Atlantic County, Cape May County Residents Will Receive State Military Awards October 20

Two special award ceremonies will be held on October 20, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., at the Atlantic Cape Community College, 5100 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing, N.J. During the 11 a.m. ceremony, 95 veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom will be presented with the state’s top military award, the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal. At the 1 p.m. ceremony, 88 veterans of the Vietnam War will be presented with the New Jersey Vietnam Service Medal.

At the earlier ceremony, 29 residents from the two counties who are combat veterans will receive the New Jersey Meritorious Service Medal for their service in the military.

The N.J. Distinguished Service Medal was originally issued in 1858 for those who distinguished themselves in the New Jersey Militia, but was used infrequently until re-authorized by Governor Kean in 1988.

After the Spanish American War, the Mexican Border Expedition and again after World War I, the State of New Jersey minted special medals for returning N.J. veterans to honor their service. After World War II, Korea, Vietnam and subsequent combat actions no such medal was available. The State of New Jersey was looking for an appropriate way to honor all of these returning combat veterans and acknowledge the debt the state owed them for their service. The N.J. DSM was then authorized for that purpose. It is New Jersey’s highest military award.

Since its re-authorization in 1988, more than 25,000 medals have been awarded to combat veterans from New Jersey.

In order to be eligible for the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal you must meet all the following criteria:

~ currently be a resident of New Jersey

~ have been a resident of New Jersey at the time you entered into military service

~ have been honorably discharged

~ have proof of having served in combat while on active duty during wartime.

Those recipients whose service was recognized by the award of the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal or equivalent medal will receive a N.J. Distinguished Service Medal with an oak leaf cluster.

The DSM can be awarded posthumously to the next-of-kin of a veteran who meets the criteria.

The New Jersey Meritorious Service Medal is being awarded to those combat veterans who were not residents of New Jersey when they entered the military service, but who are current residents of New Jersey and have resided in the state for the previous five years. All other qualifications are the same as for the DSM.

Posthumous awards can be awarded; application must be made by the surviving spouse or immediate family member.

Approved by the New Jersey Legislature on Nov. 13, 2000, the Vietnam Service Medal commemorates the 25th anniversary of the ending of the Vietnam Conflict in January 1973.

To be eligible for the Vietnam Service Medal, veterans must meet the following criteria:

- be a current resident of New Jersey

- served in any branch of the armed forces of the United States in Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia or the contiguous waters or airspace thereof on or after Dec. 31, 1960 and on or before May 7, 1975.

- Have an honorable discharge or be currently serving in the military

Posthumous awards can be awarded; application must be made by the surviving spouse or immediate family member.

Anyone interested in applying for the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal or Vietnam Service Medal should send a written request, e-mail or telephone call, requesting an application form to the following –

Mail

NJDMAVA
ATTN: Kathy Burek
P.O. Box 340
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0340

Be sure to include full name, home address and a daytime phone number
e-mail: patricia.richter@njdmava.state.nj.us

Phone: 1-800-624-0508, Press 7.

 

NEW JERSEY DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL LIST OF RECIPIENTS

Atlantic Cape Community College, Mays Landing, N.J.

October 20, 2004

LEGEND: (WAR ) CW=Civil War, I=World War I, II=World War II, K=Korea, BP=Bay of Pigs, V=Vietnam, LC=Lebanon Crisis (1958), LPM=Lebanon Peacekeeping Mission (1982-1987), G=Grenada, P=Panama (Operation Just Cause), DSS=Desert Shield/Storm, S=Somalia (Operation Restore Hope), B=Bosnia (Operation Joint Forge), DOM=Dominican Republic, KSV=Kosovo (Operation Joint Endeavor/Joint Guard), H=Haiti (Operation Uphold Democracy), OEF=Afghanistan & Iraq (Operation Enduring Freedom), OIF=Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom), NCTS=No Combat Theater Service