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| DMAVA Highlights » 1 April 2005 » Volume 4, Number 13 |
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. NJ
Dept of Military and Maj Gen
Glenn K. Rieth Brig Gen
Maria Falca-Dodson Col
(Ret) Stephen G. Abel . Contacting us is easy! Office of the Assistant Commisioner COL (Ret) Michael B. Smith Mrs. Laura A. Branham Phone: (609) 530-6987 Fax: (609) 530-7109 Email: We're
on the Web!
Veterans’ Organizations State Veterans Service
Council NJ Advisory Committee for
Women Veterans BG Willam C. Doyle Cemetery Advisory
Council
- New Jersey Freedom Loans
What is a Freedom Loan? * Up to $10,000 Who is eligible to apply? NJ residents who are: * Members of the National Guard or Reserve Or * Served 90 or more consecutive days in the GWOT on federal or state active duty (excluding routing training) and have received orders extending cumulative active duty a year or longer.
How do I apply? * Contact participating banks. Call or visit
your local branch office to obtain an application. Current participants: Commerce Bank Credit
Union of NJ First
Morris Bank & Trust Fleet Manasquan
Savings Bank North
Jersey Federal Peapack-Gladstone
Bank Pennsville
National Bank PNC Sovereign
Bank Sun
National Bank - - - April Fool’s Day "It's quite true there's a fool born every minute. It's also quite true they don't die that fast." -Unknown . . Daylight Saving Time begins Spring forward – Fall back. Daylight Saving Time begins for most of the United States at 2 a.m. this Sunday, 3 April 2005. All of your clocks should be turned forward an hour, effectively moving an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. |
Welcome Home Ceremony held for Headquarters
50th Brigade
On 24 March 2005, the NJ National Guard conducted a Welcome Home ceremony for the HQs 50th Brigade at the Lawrenceville Armory. Brig Gen Maria Falca-Dodson, the Deputy Adjutant General, officially welcomed home the soldiers of the 50th Brigade who deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Congressman Rush Holt, Lawrence Township Mayor Pamela Mount, families, friends, fellow National Guard soldiers and airmen, the local community, and DMVA employees expressed their appreciation of these soldiers with a tremendous showing of support. The NJ National Guard is extremely proud of these soldiers! Their performance and dedication to duty is in keeping with the highest traditions of military service. Welcome Home!
“Faces of the Fallen” exhibit opens in Washington, DC. A new exhibit named “The Faces of the Fallen” opened at the Women in the Military Service For America Memorial at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. Two hundred artists from across the nation were commissioned to do three or four portraits of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan in the Global War on Terrorism. More than 1300 portraits have been completed for this exhibition. The portraits were all 6x8 inches, however, each artist was free to do their own interpretation. Some portraits were done in oil, some in watercolors, others were black and white renditions, while still others were accomplished in three dimensions in tin or ceramic. Portraits of the NJ National Guard’s four fallen heroes are to be included in the exhibition. On the evening of 22 March, a dedication ceremony was held as the exhibit was opened to the families and invited guests. The exhibit opened to the public on Wednesday, 23 March, and will remain open until Veterans Day, 11 November 2005. BG & Mrs. Frank Carlini represented MG Glenn K. Rieth and the NJ Army National Guard at the dedication ceremony, where speakers included Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Meyers and Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O’Connor. At the conclusion of the exhibition, the families will receive the portraits of their loved ones. All of the portraits can be viewed on the web at www.facesofthefallen.org.
Legislation creates World War II Memorial Fund. On March 28, 2005, Acting Governor Richard J. Codey signed Senate Bill No. 2365 into law, creating the World War II Veterans Memorial Fund and allowing the Adjutant General and Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs to proceed with private fundraising for the project. Presently scheduled for completion by Memorial Day 2006, New Jersey’s monument to “The Greatest Generation” will be constructed across from the State House in Trenton. A dedication ceremony is being planned for this fall and financial donations, both from within and without the department, are encouraged. Please contact the Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs at 609-530-7045 or the Director of Veterans Services at 609-530-7049 for further information.
DMVA welcomes new Director of Veterans Services. Mr. Gary Englert joined DMVA’s staff as the new Director of Veterans Services on Monday, 21 March 2005. Gary is a highly decorated Vietnam veteran who served with the 23rd Infantry Division (Americal). Long involved with veteran’s issues, he is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Vice-Commander VFW Post 376 in West Orange, New Jersey. Prior to his appointment as director, he was the Superintendent of Public Property for the Township of West Orange.
Acting Governor Codey announced TOPOFF 3 mock terror exercise. “The public needs to know that an exercise is going on.” Acting Governor Richard J. Codey announced this week that NJ would test its domestic security preparedness at all levels by participating in TOPOFF 3, a full-scale, national terrorism response exercise that will take place April 4-8. TOPOFF, short for Top Officials, is a Congressionally mandated exercise sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness. TOPOFF3 will be the most comprehensive terrorism response exercise ever conducted in the United States. It will require real officials to respond to simulated terror attacks, including mock biological and chemical attacks in New Jersey and Connecticut, and events in the United Kingdom and Canada. Agencies in every New Jersey county will participate. “New Jersey is uniquely on the front lines of the war against terror, and we are better prepared than most states in America. Next week we will put our preparedness to a very thorough test, at every level from the local to the state to the federal,” Codey said. The public needs to know that an exercise is going on. You might hear about something strange at your local hospital, see first responders in hazardous materials suits, or see a large number of ambulances in your area. Don’t be alarmed. “If you come across something suspicious and you don’t know whether it is real or part of the test, call 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ, the hotline of the NJ Domestic Security Task Force and report it.
Members of the 119th Corps Support Battalion (CSB) currently serving in Iraq, attended Easter Sunrise Services in the birthplace of civilization. Chaplain Jan Kozera assisted in the preparation of a memorable Easter Sunrise Service for members of the 119th CSB and the other soldiers on their post. Under tight security, Battalion Commander, LTC Sharon Tootell, Executive Officer, MAJ John Simms, and many of the soldiers of 119th CSB, their subordinate units, and civilian government employees from surrounding military camps attended services in the ancient city of Ur (Mesopotamia). The sunrise service, which included music, prayers, and a brief sermon, was held outside the archeological site believed to be the home of the patriarch Abraham.
Veterans honored with New Jersey’s Distinguished Service and Meritorious Service Medals. On Thursday, 31 March 2005, a ceremony to present the New Jersey Distinguished Service and Meritorious Service Medals was held at the Cherry Hill Armory. COL Shawn Keyes, Human Resource Officer at Fort Dix, presented 85 New Jersey Meritorious Medals and 93 New Jersey Distinguished Service Medals to Camden and Gloucester County residents. Mr. William Meade from the Veterans of Foreign Wars sang the National Anthem to everyone’s delight. Division of Veterans Programs’ employee, Ms. Kimberly Bruss, performed Mistress of Ceremonies duties, and Ms. Michelle Johnson assisted with the program.
The U.S. Army’s Freedom Team Salute Program The Freedom Team Salute program gives all Army Soldiers - Active duty, Reservists, and National Guardsmen – the opportunity to recognize and thank parents, spouses, and employers for their support of our soldiers while they serve and protect our freedom and the American way of life. Nominating someone is easy – simply visit the website www.freedomteamsalute.us.army.mil and enter the name and address of the person who has supported you. Freedom Team Salute honorees will receive an official Army lapel pin, a U.S. Army decal, a Letter of Thanks and Certificate of Appreciation signed by both the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Army. The Army would also like to show its appreciation to all of our veterans for their service to our nation. Veterans can log onto the website and simply enter their name and address. In 4-6 weeks, those nominated will receive their Freedom Team Salute Commendation package.
NJ Air National Guard’s Colonel Michael S. Moore retires. Eleven days after Army Private Michael S. Moore landed in Vietnam, he and his buddies were crowded around a radio listening to the Armed Forces Network broadcast news of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Now, 42 years later, with New Jersey Air National Guard eagles on his collar and more than 23 years commanding various units, he will be hanging up his uniform. After Vietnam and a tour in Germany, Moore took a break from the military. He later joined the Army Reserves, transferred into the NJ Air National Guard’s 117th Fighter Wing, and was commissioned into the officer corps. Several years later he came to the 108th Air Refueling Wing, where he commanded various flights, until he was named the 108th Mission Support Group commander seven years ago. Colonel Moore retired from his civilian job in 1996 after 27 years in the NJ State Police. Colonel Moore, who also served as President of the New Jersey Officers Association, will now relax and travel with his wife, Vivian.
Upcoming Job Fairs Veterans Job Fair, Bergen County – A Veterans Job Fair will be held on Tuesday, 5 April 2005, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at VFW Post 4591, 513 Veterans Place, Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey 08604. The NJ Department of Labor, VFW Post 4591, and the Bergen County Division of Veterans Affairs are sponsoring the Job Fair, and more than 50 leading employers are registered to participate. Please bring plenty of resumes, a copy of your DD214 (separation/discharge), and dress to impress. If you would like additional information, contact MSG (Ret) John Bautz at 201-996-8950 or by email at john.bautz@dol.state.nj.us. Veterans Job Fair, Iselin – The NJ Department of Labor announced a Veterans Job Fair on 29 April 2005 at the American Legion Post 471, 25 Brown Avenue, Iselin, New Jersey, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Participation is free for veterans and employers. Mr. Joe Battito, our Middlesex County Veterans Service Officer, will represent DMVA at the job fair. If you have any questions, please contact Veterans representative, John Leary, at 732-937-6205
Veterans to be honored at upcoming Medal Ceremonies. The following ceremonies have been scheduled to honor our State’s veterans.
Support the Troops Here are some of the activities and fundraisers planned in support of our deployed troops and their families: Baby Sitting Certification and Training – 2 April 2005 – Training provided by the American Red Cross will be held at the Teaneck Armory, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $55 per person. Pancake Breakfast – Steinert High School Cafeteria, 2900 Klockner Road, Hamilton, NJ -3 April Wachovia and the Rotary Club of Hamilton/Washington Township are sponsoring a Support the Troops Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, 3 April 2005, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hosted by Senator Peter Inverson, Assemblyman Bill Baroni, and Hamilton Councilwoman Eileen Thornton, proceeds will benefit the soldiers and families of the NJ National Guard Family Assistance Center. Tickets are $6.00. Call 609-631-9988 for tickets or further information. “Children’s Day” – 3 April 2005 - The Teaneck Family Assistance Center has planned Children’s Day for the children of our deployed soldiers. There will be fingerprinting, fire and bike safety programs, soccer games, and plenty to eat. If you are interested in attending, please call SSG Loureiro at 201-883-8356. CPR Training and Certification, 9 April 2005 – The American Red Cross will provide CPR training and certification at the Teaneck Armory on 9 April 2005, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $65 per person. Pancake Breakfast – Waterfront Café, Carlstadt, 17 April 2005. The Waterfront Café – Steak and Clam House, Paterson Plank Road, Carlstadt, NJ (right behind the Continental Arena) will host a Pancake Breakfast to benefit the families of our Army National Guard troops deployed out of the Teaneck Armory. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is sponsored by the Nam Knights of America, VVA Chapter 800, and the Jewish War Veterans of USA. Cost is $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for Seniors and children under 12 JT2DC (T3BL) Soldier’s Association Golf Tournament – 25 April 2005. The event will begin with a 9 a.m. Shotgun Start at the Fountain Green Golf Course, Fort Dix. Cost $80 per person. Proceeds will assist the families of our deployed soldiers. For additional information, contact CSM Tim Maskery at 609-562-0539. Sign up for a chance to send your solider Dunkin Donuts coffee. Dunkin Donuts will send a case of free coffee to your soldier if he/she is among the 50 selected in a monthly lottery. Just go to www.dunkindonuts.com, click on “About Us,” click on “Contact Us,” click on “Instore Visits,” fill out the form, in the comments section put the soldier’s rank, name and APO address, and say that you would like to send your soldier coffee. Then click “Submit.” You can mail a request to Dunkin Brands, 130 Royall Street, Camton, MA 02021, Attention Customer Care or request the coffee by phone at 781-737-3000 (Customer Relations). Operation Uplink. Visit http://www.operationuplink.org/request.cfm to request free phone cards for active duty military personnel deployed away from home. At this site you can fill out a request for a phone card to be sent to yourself or a loved one. One card per request per servicemember will be honored during a 60-day period. Gifts from the Homefront. The “Gifts from the Homefront” program was begun last year by the Army and Air Force and enables people from all walks of life to rally around America’s troops by purchasing gift certificates designed to lift the morale of deployed troops around the world. The certificates, which can be purchased by any individual or civic organization, allow service members to purchase items of necessity and convenience at PX and BX facilities around the world. “Gifts from the Homefront” certificates can be addressed to “any service member” or individual service members. Because the gift certificates can be use for merchandise already stocked at contingency locations, “Gifts from the Homefront” are a safe alternative to traditional care packages that can strain the military mail system and present force protection issues. Those wishing to send a “Gift from the Homefront” can simply log on to the AAFES website, www.aafes.com, or call 877-770-4438 toll-free to buy gift certificates in $10 or $20 denominations. From there, the “Gift from the Homefront” may be sent toan individual service member designed by the purchaser or distributed to “any service member” through the USO, American Red Cross, Air Force Aid Society, or Fisher House. Operation Mail Call. Operation Mail call is a program initiated by New Jersey Assemblymen Jack Conners and Herb Conaway that enables citizens to donate postage stamps for use by our troops and their families. Over 23,000 stamps have been donated to our National Guard soldiers and airmen and Family Readiness Programs. If you would like to participate, please mail or drop off your postage stamps to the 7th Legislative District Office, Delran Professional Center, 8008 Route 130 North, Suite 125, Delran, NJ 08075. American Hero Band - The American Hero Band is a free wristband worn by Americans to demonstrate their support of the “Defenders of Freedom” who are Army National Guard soldiers deployed across the globe. Engraved on the metallic wristband are the words IN HONOR OF AN AMERICAN HERO SERVING IN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD. These words are flanked left by the Army National Guard logo and right by the American flag. There is also an inscription of the National Guard website, http://www.virtualarmory.com and a unique serial number engraved inside this commemorative wristband. If you are interested in getting The American Hero Band, go to http://www.virtualarmory.com and click on the American Hero Band banner. Part-time opportunities in Military Funeral Honors Program. The New Jersey Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors Program has several part-time employment opportunities immediately available across the state for TDGs and Technicians. Earn one day’s base pay and one retirement point for a few hours work providing Military Funeral Honors for our Veterans. If you are interested, please contact SFC Raymond Denson, Military Funeral Honors Coordinator, at 609-530-7090 or by e-mail at Raymond.Denson@nj.ngb.army.mil. Scholarship Information– The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation Scholarship Contest is available to graduating NJ high school seniors. Two $2,500 scholarships will be awarded on May 30, 2005 at the Memorial Day ceremony at the NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial. To apply, students need to complete an application, submit proof that they are continuing their education at a college/university or trade/technical school, and submit a short essay about his/her visit to the NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 15, 2005. Application and information can be found at www.njvvmf.org or by calling 1-800-648-VETS. American Legion Scholarship. If you have a son, daughter, grandson, or granddaughter that is a senior in high school, they may qualify to receive a scholarship through the American Legion. For applications, please call Mr. Robert Luby at 908-996-6005 or email him at robertlooby@earthlink.net. CSM Vincent Baldassari Memorial and USAA Scholarship Awards Program. The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of New Jersey will sponsor five scholarships of $1000 ach for children of members of the Association and drilling members of the NJ National Guard (Army or Air) who are also members of the Association. Additionally, USAA will sponsor one $1000 scholarship for a drilling member. Applicants must complete the appropriate application in its entirety with all required and prescribed documents. The deadline for application submission is 15 April 2005. Additional details and application can be found on the Department’s website, (click here for PDF)
NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and Vietnam Era Education Center’s upcoming event schedule.
For more information about any of these events, please call the NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation office at (732) 335-0033. The Vietnam Era Educational Center is located adjacent to the NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial off the Garden State Parkway at Exit 116.
Fitness Corner – Ernie Razzano, Certified Fitness Trainer The Effects of Caffeine For all of you coffee drinkers out there, did you ever wonder what caffeine actually does to you? First, caffeine causes the brain’s blood vessels to constrict. This effect is why some headache medicines like Anacin contain caffeine – if you have a vascular headache, the caffeine will close down the blood vessels and relieve it. With increased neuron firing in the brain, the pituitary gland sees all of the activity and thinks some sort of emergency must be occurring, so it releases hormones that tell the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline (epinephrine). Adrenaline is the “fight or flight” hormone, and it has a number of effects on your body: - Your pupils dilate. - Your breathing tubes open up (this is why people suffering from severe asthma attacks are sometimes injected with epinephrine). - Your heart beats faster. - Blood vessels on the surface constrict to slow blood flow from cuts and also to increase blood flow to muscles. - Blood pressure rises. - Blood flow to the stomach slows. - The liver releases sugar into the bloodstream for extra energy. - Muscles tighten up, ready for action. This explains why, after consuming a big cup of coffee, your hands get cold, your muscles tense up, you feel excited, and you can feel your heart beat increasing. The problem with caffeine is the longer-term effects, which tend to spiral. For example, once the adrenaline wears off, you face fatigue and depression. So what are you going to do? You take more caffeine to get the adrenaline going again. As you might imagine, having your body in a state of emergency all day long isn’t very healthy, and it also makes you jumpy and irritable. The most important long-term problem is the effect that caffeine has on sleep. The half-life of caffeine in your body is 6 hours. That means that if you consume a big cup of coffee with 200 mg of caffeine in it at 3 p.m., by 9 p.m. about 100 mg of that caffeine is till in your system. You may be able to fall asleep, but your body probably will miss out on the benefits of deep sleep. That deficit adds up fast. The next day you feel worse, so you need caffeine as soon as you get out of bed. The cycle continues day after day. This is why 90% of Americans consume caffeine every day. Once you get in the cycle, you have to keep taking the drug. Even worse, if you try to stop taking caffeine, you get very tired and depressed and you get terrible, splitting headache as blood vessels in the brain dilate. These negative effects force you to run back to caffeine even if you want to stop.
Armory Happenings Upcoming events taking place at your local armory. 30 March – 4
April
Today in History Today is Friday, 1 April 2005. It is the 91st day of the year with 274 days remaining. 1621 - The Plymouth, Massachusetts, colonists created the first treaty with Native Americans. 1748 – The ruins of Pompeii were found. 1889 – The first dishwashing machine was marketed (in Chicago). 1927 – The first automatic record changer was introduced by His Master’s Voice. 1938 – The first commercially successful fluorescent lamps were introduced. 1938 – The Baseball Hall of Fame opened in Cooperstown, NY. 1946 – Weight Watchers was formed. 1954 – The U.S. Air Force Academy was formed in Colorado. 1963 – The soap opera, “General Hospital,” premiered on television. 1982 – The U.S. transferred the Canal Zone to Panama. 1987 – U.S. President Reagan told doctors in Philadelphia, “We’ve declared AIDS public health enemy No. 1.”
Support our Troops – Call today to volunteer at a Family Readiness Center near you. Call toll free at 888-859-0352 to assist the families of our deployed soldiers and airmen. |
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Department: Home | Army | Air | Veterans | Administration | Leadership | Youth Challenge | Sitemap | Links Statewide: NJ Home | Services A to Z | Departments/Agencies | FAQs Copyright © State of New Jersey, 2018 Department of Military & Veterans Affairs P.O. Box 340 Trenton, NJ 08625-0340 Phone: 609-530-4600 Updated: June 13, 2018 8:59 |
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