During the October drill weekend, the 108th Civil Engineer Squadron spent both days training at the Joint Training and Training Development Center at Fort Dix and Saturday evening sleeping in the great outdoors.

Bivouac training is required every 40 months for the CE Airmen and this cycle's training was held at home station.  The squadron members pitched tents on the grassy area around their buildings, giving them training in tent erection and tear down as well as a sleeping area for the night.

To give the Airmen the required combat skills training, 108th CES bussed them to the JT2DC where they worked on the various skills they can use during their real-life missions.  The Airmen used the convoy training trailer, worked with two New Jersey Army Guardsmen on the VICE (Virtual Interactive Combat Environment) system and made use of the urban, dessert and wooded training areas in the building.

Enthusiasm and smiles were in full force of the squadron members going through the JT2DC.  The sentiment expressed by the Airman who said, "good stuff, definitely fun," was echoed by many.

More than 200 runners participated in the 1st Annual Jack Green Memorial Run at the 177th Fighter Wing this past Sunday.  The crowded pack of individuals at the starting line gradually thinned out to a steady stream of sprinters, runners, joggers and walkers.  Lori Green brought her son Jake to witness the race, and offer deeply felt words to all gathered there. 

Coming in first place in the 5k run was Liam Dingman, son of Avionics member Tech. Sgt. William Dingman.  Taking first place in the women's category was the Wing Executive Officer, Capt. Yvonne Mays.  Col. Randall King, 177th commander, was pacing himself somewhere in the middle of the pack."as a safety observer" or so he claimed.  An avid runner himself, Col. King did emphasize safety to all participants and stressed the fun aspect of the event as well as the good cause for which it was being held. 

Money raised by the run will benefit an educational fund for Jake Green, as well as being held in a trust to be used during future emergencies that might impact unit members and their families.

The New Jersey National Guard Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) has officially kicked off its 2007 campaign which will run until the last week of November 2007. This year's theme is "Help Our World Forward."

The CFC provides each federal employee with an annual opportunity to voluntarily help others and ourselves by donating to the community, national and international level human, health and environmental organizations.  With more than 3,000 human and health service organizations listed in the CFC catalog, there is certainly at least one cause deserving consideration for your personal contribution.

Contributions may be made via easy payroll deductions each pay period or by check.

Over the years, our department has been most successful in this endeavor because of your personal generosity and concern.  We urge every employee to support this worthy cause.  Catalogs and payroll deduction forms will be going out to all full time Federal Technicians and AGRs. 

The CFC Coordinator for this year's Combined Federal Campaign is Jo Anne Miller, J1-HRO Office.  For more information, call 609-562-0851.

The New Jersey State Employees Charitable Campaign has officially kicked off its 2007/2008 Campaign which will run until Nov. 27, 2007.

The ECC provides each of state employee with the annual opportunity to voluntarily help others and ourselves by donating to any of the more than 1,400 participating agencies and organizations listed in the ECC Code Book.  Contributions may be made by payroll deductions each year or by cash or check.

Over the years, DMAVA has been most successful in this endeavor because of the employee's personal generosity and concern.  We urge everyone to support this worthy cause.  Code books and payroll deduction forms will be going out to all full-time state employees.

This year's ECC Coordinator for the campaign is Paul Serdiuk, DMAVA-HRD office.  For more information, please contact him at 609-530-6878.  Information can also be accessed online at www.njsecc.org.

The New York Islanders ice hockey team is having a Military Appreciation Night on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. when the Islanders play the New Jersey Devils. 

Military personnel can receive up to 40 percent off tickets, with prices starting at just $16.

For information on group tickets to this game, call 1-800-882-ISLES, extension 3 or e-mail groupsales@newyorkislanders.com.  You can also show your military ID at the Nassau Coliseum box office.  Go to www.newyorkislanders.com for more information.

From the desk of Amanda Balas, State Youth Coordinator

Operation Military Kids project in New Jersey is sponsoring a photo contest.  The theme is "Families in the Military." Any youth of a military family in any branch of the service, including active duty, National Guard and Reserves is eligible to enter. 

The age categories for entries are grades 2-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12.  Photos can be black and white or color and can be in digital or 35mm format.

Photos must be taken by the youth and should capture a unique moment or setting their family life or in their community that means something special to them.  Theywill be judge on originality and creativity.  First and second places will be awarded in each age category.

Contact Amanda Balas, N.J. National Guard State Youth Coordinator, for entry forms and more information at 609-562-0742 or Amanda.balas@us.army.mil. Deadline for submissions is Jan. 14, 2008.

Are you looking for a different place to visit to find history, food and performances of a good variety?  Think about visiting the United States Military Academy. 

While there you can tour the historic grounds, find lodging and meals, go to the visitor center where you can purchase something to remember your visit and then enjoy live entertainment at the second-largest theater in New York - the Eisenhower Hall theatre.

The list of upcoming entertainment includes stage productions of musicals and plays, ballet, and music - orchestra, jazz and individual performers.  Three performances in September included acrobats, opera and a comedian.

Individual ticket prices range from approximately $25-50 for most performances.

The post is open to civilians; everyone 16 and older must present photo ID.

Find out more information about Eisenhower Hall at http://www.ikehall.com/.  To find out more about the United States Military Academy, visit http://www.usma.edu/. 

From the desk of Sgt. Maj. Nick Kampf, Safety and Occupational Health, NJARNG and the National Safety Council

Halloween is a cherished tradition but the excitement of the night can cause children to forget to be careful. There is no real "trick" to making Halloween a real treat for the entire family.  The major dangers are not from witches or spirits but rather from falls and pedestrian/car crashes.  Here are some tips to keep the fun in Halloween.

Motorists:

v    Watch for children darting out from between parked cars.

v    Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.

v    As the day darkens, watch for children in dark clothing.

Parents:

v    Make sure an adult or older responsible youth is accompanying children under the age of 12.

v    Instruct your children to travel only in familiar areas and along an established route.

v    Teach children to stop only at houses that are well-lit and never enter a stranger's home.

v    Tell children not to eat any treats until they return home.

Costume design:

v    Costumes should be loose so warm clothing can be worn underneath.

v    Costumes should not be so long they are a tripping hazard.

v    Strips of reflective tape should be used to make children visible.

Masks:

v    Masks can obstruct a child's vision, Use facial make-up instead.

v    If masks are worn, they should have nose and mouth openings and large eye holes.

Accessories:

v    Knives, swords and other accessories should be made from cardboard or flexible materials.

v    Carrying flashlights will help children see better and be seen more clearly.

On the way:

v    Children should walk, not run from house to house.  Do not cross yards and lawns where unseen objects or uneven terrain can present tripping hazards.

From the desk of Ronald Slate, Supervisor of Visual, Performing and Practical Arts, Springfield Public Schools

Springfield, NJ - Florence M. Gaudineer Middle School would like to extend an invitation to all of our service men and women to our performance of Rogers and Hammerstein's South Pacific on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. The performance will take place at Jonathan Dayton High School's Halsey Hall Auditorium, 139 Mountain Avenue, Springfield, NJ 07081.

The school plans to honor our local service organizations such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Jewish War Veterans, and the Vietnam Veterans Association along with active members of our armed forces at this performance and would like to have you join this celebration.

The school has been working on character education and our students have been researching our service people and the sacrifices they have endured to ensure our nation's freedoms.  The students are also working with Operation Shoebox, an organization that takes supplies, items and letters from home and delivers them to our troops overseas.

Students and faculty are sure this will be a special evening for our students, veterans and community.

By Sibley Smith, Director of Education, Vietnam Era Educational Center

On Oct. 19, the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Foundation with assistance from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs held its annual, all-day, multi-speaker, Interdisciplinary Forum on the Vietnam Era at the Vietnam Era Educational Center and the nearby Robert B. Meyner Reception Center in Holmdel.

More than 75 registrants attended the educational program which was orchestrated to best meet the needs of the Forum's largest audience, New Jersey public school teachers. The NJVVMF is certified by the State Board of Education to be a provider of Professional Development credits which are required of N.J. public school teachers to obtain their recertification.  Registrants who attended all of the forum's offerings received a certificate for five hours worth of credits.

The theme for this year's Forum was "Weighing In on War: Public Opinion and Its Influences, Vietnam to Iraq." Keynote speaker was Vietnam Veteran Bobby Muller, founder of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and founder and chairman of the board of Veterans for America (VFA). 

During the day, Forum registrants attended five panel-discussion workshop sessions which focused on influences on public opinion regarding war.  These sessions were "Government/Military," "News Media," and "Popular Culture," "Veterans' Voice," and "Family and Friends."

The many guest speakers, discussion moderators, tour guide volunteer staff and volunteers who worked as chauffeurs and other jobs came from all walks of life - veterans, educators, military, writers, editors, historians, veteran's spouses, Blue and Gold Star mothers and many more.

The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial and the Vietnam Era Educational Center are located on the grounds of the PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, Monmouth County.  The Memorial and the Educational Center are maintained through a partnership between the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Foundation and the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. 

 

In concert with the Veterans' Cemetery Advisory Council, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will host a Veteran's Day Ceremony beginning at 11 a.m., Nov. 11, at the Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 35 Provinceline Road, Wrightstown. The public is invited to attend.

The Blue Star Memorial Highway program began in New Jersey on Route 22 (then Route 29) in 1944 to honor the servicemen and women who had served in the military during World War II.  This program started with the planting of 8,000 dogwood trees by the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs. The program has since grown to highways and byways across the United States and to honor "all who have served, are serving or will serve in the nation's armed forces."

Individual garden clubs throughout the nation coordinate with their state's Department of Transportation on the projects.  Signs with the Blue Star and landscaping surrounding it mark thousands of miles of highway in the continental U.S.

Nov. 11, 2 p.m. - the marker in Bay Head, on Lake Ave (take Bridge Ave. west from Route 35); ceremony sponsored by the Seaweeders Garden Club.

Two New Jersey clubs are having re-dedication ceremonies of their sites during the Veterans Day weekend.

Nov. 12, 11 a.m. - the marker on Route 22, west bound side near the Cushetunk rest area and the Ryland Inn; ceremony sponsored by the Huntingdon Garden Club.

The 2nd Annual Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski II Memorial 3.5 mile run and two mile walk will be held on Nov. 11 - rain or shine - at PNC Bank Arts Center, located at exit 116 on the Garden State Parkway. The run/walk begins at 10 a.m.

Lt. Zilinski grew up in Middletown, N.J. and graduated from Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft.  He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and in 2004.  He completed Airborne School while a student at West Point. He completed Ranger School and was then assigned to the 1/187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).  He deployed with the 101st Airborne Division on Sept. 17, 2005.  Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski II died in Iraq on Nov. 19, 2005 as a result of a roadside bombing.

The LT Dennis W. Zilinski II Memorial Fund was created in his honor. The Fund has supported programs such as Underwater Warriors Foundation, Inc; Operation Support Our Troops - Wheels for Warriors; Fisher House and Warrior and Family Support Center.

Same day registration begins at 7:45 a.m.  There will be a ceremony and tribute to Lt. Zilinski from 8:50-9:30 a.m. and late registration after the ceremony until 9:45 a.m.  A post-run reception will be hosted by Carabba's of Middletown.  Award will be given to the top three male and female finishers.

Runners can register early through the web site at http://www.runwithdennis.org/ index.html. Cost is $25 for adults who register before Oct. 31 and $15 for runners age 18 and under.  T-shirts are only guaranteed to those who register before Oct. 31.  For those who register after Oct. 31, the cost is $35 for adults and $20 for those 18 and younger.

Vehicle access into PNC Bank Arts Center will be closed starting at 9:45am for the duration of the Race. This is a scenic course with challenging hills going through the complex and ending at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  There will be no strollers or bicycles allowed on the 3.5 Mile Run course.

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.

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.

The 21st Civil Support Team will be hosting an orientation day on Oct. 27, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at buildings 6749 and 6748 on Fort Dix.  The buildings are located at East 16th Street and Albany Ave. Members of the Guard and civilians are invited to attend.  Discover how a CST works.

The orientation will be divided into three sessions. Sessions will repeat every two hours, 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., in order to better accommodate participants.

Each session will consist of the following:

v    Civil Support Team overview

v    "What It Takes To Be A Member" brief

v    Facility tour and equipment demo

v    Decontamination Line demonstration

v    Hands on participation/familiarization with equipment

v    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, ACU OR BDU.

This is a unique opportunity for members of the NJ Army and Air Guard to see first hand what a Civil Support Team does. Civil Support Team members will engage in face to face sessions with participants in order to bring a clearer understanding of team member responsibilities. All applicants, future applicants and interested Soldiers and Airmen are encouraged to come and participate in the orientation day.

Individuals who wish to participate in wearing of the SCBA and level A suits; please send an email 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 you may contact 1st Sgt. Terrence Taylor at 609-562-3139 or Staff Sgt. Toby Tirrito at 609-562-3236.

Country music star Clint Black will be performing at a free concert on Oct. 29 on Doughboy Field, Fort Dix.  The concert will begin at 6 p.m. It is open to all DoD ID card holders and their families.  Priority seating to military in uniform. No pets or coolers; lawn chairs are allowed.  For more information, call 609-562-5853 or www.dixmwr.com.

From the desk of retired Chief Master Sgt. Paul Gunning, Wing Family Program coordinator

McCormick & Schmick's to honor veterans with free entree a part of its ninth annual Military Veterans Appreciation Event http://www.roa.org/site/ R?i=d9OCwxPsQ7V5y0Ccu4TpCQ. McCormick & Schmick's seafood restaurant will offer all retired U.S. military veterans a free entrée on Nov. 11, in appreciation for their service to our country. The offer extends to all who are defined as a veteran by the Veterans Administration, Title 38 US Code 101, which is a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. All veterans must show proper identification. Traditionally, the McCormick & Schmick's Veterans Appreciation event is held on the Sunday prior to the formal Veterans Day holiday. Since Veterans Day falls on a Sunday this year, the McCormick & Schmick's Appreciation event will take place this year on the formal holiday itself.

From the desk of retired Command Sgt. Maj. Mike Hughes, Family Assistance specialist

A recent Defense Department policy change widens the eligibility window for some Reserve-component troops who want to use their Montgomery G.I. Bill education benefits.  The DoD policy now aligns with Department of Veterans Affairs rules, which say National Guard members and reservists are eligible to receive Montgomery G.I. Bill education benefits for the period covering the amount of time they served on active duty, plus four months.  The total amount of G.I. Bill coverage for reservists is still 36 months and reservists normally have 14 years to use their Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits. However, that time might also be extended by the amount of time Guard or Reserve members serve on active duty, plus four months.

The Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP), established by the 2005 National Defense Authorization Act, is another DoD education initiative for members of the Guard and Reserve. To be eligible, servicemembers must have served at least 90 consecutive days of active service after Sept. 11, 2001, in response to a Presidential or Congressional call-up of military forces for wartime or other emergency service.

Guard and Reserve members who served for two continuous years on active duty in support of a contingency operation would qualify for both the Montgomery G.I. Bill and REAP and could select which program they want to use,

Servicemembers can determine if they qualify for the Montgomery G.I. Bill and REAP by contacting their local education office.

The 254th Regiment (CA) will be holding training courses in the upcoming months at the National Guard Regional Training Institute, Sea Girt.

Inactive Duty Training -

Small Group Instructor Training Course, (SGITC) Jan. 5-6, Feb. 2-3, March 1, 2008. You can learn about personality types and the human thought process, how to control the sharp shooter in class, and how to present the best class possible. Few seats remain, sign up now.

Basic NCO Course,(BNCOC) next course starts in April 2008 .

Military Police (31B10 MOS-T) Phase I, Nov. 3, 2007, June 7-8, 2008; 5 seats available. Class starts in 3 weeks, get your soldiers registered today.

PRE WARRIOR Leadership Course, three weekends: Jan. 5-6, Feb. 2-3 and March 1-2, 2008; seats available. Tune up those map reading skills, pass Warrior Leadership Course.

Officer Candidate School Class 52 (OCS)- Project officers interviewing candidates at this time.

Active Duty Training -

Combat Medic Training Course (68W Sustainment), Dec. 3-12, 2007, 20 seats will be available. Look for course in ATRRS on Oct. 22.

Combat Lifesaver (CLS), 1st class will be held Oct. 29-31, 2nd class will be held Nov. 1 -3, 2007. 3rd class will be held Nov. 13-15, 2007; 30 seats have been filled for each class. Thank you for a great job!

For more information, contact Master Sgt. G. Davidson, 254th Regiment operations sergeant, 732-974-5912, Gary.Davidson@us.army.mil or your unit Readiness NCO.  You can also visit our school information on ATRSS at https://www.atrrs.army.mil/atrrscc/, school code is 1004.

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.

By Karen Jowers - Army Times Staff writer

If you want to get holiday gifts to a service member deployed overseas by Dec. 25, it's time to start thinking about mail deadlines.

The first suggested deadline of Nov. 13 is for packages going by parcel post to deployed troops and those living on overseas installations, according to the U.S. Postal Service. Parcel post may be the slowest option, but it's the cheapest, too. For packages to arrive by the start of Hanukkah, at sundown Dec. 4, they should be mailed by Oct. 23.

You can check the cost of mailing your package through different avenues on the Postal Service's Web site.

Postal officials strongly advise families to consider these deadlines because of the volume of mail during the holiday season. Many groups are already gearing up to send packages to deployed troops.

Some tips from the Postal Service:

v    Packages must be addressed to an individual service member. Mail cannot be delivered to "any service member." Use the member's full name, military organization or unit and APO/FPO address.

v    Do not include the country name in any part of the address when using an APO/FPO address.

v    Choose a box strong enough to protect its contents, and use plenty of cushioning material such as popcorn or newspapers.

v    Consider using the Postal Service's free Military Kit - eight boxes of three different sizes popular for mailing to military personnel, along with mailing labels, tape and U.S. Customs forms. Kits can be obtained by calling toll-free to (800) 610-8734. Choose option 1, and when a live agent responds, ask for Care Kit 4.

v    Write the delivery and return addresses on one side of the package.

v    Place a return address label inside the package.

If you miss the parcel post deadline, here are your options for getting mail to an APO/FPO address by Dec. 25 (subtract 21 days from these deadlines to ensure delivery in time for Hanukkah):

v    Space Available Mail (SAM): Nov. 27.

v    Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL): Dec. 4, except for ZIP codes starting with 093, which are all areas of contingency operations. The suggested deadline for those locations is Dec. 1.

v    Priority Mail: Dec. 11 (093 ZIP codes, Dec. 4).

v    First-class letters and cards: Dec. 11. (093 ZIP codes, Dec. 4).

v    Express Mail Military Services: Dec. 18 (not available to 093 ZIP codes).

Visit the following Web site to check out mailing guidelines. http://www.usps.com/ send/preparemailandpackages/preparingpackages.htm.

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:

ý    Identify all people in the article with rank, first and last names and job title or position.

ý    Spell out all acronyms. 

ý    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.

ý    Give us as much as possible of the meat of the story - who, what, when, where, why and how concerning the event.

ý    Photos need identification of people in the photo 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