WHO/WHAT: More than 50 Atlantic and Cape May county residents will be presented state military service medals by Brig. Gen. (retired) Frank Carlini, Director of veterans Health Service, NJ Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs.

WHEN: Friday, July 18 at 11 a.m.

WHERE: Wildwood Convention Center, East Hall, 4501 Boardwalk, Wildwood

Details: 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 30,000 medals have been awarded to combat veterans from New Jersey.