middle
East. (http://opshoeboxnj.org/)
For more information on the Historic Soldier
Weekend, which is an historical encampment
featuring re-enactors and their equipment from every
American conflict, spanning from the French and Indian
War to the Vietnam War, visit http://www.historicsoldiersweekend.com/.
Retirement Dinners
Retirement
dinner for the Chief
A retirement
dinner will be held for Command Chief Master Sgt.
Paul M. Gunning next Friday, Oct. 19 at the Renault
Winery.
The deadline
for buying tickets - $40 per person - is Friday, Oct.
12. Tickets can be purchased from Connie Cisek at
(609) 562-0901.
Dinner to
be held for Catherine Vasil
Here is
your chance to say goodbye to Catherine Vasil of the
DMAVA Human Relations Division. Her retirement dinner
will be held Oct. 26, 5 p.m., at Mastoris Restaurant,
Bordentown.
Cost of
the dinner is $30 per person which includes the gift.
RSVP no later than Oct. 19 to Anna Marie Boutchia
at 609-530-6889.
The retirement
dinner for Chief Warrant Officer Five Albert G. Curving
will be held on Nov. 2 at the Lawrenceville Armory.
Cocktail hour begins at 6 p.m. and dinner will
be served at 7 p.m.
Cost of
the dinner is $32 per person. For more information,
to make payments and reservations, contact Maj. Denise
McCleary at 609-562-0213. Reservations must be made by Oct. 15.
For Your Calendar
Army Soldier
Show coming to New
Jersey
The 2007
U.S. Army Soldier Show is a high-energy 90-minute
live musical review showcasing the talents of active
duty Soldiers who are selected by audition from the
Army who have a passion for music, dance and performing.
They come from infantry, transportation, military
police, medical, intelligence, aviation, signal and
other tactical units. The show is assembled in six
weeks, and then tours for 6 1/2 months.
The most recent tour began in May 2007. It will be in our area on three occasions.
Oct. 13 - Picatinny Arsenal, N.J.
Oct. 23 - Fort Monmouth, N.J.
Admission to all performances is free.
Check with local Morale, Recreation and Welfare or
public affairs officials for exact location, post
access procedures, and curtain times. Dates and locations
are subject to change.
Join local
motorcycle riders on a ride, Oct. 13
Like to
ride motorcycle? Here
is an opportunity to ride and support servicemembers
and their families at the same time.
Join the 3rd Annual "Support Our Troops" Motorcycle
Run on Oct.
13 (rain date of Oct. 14).
Registration
is from 10-11 a.m. at the Tri-Towne
Plaza,
Route 70, Marlton and the ride departs at 11:15 a.m.
The route is to travel the Pine Barrens to Sweetwater Casino Restaurant, Sweetwater
(Hammonton mailing address). The run will be approximately
48 miles (one way). Please come with a full tank of
gas. Cost of the ride is a donation of $15 per
rider and $5 per passenger.
Proceeds
benefit the Freedom Alliance Foundation which provide:
§
Educational scholarships to the children of America's military
heroes that have given the ultimate sacrifice.
§
For the injured in our hospitals pre-paid long-distance
phone cards, gift cards for clothing, food, toiletries,
books, and magazines.
§
Funding for family members to travel to see and encourage
their loved one.
For more
information contact John Atkinson at 856-596-9100,
or go to www.citikids.org/freedom.htm, for local run information or to the national
site - www.freedomalliance.org.
Reintegration
briefings scheduled for BSB
From
the desk of retired Command Sgt. Maj. Mike
Hughes, Family Assistance Specialist
Soldiers
and family members of Company D/250th BSB will have
their 30 day Reintegration Briefing on Oct.
14, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Bordentown Armory,
1048 Route 206 South, Bordentown.
Social Security
rep will visit on Oct. 17 for talk on benefits
A representative
from the Social Security Administration will be at
DMAVA Central Office on Oct.
17 in Conference Room A from 10 a.m. to noon to
give an overview of Social Security benefits, rules
and regulations and updated information regarding
you and your contribution. After the presentation
a general question and answer session will follow
as well as individual consultations.
Seating
is limited so please contact Paul Serdiuk, Training
Coordinator, at 609-530-6878 or Paul.Serdiuk@njdmava.state.nj.us to insure
your place.
Annual membership
meeting for NJNG
Militia
Museum
From the desk of retired Maj. Ray Rauanheimo,
NG Militia Museum of NJ Trustee and Docent
All members of the National Guard Militia
Museum of New Jersey are invited to attend the annual
general membership meeting to be held at the Lawrenceville
Museum in the armory cafeteria.
The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on Sunday,
Oct. 21. The meeting is scheduled to take one to two
hours. A light
brunch and coffee/soda will be available for $5 per
person.
Contact the Lawrenceville Museum
at 609-530-6802 if you have any questions.
The Board of
Trustees thanks all members for their continuing
support of the Museum.
ANG Dinosaurs
holding fall gathering on Oct. 24
The (NJ)
ANG Dinosaurs are holding their fall gathering of
Air National Guard retirees at Moore's
Tavern, Freehold, on Oct.
24 at 1 p.m. All
ANG retirees and current ANG employees who are soon
to be retired are invited. Army Guard retirees are welcome to attend
also.
Please RSVP
to Mel Sylvester
at 609-298-5970 or NuffSaidMel@aol.com or Rich Donovan at 732-223-2051 or 732-223-4445 or
DONOVAN@exit109.com.
Cost of meal (drinks will be separate) with tip will
be about $25.
North Jersey AUSA chapter will hold meeting Oct. 25
The Northern
New Jersey Chapter of the Association of the United
States Army will hold their fall meeting on Oct.
25 at The Rutgers Club in New
Brunswick.
Cocktail hour begins at 5:30 p.m. and the buffet
dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m.
The special
guests for the meeting will be Lt. Col. Peter Sandberg,
professor of Military Science, Rutgers University
Army ROTC and Cadet Lt. Col. Robert Preziosi of the
Scarlet Knight battalion.
They will host a discussion on Army ROTC's
role and mission and how it develops future leaders
in the U.S. Army.
The chapter will also recognize 18 Rutgers
ROTC seniors, 13 of whom are in the New Jersey Army
National Guard.
Cost is
$35 per person. To
RSVP, call retired Col.
Richard F. Plechner at 732-549-1535.
The uniform of the evening is Mess Dress/Dress
Blue or civilian business attire.
Honorable Mention
Send Highlights your happenings
We want
your stuff!! Is
your unit doing some unique training?
Did someone in the New Jersey Guard receive
accolades for accomplishing something extra special?
Is your unit running a special event for the community?
Does your section of DMAVA have something they need
to tell the rest of the department? We want to know
about it.
Send us
a short piece on what is happening so we can publish
it in DMAVA Highlights. Let us
know who wrote it so we can give them credit.
If there are photos, you can send those too. While we do not publish photos in Highlights, we can give them to the editor
of Guardlife
and they may be used in that publication.
When you
send in your article:
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Identify all people in the article with rank, first
and last names and job title or position.
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Spell out all acronyms.
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When it comes to equipment, do not just give the nomenclature,
also include the "name" of the equipment. Do not use M998 alone, HMMWV is also needed.
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- who, what, when, where, why and how concerning the
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and what is happening in the photo.
Deadline
for each week is noon Thursday and should be e-mailed
to Barbara.harbison@njdmava.state.nj.us. We do not publish flyers or Adobe files.
If a Web site is out there to give people more
information or to get a registration form, put that
in your article.
Don't be
intimidated by writing, we edit it for understanding
and grammar. Your article may look a different when
it is published as we also edit to fit the standards
of the AP Style
Guide.
Show us
your stuff!!
New rules
for recycling in Mercer County
From
the Department of Treasury, Office of Energy Savings;
the Department of Environmental Protection, Office
of Recycling; and, Joseph K. Dunleavy, DMAVA REM
Your help
is requested to support our launch of a new, simplified recycling
program for State facilities in Mercer
County.
This change will address some of the current
confusion about what gets recycled and where
it should go. It will also enable us to accurately
measure and improve our recycling performance in each
facility going forward.
Starting October
1, all State facilities located within Mercer County,
and all occupants within those facilities, will be
able to combine recyclable materials into one
of the following two (2) containers, for collection.
New labels will be in place on these containers by
the end of the week:
Mixed
Paper - if you can tear it, it is considered
mixed paper (all paper, all colors, newspaper, file
folders, magazines, mail, etc.)
Bottles
and Cans - plastic or glass bottles, aluminum
and steel cans
Please do
your part to separate out the recyclable materials
listed above, from other waste you may generate in
your day to day activities. This can be as simple
as keeping a bin or box in your work space to throw
all waste paper into (paper represents the bulk of
our recyclables). You can then empty that box into
the designated recycling container from time to time,
when it is convenient. From that point, the armorer
staff and vendors will be transporting the recyclables
to the proper location, where they will be removed
and processed by our new recycling vendor.
By increasing
our recycling rate, we conserve natural resources,
reduce energy consumption, and reduce pollution. That
is something we can all be proud of and something
that will deliver a lasting benefit for generations
to come.
NOTE - Corrugated
cardboard will continue to be processed as it is today,
for your facility. All cardboard is to be FLATTENED
BEFORE BEING PLACED ON THE LOADING DOCK!
Counterdrug
Task Force has job openings
The Counterdrug
Task Force announces an opening in the Counterdrug
support operations. Two positions are open to any
qualified current member of the New Jersey Army and
Air National Guard.
It is a full time, Active Duty Special Work,
military duty position vacancy (Title 32). Military
grade needed to apply for the position is E2-E5 with
E5 being the maximum grade.
Members
who are selected for the job are subject to unusual
and additional duty hours. They must maintain responsibilities
to their unit of assignment to include MOSQ, attend
scheduled drills and annual training, and maintain
readiness status.
The job
consists of assisting Law Enforcement Agencies with
intelligence analysis support and developing investigations
and cases for prosecution. Activities include, inputting, reviewing and
analyzing collected information and providing legal,
paralegal and auditing assistance. Operational support
to LEAs is designed to enhance the effectiveness of
the supported agency and release law enforcement officers
for drug enforcement duties.
For more
information on how to apply for the positions, contact
Staff Sgt. Christina D. Ermi at 609-530-7166.
Guardsmen wanted to join the PTAE
The New
Jersey Army National Guard is in the process of developing
its Pre-Mobilization Assistance Element (PTAE).
The PTAE is currently looking for Traditional
Drilling Guardsmen of various MOSs for a Title 32
ADSW (Additional Duty Special Work) tour at Fort Dix.
The purpose
of the PTAE is to provide training feedback to the
supported unit and TAG through the G-3.
The PTAE will monitor and assist unit training
and tracking of individual soldier/unit progress and
completion of pre-mobilization training tasks.
All applicants
must be eligible and submit the following:
v
Complete DA Form 1058-R with commander's signature
v
A current Retirement Point Assessment Statement
v
Meet height/weight standards along a valid APFT within
one year of ADSW start date
v
Physical Profile, DA Form 3349. Temporary profiles are not eligible.
v
Pregnancy statement (females only) within 15 days
of ADSW start date.
v
Current resume
v
Eligible to obtain a Secret security clearance.
v
Eligible to attend 15 day Observer Controller Training
(OC-T) course in Camp
Shelby,
Miss.
For more
information call Lt. Col. Walter Nall at 609-562-0321
or walter.r.nall@us.army.mil or Master Sgt. Jonny
Hannigan at 609-562-0337 or jonny.hannigan@us.army.mil.
New Jersey Bar Association offers pro bono
military legal assistance
The New
Jersey Bar Association established and administers
the Military Legal Assistance Program.
This pro bono program provides assistance
to New Jersey residents who have served overseas
as active duty members of reserve components of the
armed forces after Sept. 11, 2001.
Individuals
who have been adversely affected upon their return
from deployment and cannot be represented by military
lawyers can use this program. The program currently
offers assistance to the following areas: family law,
employment law, veterans' benefits and debtor-creditor
law.
The Military
Legal Assistance program will refer members of the
military who contact the state bar association to
volunteers qualified to assist them with their specific
legal issues. Volunteers
who accept a case through the program must agree to
handle such case from inception to resolution without
compensation or reimbursement for expenses.
If interested
in the program, call toll free 1-888-541-1900 for
referral or visit the New Jersey State Bar Association
web site at www.njsba.com and click on the button for the Military Legal
Assistance program.
Honor Guard
program wants YOU!
Looking
for a way to serve and get some satisfaction at the
same time? The Honor Guard program is looking for members
of the Army and Air Guard to join the team to perform
honor guard duties at the funerals of veterans.
There is an initial eight hours of training
for all new enrollees, with on-going sustainment training.
As an honor guard member, you will receive
a day of pay for each day's mission, minimum of $50,
and traditional drilling Guard members receive a retirement
point for each day's duties.
If you are
interested in applying for the Honor Guard program,
call Retired Sgt. Maj. Ed Goetschius at 609-530-7090.
VA Launches
Suicide Hotline
To ensure
veterans with emotional crises have round-the-clock
access to trained professionals, the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun operation of a national
suicide prevention hot line for veterans. Secretary
of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson said: "Veterans
need to know these VA professionals are literally
a phone call away. All service members who experience
the stresses of combat can have wounds on their minds
as well as their bodies. Veterans should see mental
health services as another benefit they have earned,
which the men and women of VA are honored to provide."
VA's hot line will be staffed by mental health professionals
in Canandaigua, N.Y.
They will take toll-free calls from across the country
and work closely with local VA mental health providers
to help callers. The toll-free hot line number is
1 (800) 273-TALK (8255).
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
N.J.
State
Family Readiness Council offers Family Grants Program
The New Jersey National Guard State Family Readiness
Council has expanded its Family Grants Program to
include an additional grant. There are now two
levels of Family Grants; TIER I is the $2,500 grant
that has been in place for the past couple of years.
The TIER II opens family grants to New Jersey Army
and Air National Guard non-deployed service members
who were on State Active Duty or State Missions (e.g.,
hurricanes, floods, border missions) for more than
20 consecutive days. Service members meeting
these criteria are eligible to apply for a financial
hardship grant up to $1,500. Applications are
available at all New Jersey Army and Air National
Guard Family Assistance Centers.
Military families can buy discounted Disney World
ticket by phone
Military families who are unable to travel to
a base to buy specially priced Walt
Disney World
Theme Park
tickets have a new option. Retired, Active,
National Guard, Reservist and Department of Defense
personnel are now able to purchase these specially
priced tickets over the phone. Disney Military
Sales has offered discounted tickets to military families
for over 20 years. The proceeds directly support the
base community and the programs offered to the military
personnel stationed there. Discounted tickets for
qualifying military families may be purchased via
mail-order by calling the Commander, Navy Region Southwest
at 619-767-6000 or Air Force Central Ticket Program
at 210-652-2855.
Program offers assistance to spouses of deployed
military
The Deployed Military Spouses Assistance Program
provides direct assistance and referrals to existing
programs for spouses of deployed military personnel
(active duty, reserve and National Guard) who face
unusual financial and emotional stress as a result
of the deployments.
Applicants should contact Fawn Mutschler at 609-543-6200
ext. 325 or wocmilitarygrant@ymca-bc.org to obtain
an application. In addition to the completed
application form, applicants will also need to submit
the following documentation: LES/paystub for applicant
and spouse; statement of Financial Need (i.e. reason
for applying and how the grant will help); bill or
pricing of expenditure as well as any other supporting
information the applicant feels may be helpful. Additional
information can be found at: www.state.nj.us/dca/dow/depmilspouseasst.shtml
Sports and Entertainment
First Annual Jack Green Memorial 5K Run/Walk
The First Annual Jack Green Memorial 5K Run/Walk
will be held Sunday Oct.
21 at 8:30 a.m. at the 177th Fighter Wing, 400 Langley Road, Egg Harbor Twp, N.J.
Registration will be held from 6:30 to 8 a.m.,
in building. 229 - the Base Gym. Pre-
registration fee is $15 if postmarked by Oct. 10. Race day fee will be $20. Please make checks
payable to: 177 Fighter Wing Chief's Council and mail
to: Master Sgt. Frank G Heath, 400
Langley Road, Egg Harbor
Twp.,
NJ 08234.
For an application or information contact Tech.
Sgt. Erica Nelson at (609) 645-6224 or Master Sgt.
Frank Heath at (609) 645-6109 or frank.heath@njatla.ang.af.mil.
This event will be open to unit members, dependents,
and individuals that would normally have access to
the base. This is not open to the general public.
Enlisted Association holding golf outing on Oct.
22
The Enlisted Association of the National Guard
of New Jersey is holding a golf outing on Oct. 22 at Gambler's Ridge Golf Club, 121 Burlington Path Road, Cream
Ridge, NJ. All proceeds from the event go to the association's
scholarships.
Registration and a continental breakfast begins
the day at 7:30 a.m. The play is two-person best ball
with a modified shotgun start at 8:45.
A donation of $90 includes greens fees, cart
and luncheon. There
will be prizes for first and second place teams for
the low gross, closest to the pin on all par 3's and
the longest drive.
For more information call Mike Amoroso at 609-562-0754.
Make checks payable to EANG-NJ (Golf) and mail to
Leon Cisek, PO Box 365, Wrightstown
NJ 08562
no later than Oct. 15.
Scholarship, Education News
HBCU
holding career fair for students
A number of organizations, including the New
Jersey Dept. of Education and the New Jersey Commission
on Higher Education, are coming together on Nov.
11 at the Trenton
War Memorial
Building
to commemorate the Malcolm Bernard Historically Black
Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week.
High school and community college students and
parents are invited to attend.
An Ecumenical service with the featured speaker,
Rev. Stephen Samuels will be held from 10-11:30 p.m.
A college fair with workshops will be held
from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. More that 40 HCBUs will be represented at
the fair with information about scholarships and financial
aid, making the college decision and present and future
job market. For more information, visit the web site www.HBCU-CFNJ.com.
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, family members and 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
The Enlisted Association is seeking members to
help give our state a larger voice.
The Association speaks on legislative issues
that benefit military members and families. The association
works 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.
Veterans Information
Vet Career Connect helps military members find
jobs
Vet Career Connect is a program designed to connect
military service members with New
Jersey employers. Vet Career
Connect matches veteran's specific abilities, drives
and interests with jobs requiring those specific abilities.
Participants complete a Caliper Profile, which
is an on-line self assessment. They will receive an
Individual Developmental Guide outlining personal
motivators and areas of developmental opportunity.
Participants will then have the opportunity to place
the results of the Caliper Profile, their resume and
military achievements onto a database which will be
viewed by New Jersey-based companies who have indicated
a strong interest in employing veterans.
Vet Career Connect program is available at no
cost to service members. In order to participate in
this program, or if you have additional questions
please email or call Barbara
Foos, Project Administrator, at 609-524-1228
or bfoos@calipercorp.com.
The New Jersey State Building and Construction
Trades Council's Helmets to Hardhats Program (NJ H2H)
is designed to help transitioning military personnel,
National Guardsmen and Reservists find the careers
in the building and construction industry. The program seeks to help military members
find a career in one of 15 affiliated trades, such
as electrical workers, carpenters and painters.
They work in cooperation with the national Helmets
to Hardhats program, adding a personal component to
the program's on-line services.
NJ H2H offers veterans preparation for successful
application to any of New Jersey's registered apprenticeship programs
in the building and construction trades. Services
include career counseling, entrance test preparation
and referral to supportive services.
For program registration and information, visit
online at www.njbctc.org/h2h or contact at 732-499-7295
or at H2H@njbctc.org.
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:
October 30*, 31, November 1 |
Brunswick Square Mall |
November 27, 28, 29 |
Quaker Bridge Mall |
January 8,9, 2008 |
Woodbridge
Center |
February 5, 6, 7 |
Moorestown Mall |
March 4*, 5, 6 |
Paramus
Park
Shopping Center |
April 1, 2, 3 |
Voorhees
Town
Center |
May 6*, 7, 8 |
Ocean County Mall |
*Medal ceremonies begin at 10:30 a.m. on these
dates. The
kiosk will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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.
Oct. 19, 8 a.m.-3:00 p.m. - "Weighing In On War,
and Why: Public Opinion and Its Influences, Vietnam
to Iraq,"
9th annual Forum on the Vietnam Era. Keynote
Speaker: Bobby Muller, Founder of Vietnam
Veterans of America.
Pre-registration required.
Oct. 20, 1 p.m. - "Choppers at War: Vietnam to Iraq," a lecture by N.J. Iraq
War Veteran, Lt. Col. Mark Preston, USA.
Nov. 3, 1 p.m. - The Last Ghost of War, a
film about Vietnam Veterans and Agent Orange presented
by film director Janet Gardner.
Dec. 8, 1 p.m. - Ghosts in the Landscape: Vietnam Revisited, a
photo gallery display and book discussion by the author/photographer,
N.J. Vietnam Veteran Craig J. Barber.
====================
For further information call 1-800-648-VETS or
visit www.njvvmf.org.