New Jersey Military and Veterans Affairs

Approximately 250 N.J. Soldiers and Airmen are currently supporting Operation Jump Start in New Mexico. In response to the President's plan to stop illegal crossing of undocumented aliens into the United States, National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are conducting Annual Training/Tour periods in New Mexico, Arizona, California and Texas.

The operation is truly a joint effort, utilizing elements of both the Army and Air National Guard. Lending to the jointness of the operation, the commander of JTF New Jersey is Col. Frank Caruso (50th BCT) and the Deputy Commander is Col. Roger Pharo (177th FW) Two contingents from N.J. served two-week periods over the course of Jul 30-August 12. Most of the Soldiers from the 50th BCT were from the 3/112th FA and the 1/114th IN, with Airmen from the 177th FW and the 108th ARW.

Medical, Legal and Public Affairs support has been embedded with the rotation to ensure that our Soldiers and Airmen are properly taken care of.

Veterans having questions about recent incidents involving VA computers and personal information may call 1-800-333-4636 or (1-800-FED-INFO).

Stuff to boost fuel economy simply will not work. According to March/April 2006 AAA magazine, devices like magnets, intake-air agitators, fuel energizers, and lubricant additives provide no significant gas-saving benefit. Now what actually works: Gentle acceleration. Don't be a lead foot. If want to save gas, stop stomping on the accelerator and the brake. Go slowly and smoothly when speeding up, and do as much coasting to a stop as you can.

New changes and enhancements have been made to the New Jersey State Deferred Compensation Plan (NJSDCP) administered by Prudential Financial.

Meet with Mike McConnell, NJSEDCP, Consultant who will brief everyone on the changes and be available afterwards for one-on-one consultations on August 15 in Conference Room A, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

If you have any questions regarding the meeting, contact Paul Serdiuk at 609-530-6878.

A land line phone has been installed and is operational in the Guard Booth located at the driveway entrance to the DMAVA Lawrenceville Complex. This service was installed to enhance facility security measures and provide increased communications capabilities for coordination of visitors to the DMAVA Headquarters Complex.

Effective immediately all Directors, Managers, Supervisors and Employees that interface with outside personnel for hosting on-site meetings here at the Lawrenceville Headquarters are directed to notify the security guard when expecting scheduled visitors.

You are to provide the date, time and name of the visitor in advance whenever possible, also the DMAVA employee they are visiting and/or meeting they are attending. The Guard will issue a visitors parking permit. If you are expecting a large party for a meeting or event please provide a roster of attendees, with the meeting date time and location to the gate guard prior to the event.

This policy applies to all offices and personnel located within the DMAVA Headquarters Complex located on Eggerts Crossing Road in Lawrenceville.

NJDMAVA employees are encouraged to participate in partisan political activities in their private lives but, as government employees, must adhere to certain restrictions in order to avoid actual or apparent conflicts of interest.

For more detailed information, State DMAVA employees should contact the Department’s Ethics Officer, retired Lt. Col. John Dillie at (609) 530-7107. Federal DMAVA employees should contact the federal Ethics advisor, Lt. Col. Eugene Ingrao at (609) 562-0942.

The Division of Veterans Health care Services is pleased to announce that the application for admission to the three N.J. Veterans Memorial Homes (VMHs) is now available on the Internet.

The application for admission can be found on the NJDMAVA website if you click on “Veterans Affairs” and then look under “Healthcare Services” and click on the name of any of the three VMHs. The application for admission must be printed out and completed in ink (or by using a typewriter). The completed application can be mailed to the VMH of your choice.

The revised Application for Admission also contains three Appendixes: Appendix A contains Chapter 5, the actual law governing admission to the three VMHs; Appendix B contains HIPAA (patient privacy) information; and Appendix C is “Calculating Financial Costs – An Overview.”

The Division of Veterans Healthcare Services hopes that by putting the application for admission on the Internet, applicants and/or their families will have easier access to information and will be able to have many of their questions answered in the comfort of their own homes.

The three VMHs are located in Paramus (north), Menlo Park (central), and Vineland (south), New Jersey.

The Northern New Jersey Stand Down 2006, a one-day outreach to assist homeless veterans and their dependents, will be held at the Essex County College gymnasium, Sept. 9, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Many services will be offered to the veterans who take part in the program, including veterans and medical benefits information, social services, employment services, substance abuse programs, recovery programs, photo ID, PTSD counseling, legal services, clothing and more.

The college is located at Market Street and Martin Luther King Blvd, Newark, N.J. A hot lunch will be provided. For more information, please call (973) 748-0980.

On Sept. 16, at 1 p.m., there will be a dedication of the Pennsylvania War Dog Memorial at the Bristol Township Municipal Building. The memorial will honor the military dogs and their handlers who have served our country proudly in both war and peace.

The War Dog Memorial will be part of a newly landscaped memorial garden situated near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial statue and the memorial honoring Bristol Township’s police, fire and emergency services personnel. The municipal building is located at 2501 Bath Road, Bristol, Penn.

Given New Jersey’s past history of flooding and current storm modeling for the 2006 hurricane season, Maj. Gen. Glen K. Rieth hosted a New Jersey Hurricane Summit at the Homeland Security Center of Excellence on August 7. New Jersey has 130 miles of coast line that make the state highly vulnerable to major Hurricanes and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is predicting 13 to 16 named storms for 2006, with 8 to 10 becoming hurricanes, of which 4 to 6 could be Category 3 strength or higher. Based on these predictions and lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina, key Federal Response Officials met with the N.J. National Guard Leadership to discuss Federal response roles and capabilities, request procedures and to develop a working relationship prior to an event impacting New Jersey.

“Good Morning America” is opening up to 50 spaces in their concert series to OIF/OEF veterans every Friday morning through Aug. 25. If you are interested in attending one of these concerts, please contact Kryn Westhoven, 609-530-6950 as soon as possible.

The events are 7-9 a.m., with arrival time of 6 a.m. at the concert location – Bryant Park at 42nd and 6th Avenue, which is located directly behind the New York Public Library. Uniform is ACUs/DCUs with berets.

Soldiers and guests will be in the VIP section near the stage – there is no seating; standing room only. Those who attend must provide their own transportation; parking is several blocks away from the park.

Entertainers on the calendar are:
Aug. 18 - Christina Aguilera
Aug. 25 - Lionel Richie

The New Jersey Civil Air Patrol is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. They perform inland search and rescue missions, aerial reconnaissance for homeland security and disaster relief missions. CAP has an active cadet program and aerospace education program for young people. All of the members are unpaid volunteers and must purchase their own uniforms, although CAP does try to provide uniforms for their cadet members without charge to them.

CAP is looking for donations of BDUs (woodland pattern) in wearable condition for use by their members. They can use pants, shirts, field jackets and caps. They will also accept Air Force Service Dress uniforms for cadet’s use.

If you have uniforms to donate, please contact Maj. Rick Ulmer, (732)364-7755 or e-mail: caplawyer123@comcast.net. He will make arrangements for pick-up.

Does your shopping list have either a U.S. Flag or New Jersey flag on it? One good piece of news – the sales tax hike does not affect that purchase; in fact purchase of either flag is TAX FREE in New Jersey. Please visit the following web page to check out the particulars: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/index.html?flag.htm.

As the summer progresses, the heat will get to each of us sooner or later. Please stop by the Center for Disease Control web site for more information on what to do during extreme heat, symptoms of heat stroke, exhaustion and cramps and other great pointers. Here is the link: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heat_guide.asp.

One of our fellow employees, Ms. Sandra Langley, suffered a terrible loss last weekend. A tragic fire resulted in the loss, not only of her home, but most importantly, her daughter and two grandchildren.

Ms. Langley, who is a Nurses Aide at the Veterans Memorial Home at Vineland, can use our help as she begins to rebuild her life.

A collection box has been placed in our lobby for your donations of clothing and household items for Sandra. Monetary donations are being collected by Ms. Cindy Leese in our Human Resource Division. Checks should be made payable to: Sandra Langley Fire Relief Fund.

Because of the generosity of the DMAVA employees, along with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3020 and Leonard Saxton Memorial VFW Post 6590, more than $4,000 has been collected to this point.

If you are an Army Soldier or DA civilian, you can access more than 2,600 information technology, business, self-development and 30 foreign language courses for FREE through Army e-Learning. Visit www.us.army.mil and select “my education.” In Fiscal Year 2006, almost a quarter million courses were completed. Some of the top 10 courses of the month for July were: Rosetta Stone Spanish and Arabic, Windows XP: Fundamentals, Accounting Fundamentals and Encryption Technologies.

The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Emergency Hotline is:
1-866-232-5798

You have reached the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Emergency Information Number. Please listen to the following menu choices and select an appropriate option:

State employees – press 1
Federal employees – press 2
National Guard employees – press 3

General policy. As a matter of long-standing policy, DoD personnel acting in their official capacities may not engage in activities that associate DoD with any partisan political campaign or election, candidate, cause or issue.

Public commentary by military personnel. All military personnel, including National Guard and Reserve forces, acting in their official capacities may not engage in public commentary, including speeches and written submissions offered for publication, concerning political campaigns or elections absent prior clearance.

Are you looking for an affordable vacation spot? The Armed Forces Recreation Center has resorts around the world for members of the Armed Forces, their families and other members of the Total Defense Force. Room rates are based on rank, pay grade, duty status, room size and/or room location. Reservations are required, policies vary by location and guests may not stay more than 30 consecutive days or register again within the following 90-day period. But if you are thinking of Hawaii, Germany, South Korea or Orlando as a possible vacation destination, this just may be the ticket! Visit http://www.armymwr.com/portal/travel/recreationcenters/ for more information.

The Cemetery is working toward designation as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. We are enlisting the support of community volunteers for Outreach & Education. Scouting Groups, Veteran Service Organizations, Youth Groups, and other interested individuals are encouraged to contact Iven C. Dumas 1st Sgt, USMC (Ret) Assistant Superintendent, at 609- 758-7250 ext. 17 or by e-mail at Iven.Dumas@njdmava.state.nj.us.

The Joint Training and Development Center (JT2DC) recently unveiled the Memorial Walkway to the center. The purpose of the pond and walkway are to serve as a reminder that there are Soldiers in harm’s way protecting the freedoms that we all cherish and enjoy.

The concept of the Memorial Walkway was to have Soldiers create a mark by dedicating inscribed bricks. Soldiers have chosen to honor loved ones, family members, friends, and personnel with whom they served.

Anyone interested in purchasing an engraved paver for $50, can contact Command Sgt. Major Timothy Maskery at (609) 562-0539.

Membership
Give our state a larger voice by becoming a member of the Enlisted Association. The increased numbers will help us speak on all legislative issues that will benefit you and your families. The association works hard for you 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.

Conference
The Enlisted Association invites you to the Annual Conference at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in Atlantic City West, October 6-8, 2006, to Honor and Salute our Airmen and Soldiers who supported the War on Terrorism. Saturday during the Military Ball will be our way to say thank you for their dedication and sacrifices that they and their families shared. Friday night will feature a Hawaiian luau with a show and an Army and Air challenge. Our mission is to have fun. Visit our web site EANG-NJ.org, click on EANG-NJ Conference to find out more. Thank you for your support. You can reach the membership chairman Jerome Zebrowski at 609-214-6959 or jcptfalc@aol.com or co-chairman Edward Goetschius at 609-965-1972 or esgtmaj@comcast.net.

For the Families

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Grants available for assistance and recreation

Happy Summer! Now is the time that many families and kids enjoy vacations and day trips, camps, picnics, and family visits. Unfortunately, because of increased deployments and the financial and emotional stress associated with them, many military families might find these activities difficult to arrange. This is why The Women’s Opportunity Center at the YMCA of Burlington County in Mt. Laurel, N.J., is pleased to remind military members that grant funds are available not only for financial emergencies and crisis situations, but also to provide recreational and stress relieving activities such as camps and classes.

This grant, provided by the Department of Community Affairs is available to spouses of deployed military personnel in all branches of service in the state who are income eligible. Applicants can expect to fill out very minimal paperwork (one page) and receive their approval and funds within a week of completed application.

Director of the Center, Cathi Rendfrey, said the YMCA and the Women’s Opportunity Center are proud and honored to be able to come to the aid of the military at such a critical time.

For more information and an application, contact Fawn Mutschler at 856-234-6200, ext. 235 or e-mail: fawnm@ymca-bc.org.

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Marriage Enrichment Seminar

Due to the success of the Marriage Enrichment Seminars, also known as Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP), we have requested and have been approved for additional funding. Another seminar has been scheduled for Sept. 22-23. This will be the last seminar for FY06. If you have never attended the seminar, call Marie Durling at 609-562-0739 for more information and or to register. This seminar is open to all NJNG Soldiers. Soldiers that have been deployed will be given priority.

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Guard Family Action Plan

The Guard Family Action Plan (GFAP) identifies issues of concern to Guard members, spouses, parents, children, retirees and civilian employees. The GFAP determines actions necessary to resolve issues and assigns responsibility for actions to the proper staff agency.

The proper staff agency begins at unit level within the chain of command and can include the Departments of the Army and Air Force and the Congress of the United States. You can submit an issue along with your recommendation for a solution through the GFAP website at www.gfap.org. If you have any questions, you can call Marie Durling in the State Family Programs Office at 609-562-0739.

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Spouses invited to go on orientation flights

The 108th Air Refueling Wing would like to extend an invitation to the spouses of New Jersey Army and Air National Guardsmen and women who would like to see an aerial refueling up close.

The wing will be having a spouse-only orientation flight on August 18. This is a great opportunity for spouses to see the skills needed to fuel an aircraft more than 20,000 feet in the air. Seats will be on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are unable to get a seat, don’t worry. The 108th will have more flights to follow to give everyone a chance to fly.

If you are interested, please call Staff Sgt. Beth Pritchard at (609) 754-4173 or e-mail at elizabeth.Pritchard@njmcgu.ang.af.mil for the form needed to request a seat.

Guard members who would like an orientation flight or would like to nominate their bosses for a flight can also contact Staff Sgt. Pritchard for information and forms.

Bordentown Armory – B Co 250th SBF & Co D 250th BSB – Aug. 19, 10 a.m.
Hammonton Armory – 119th SB Corps – Aug. 17, 7 p.m.
Jersey City Armory – D Co 2-113th – Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
Lawrenceville Armory – 50th PSB – Aug. 24, 7 p.m.; 50th Fin Bn – Aug. 6, 2 p.m.
Morristown Armory – 3-112th & 5/117th –
Newark Armory – A, B, E Co’s 2-113th Inf – Aug. 16, 7 p.m.
Port Murray Armory – 2-102nd Arm –
Teaneck Armory – 50th SBM – Aug. 17, 7 p.m.
Toms River Armory – C/3-112th FA –
Vineland Armory – 5/117th Cav –
West Orange Armory – B Co 5/117th Cav – Aug. 26, 1 p.m.
Woodbury Armory – Trp C 5.117th Cav – Aug. 12, noon

The 2006 Babe Ruth 13-Year-Old World Series will be held in Hamilton, N.J., August 17-25. Opening night, Aug. 17 will be Armed Forces night and all members of the Armed Forces will receive free admission. For more information visit www.hamiltonworldseries.org.

On August 19, the Knights of Fire III, NJ will sponsor a 75-mile ride with the proceeds going to the Sergeant Ryan E. Doltz Foundation. Sgt. Doltz was a member of the 3rd Battalion, 112th Field Artillery who deployed to Iraq. He was killed on June 5, 2004 when his vehicle was attacked by rocket propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices. Cost is $20 for drivers, $15 for passengers or $15 for just the picnic. For more information go to the Knights of Fire website at www.knightsoffire3nj.com

The Trenton Thunder baseball team and its community partner, the Trenton Vet Center, has collaborated to sponsor reduced ticket prices for veterans and their families during the 2006 Trenton Thunder baseball season.

A regular $9 season ticket has been reduced to $7 for veterans and their family members.

Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard, separated, and retired veterans are eligible for this program. Interested veterans must have a picture I.D. and provide proof of their veteran status by showing one of the following documents:

- Military I.D. card
- Federal Department of Veteran Affairs medical I.D. card
- DD Form 214

All Active New Jersey National Guard Members are entitled to Division of Parks and Forestry State Park Passes. When parking fees are in effect this pass entitles the NJNG member (and passengers) free parking at all New Jersey State Parks, Forests, Recreation Areas and Historic Sites (Does not pertain to Campground fees) ID Card must be shown with this Pass. See your Orderly Room for your pass.

Anheuser Busch has announced its program offering free amusement park tickets to the service members and their families has become so popular it will be extended another year. The "Here's to the Heroes," is open to active duty service members, active members of the National Guard or Reserve, and up to three direct dependents for one complimentary admission per year. Participants can go online to fill out a form for free admission at http://www.herosalute.com/.

The amusement parks participating in the program are: Sea World parks in Orlando, Florida; San Diego and San Antonio; Busch Gardens parks in Tampa, Florida, and Williamsburg, Virginia; Sesame Place, a children's play and water park, near Philadelphia; Adventure Island water park in Tampa; and Water Country USA water park in Williamsburg.

Operation Oasis Outreach at Sandy Cove, North East, Md., offers a free, 3-day, 2-night time for rest and relaxation for military personnel who were deployed to the Middle East area during OIF/OEF with their spouse and children. Sandy Cover is located at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. If you are interested, contact Carol Lee Lynch: toll free 1-800-287-4843 or e-mail c.lynch@sandycove.org.

Picatinny Arsenal Morale, Welfare and Recreation Office is proud to announce new opportunities for Veterans. As part of the Army's "Always a Soldier" program, Picatinny's Frog Falls Waterpark and Golf Course are now open to veterans as well as Active Duty and Retired Military and Reservists. Frog Falls Waterpark offers annual memberships to veterans through our partnership with Rockaway Township Recreation. Active Duty and Retired Military and Reservists can purchase an annual membership or visit the Waterpark for a $3 daily fee. Guest passes (for non-dependents) can be purchased at the gate for $7 (limit of 4 per visit). Please call (973) 724-7275 for more information. Picatinny Golf Course is also open to Veterans. Please call (973) 724-GOLF for more information.

The 3rd Annual Tom Laffey Memorial Golf Tournament will be held Monday, Sept. 11, with a 10 a.m. shotgun start at The Meadows at Middlesex Golf Course, Plainsboro. The tournament is sponsored by The Keeping the Faith Foundation which was created in 2004 by the children of Tom and Virginia Laffey as a way to honor the memory of their parents. The proceeds from the annual golf tournament are donated to a special cause; this year’s proceeds will be given to the family of 1st Lt. Howard Gwin, whose daughter Ashleigh has been diagnosed with Krabbe Keukodystrophy. For more information about the tournament, please call Bill Laffey (732) 822-5814, Helene Wahl (732) 922-6539 or Tom Laffey Jr. (732) 846-1775.

The 10th Annual Lt. Col. Dave Savino Memorial Golf Tournament will be held at the Fountain Green Golf Course, Fort Dix on Monday, Sept. 18. Format will be two person scramble (best ball). Donation to play is $85 per person which includes greens fees, cart, refreshments and door prizes. A buffet lunch will be held after the tournament. For more information, call 609-754-2048.

The Freedom Riders “Support Our Troops” Motorcycle Run is scheduled for October 14, 2006 (October 15 – Rain date). Proceeds benefit the Freedom Alliance Foundation providing: Educational scholarships to the children of American’s Military Heroes that have given the Ultimate Sacrifice; pre-paid long-distance phone cards, gift cards for clothing, food, toiletries, books and magazines for the injured in our hospital; and funding for family members to travel to see and encourage their loved one.

Applications for the 2006 Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament, held each year at Island Beach State Park, are now available. Early registrants save on adult registration fees, are eligible for special prizes offered to pre- registrants and avoid delays - pre-registration ensures timely entry to the park.

The tournament will be held Sunday, October 1st. Fishing begins at 6:30am. A variety of species are eligible for entry in the tournament, and there are winners in male, female, teen and child categories. Don't miss this exciting family event!

Are you a service member and a fan of World Wrestling Entertainment? WWE is offering all U.S. military personnel from the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Reserves and National Guard a complimentary ticket to a live WWE event in their local area, provided they come dressed in uniform with a military ID.

Tickets are available the day of the event. Military personnel can log onto the World Wrestling Entertainment Web site to view a schedule of live events in their area. Check out www.wwe.com for more information.

Grantham University scholarships: Grantham University offers a scholarship program to severely injured service members and their spouses and adult children. Go to www.grantham.edu for more information. They also have scholarship programs for military veterans, service members, and family members.

Widener University CARES Scholarship: Widener University, Chester, Pa., has a full scholarship program for children of Global War on Terrorism service members who were killed in action. Contact the Office of Admissions at 610-499-4126 for more information.

The DMVA Veterans Outreach Campaign continues with kiosk displays at selected malls throughout New Jersey. The schedule is as follows:

Ocean County veterans now have a place to get Post Traumatic Stress Disorder counseling. Once a week, counselors from the Trenton Vet Center will offer office hours at the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau, 1027 Hooper Ave, Building 2, Toms River.

Ocean County, with the state’s largest concentration of veterans, signed an agreement with the Vets Center, an arm of the Veterans Administration recently.

John Dorrity, director of the Ocean County Veterans Bureau said that he has a waiting list of veterans who will participate in the counseling. He added that they will start off with once a week, but will possibly increase sessions if the need arises.

Charles H. Johnson, Vietnam veteran and poet, will have a reading of his latest book of poetry at the Vietnam Era Educational Center on August 12. Johnson of Hillsborough, N.J., is a graduate of the ROTC program at Rutgers University and a retired captain in the US Army Reserve. From 1970 to 1971, he was a first lieutenant and an infantry platoon leader for the 1st Cavalry Division in South Vietnam. He is the author of “Tunnel Vision” and numerous poems about Vietnam. Three of his poems are engraved on the Plainsboro Veterans Memorial sculpture in Plainsboro, NJ. Johnson conducts poetry workshops for high school students and teachers throughout New Jersey, and serves as a night editor and poetry reviewer for the Home News Tribune in East Brunswick, N.J.

Johnson's book, Sam's Place, consists of free verse concerning the poet's service as an infantry platoon leader in Vietnam and haiku about his dreams of America while he served overseas. Other poetry in the collection relates the poet's reaction to the World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and how he deals with the ever-present reality of war and its consequences.

Aug. 12 / 1 p.m. / Sam's Place, a book of poetry about the Vietnam War experience -- readings and lecture by the poet, N.J. Vietnam Veteran Charles H. Johnson.

Sept. 9 / 1 p.m. / 36 Years and a Wake-Up, a Vietnam veteran's memoir -- lecture by the author, Vietnam Veteran Carey Spearman.

Sept. 15 / 11 a.m. / National POW/MIA Recognition Day and Gold Star Mothers Day ceremony.

Sept. 17 / 12:30 p.m. / Arrival of the Rolling Thunder-NJ motorcycle run for POW/MIA awareness, leaving Warinaco Park, Elizabeth at 11 a.m.

Oct. 14 / 1 p.m. / "Vietnam: A View You Have Never Seen Before," a slide show with discussion about folk life in modern Vietnam by NJ school teacher Ken Mayberg.

Lecture attendees are asked to RSVP to (732) 335-0033. A donation of $5 per person is suggested. The Educational Center is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Regular admission is free for veterans and active-duty military personnel. Regular adult admission is $4; student and senior citizen admission is $2; and children under 10 are admitted free.

For more information, please call the NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation office at (732) 335-0033 or (800) 648-VETS. The Vietnam Era Educational Center is located adjacent to the NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial off the Garden State Parkway at Exit 116.

Beginning June 9, National Guard and reserve members released from active duty will get the same veterans’ hiring preference for federal jobs as those who are separated or retired from regular active-duty assignments.

Under the new rules, which Congress approved last year as part of the 2006 Defense Authorization Act, the definition of a veteran expands for the purposes of getting extra credit when seeking a federal job. Previously, veterans’ preference applied only to people “separated” from active duty under honorable conditions.

Under the new policy, hiring preference would extend to any person discharged or released from active duty if they had more than 180 consecutive days of duty since Sept. 11, 2001, served in a war or in a campaign for which a campaign badge or expeditionary medal was authorized. Also, the person who is discharged or released must have received an honorable or general discharge.

Located at 934 Parkway Ave, 2nd Floor, Ewing, N.J., the Department of Veteran Affairs, Trenton Vet Center, provides free readjustment counseling services to combat zone veterans and their families.

· Individual readjustment counseling
· Group readjustment counseling
· Screening for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
· Counseling for PTSD
· Substance Abuse counseling
· Marital and family counseling
· Sexual Trauma counseling
· Community education and liaison
· Referral for benefits assistance
· Employment Assistance

Heading the Trenton Vet Center Staff is James Gordon, team leader. Other staff at the center to help veterans and their families are Jeanne Morrison, Master Social Worker, Rawle Gaskin, Readjustment Counseling Therapist, Darryll Johnson, Readjustment Counseling Technician and Burnice Rice, Trenton Vet Center Office Manager.

The center is open Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with Wednesday and Thursday extended hours by appointment only.

All services provided to veterans and their families are at no cost and clients’ rights are protected by HIPPA. For more information call (609) 882-5744.

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 SGM Edward Goetschius, Military Funeral Honors Coordinator, at 609-530-7090 or by e-mail at Edward.goetschius@nj.ngb.army.mil.

Aug. 11 - Presidential Joke Day
Aug. 12 - Indian Day
Aug. 13 - National Left-handers Day; Blame Someone Else Day
Aug. 14 - National Creamsicle Day
Aug. 15 - National Relaxation Day, National Failures Day
Aug. 16 - Joke Day

Garden tool cleanup - As part of your fall garden cleanup, clean all tools with a wire brush then spray them with nonstick cooking spray, which helps prevent rust.

Defogging the bathroom mirror - Spray your bathroom mirror with shaving cream. Whatever is in it prevents your mirror from fogging up when you take a shower. Cover your whole mirror with shaving cream, let it sit until it’s almost evaporated, then wipe it off. Doing this once can keep the mirror defogged for up to three weeks.

Ants - If you are having problems with ants getting into your pet’s food dish, try this! Make a moat—they won’t want to cross–by filling a shallow pan with water and then placing the food dish right in the center.

Burnt Popcorn Smell in the Microwave - To get rid of this awful lingering stink, fill as large microwave-safe bowl with one cup of water and sprinkle your favorite spice like cinnamon or add several drops of vanilla or lemon extract. Bring to a boil. Let it sit inside for 10 to 15 minutes to cool down. Simply wipe the walls down with paper towels. Leave the door open to further air out.

- Grover Cleveland was the only president to get married while in office.
- Hot water weighs more than cold water.
- Why six-packs? Breweries thought six beers were “the maximum a woman could safely carry.”
- Benjamin Harrison, who left office in 1893, was the last bearded president.
- Twenty-four hours from now you will have forgotten 80 percent of everything you have learned today.

If you have submissions for the newsletter, please e-mail them to Staff Sgt. Harbison at barbara.harbison@njdmava.state.nj.us - for those of you who have global accounts, the address you see on the global listing is NOT the DMAVA address, so you will have to type it. You can also contact her at (609) – 530-7088, fax: (609) 530-6963.