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NJ Dept of Military and
Veterans Affairs

Maj Gen Glenn K. Rieth
The Adjutant General

Brig Gen Maria Falca-Dodson
Deputy Adjutant General

Col (Ret) Stephen G. Abel
Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs

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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:
branham@njdmava.state.nj.us

We're on the Web!
www.state.nj.us/military

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"Nature always wears the colors of the spirit."

..Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Gifts for Kids Drive is now underway.

Toys will be distributed to the children of our deployed servicemen and women.

Please be generous!

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.New Jersey Freedom Loans

What is a Freedom Loan?

* Up to $10,000

* Annual APR 6%

* Term: 5 years (no pre-payment penalty)

* Unsecured Loan (no collateral required)

Who is eligible to apply?

NJ residents who are:

* Members of the National Guard or Reserve

* Mobilized for one year or longer to fight in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) – excluding routine training.

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.

* Guardmembers, Reservists, or family members with Power of Attorney must submit copies of current mobilization orders with the bank’s Freedom Loan application.

Current participants:

Commerce Bank
1-888-751-9000

Credit Union of NJ
609-538-4061, ext. 401

First Morris Bank & Trust
1-888-530-2265

Fleet
1-800-841-4000

Manasquan Savings Bank
732-223-4450

North Jersey Federal
Credit Union
1-888-78NJFCU

Peapack-Gladstone Bank
(908) 719-BANK

Pennsville National Bank
856-678-6006

PNC
1-866-PNC-4USA

Sovereign Bank
1-877-391-6365

Sun National Bank
1-800-691-7701

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Call today and volunteer to help at a Family Readiness Center near you.

As the New Jersey National Guard deploys soldiers and airmen around the globe, the families that are left behind need our support and assistance. Can we count on your help? Please call your local Family Readiness center and volunteer.

To reach any NJ National Guard Family Assistance Center

Call toll free 888-859-0352

“Salute the Troops” ceremony scheduled for 22 November 2004

Major General Glenn K. Rieth, The Adjutant General, invites all Department employees, friends, and family to attend the NJ National Guard’s “Salute the Troops” ceremony on Monday, 22 November 2004, at 4 p.m. in the Trenton War Memorial, Trenton, NJ. More than 350 citizen-soldiers from Battery A and C, 3-112th Field Artillery and the 119th Corps Support Battalion along with their families will be honored. These members of the NJ National Guard will be deploying in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. You are asked to park at the Sovereign Bank Arena, and be transported by bus to the Trenton War Memorial. Tickets are available through Family Assistance Centers in Morristown and Toms River, or via the Family Assistance Hotline at 1-888-859-0352.

Company A, 250th Signal Battalion Farewell -

A Deployment Ceremony was conducted on the parade field of Camp Shelby, Mississippi, for the 278th Regimental Combat Team (RCT) on 11 November 2004. The Regiment is from the Tennessee Army National Guard and is composed of units and soldiers from six states. New Jersey’s contribution to this Team is Company A, 250th Signal Battalion, Westfield, under the command of CPT Grindlinger. They will be deploying with the 278th RCT in late November for Iraq. The entire Brigade was assembled on line for the ceremony and the Governors of three states, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Wisconsin addressed the soldiers. The Adjutant General of Tennessee presented the Tennessee State flag to all unit Commanders (battalions/separate companies), as well as the State flag for each of their respective states. Also in attendance were the First Army Commander, LTG Honore; Chief, National Guard Bureau, LTG Blum; Director, Army National Guard, LTG Schultz, and the Commanding General of the 42nd Infantry Division, MG Taluto with the Division Command Sergeant Major (CSM). The Deputy Joint Force Commander, BG Carlini, the Commander of the 250th Signal Battalion, LTC Thomas, and the CSM of the Battalion, CSM Britt, represented New Jersey.

177th Fighter Wing honored on their return from Global War on Terror.

On Sunday, 7 November 2004, Wing members who recently returned from supporting the Global War on Terror were honored at a breakfast. Special guests included Congressman Frank LoBiondo, 2nd Congressional District, NJ; MG Glenn K. Rieth, the Adjutant General, and Brig Gen Eugene Chojnacki, Commander, NJ Air National Guard. Approximately 70 members of the 177th Fighter Wing who were deployed over the past several months in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom attended the Sunday morning breakfast. Congressman LoBiondo recognized the wing members’ service and patriotism and thanked them for their dedication to duty and help in keeping America safe.

DMVA’s Annual Gifts for Kids Drive will benefit the children of deployed servicemen and women.

The annual Gifts for Kids Drive will begin Monday, 22 November 2004, and will run through 14 December 2004. This year, all of the toys and gifts collected will be distributed to the children of our deployed servicemen and women through the Family Assistance Centers. This drive provides all of us with a way to brighten the lives of the families whose loved ones are away from home during the holidays. Collection boxes will be set up at our facilities for your donations.

Division of Veterans Programs – Newsflash!

Mr. Joseph Bucco, Paterson Veterans Service Officer, recently retrieved a retroactive settlement of $112,310 for a service-connected disability for one of his veterans. This veteran will additionally receive $749 per month for life. Great job!

108th Air Refueling Wing hosts Tops in Blue.

The 108th Air Refueling Wing recently had the honor of hosting the Tops in Blue, an all-active duty U.S. Air Force special unit made up of talented amateur performers also known as the Air Forces’ Expeditionary Entertainers.

Tops in Blue, founded in 1953 by Col (Ret) Al Reilly, began as a talent show to recognize the Air Force’s most talented Airmen in categories ranging from comedy to singing and dancing. Under Colonel Reilly’s direction Tops in Blue was formed.

The group consists of 35 “best of the best” performers who all seem to share the same view on what inspired them to become a member of Tops in Blue. It is best put by one of McGuire’s own, Airman 1st Class David Weaver, “I love performing and the Air Force, so I put two and two together, plus I get a chance to see the world.”

If you want to learn more about Tops in Blue and their performance schedule, visit their website at www.topsinblue.com.

Veterans to be honored at upcoming Medal Ceremonies.

The following ceremonies have been scheduled to honor our State’s veterans.

Phillipsburg High School held Veterans Day ceremony.

On Sunday, 14 November 2004, Phillipsburg High School held a Veterans Day Ceremony, “Honoring All Who Served.” The program included an Empty Chair Tribute, which serves as a silent and symbolic reminder of the tragedies of war. The table is set with a single red rose in a vase that symbolizes the blood shed in service to our country; a lemon representing bitterness; salt representing the tears shed; an inverted glass representing the toast the missing cannot make; and a candle symbolizing hope. The program included special guests from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

The school presented 1100 non-perishable items to Mrs. Debbie Griffin, wife of SFC William Griffin, a deployed member of the NJARNG’s 2/102d, who accepted them on behalf of the Family Readiness Group. The High School collected donations for the Family Readiness Group, and presented $565 to SFC Fred Stadler.

Mrs. Griffin presented Phillipsburg High School’s Assistant Principal, Mr. William Nixon, a Navy veteran, with a Certificate of Appreciation. Mrs. Griffin thanked the members of the High School.

DMVA Veterans Service Officer, Ms. Monica Banca, served as guest speaker.

HBO’s new documentary, “Last Letters Home,” features the family of the late SGT Frank Carvill.

HBO premiered its new documentary this month entitled “Last Letters Home: Voices of American Troops from the Battlefields of Iraq.” The show is a poignant tribute to the fallen American soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the war in Iraq. Last Letters Home features the last letters home read by the families of ten men and women killed in action. SGT Frank Carvill, NJ Army National Guard, 3rd Battalion, 112th Field Artillery, died in Baghdad, Iraq, on 4 June 2004, when individuals using improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades attacked his convoy. SGT Carvill’s family reads his letter home. Check your local TV listings or visit HBO’s website, www.hbo.com, for viewing dates and times.

Upcoming Fall events at our local armories.

12 Nov - Craft Show, Westfield Armory
13 Nov - Tool Show, Riverdale Armory
13 Nov - Rug Show & Sale, Flemington Armory
14 Nov - NASCAR Collectibles Show, Bordentown Armory
17 Nov -“Home for the Holidays” Gift Fair, Morristown Armory
20 Nov 9am-5 pm - Sports Memorabilia Show (Benefiting the Somerset Armory’s Family Readiness Group), Somerset Armory

108th Enlisted Council is sponsoring a Coat Drive.

The 108th Enlisted Council is proud to sponsor a Winter Coat Drive from November through the end of January. In the spirit of the holidays, please donate clean and serviceable winter coats, scarves, hats and gloves. All donations will be given to the Salvation Army of Burlington County. Donation bins are located in Buildings 3327, 3324, 3390, 3369, and Hangar 3333. For more information on this drive, please contact Staff Sgt Matt Johnson, Enlisted Council President, 609-754-4126. Please help us help others.

177th Medics demonstrate new Decon System.

In support of homeland defense, the 177th Medical Group demonstrated the new In Place Patient Decontamination Capability (IPPDC) facility to members of the UMDNJ Center for Biodefense and local emergency medical services on 18 November 2004. The purpose of IPPDC is to remove contamination from victims before they enter a medical facility. The decontamination procedures are used to protect the medical facility and medical staff.

Medical Group personnel participated in a 12-hour long “train the trainer” course on November 17, and were briefed on the IPPDC concept, how to use the equipment, understanding hazardous substances, and processing contaminated victims.

During the decontamination process, members of the team wearing protective suits with filtered circulating air hoods quickly set up a tent for ambulatory and nonambulatory patients contaminated with biological or chemical agents. Before entering the tent, victims are asked to place their clothes and personal effects into a plastic bag that is tagged with a serial number. The serial number is also tied to the victim’s wrist, which can later be used to identify the victim’s belongings. The victim will then enter the tent, which is a shower area, to clean and rinse themselves off. Those who are unable to wash themselves are placed on a stretcher, and decontamination team members will then thoroughly wash the patient to ensure he or she is decontaminated. After they are cleaned, victims will be transported to a medical facility for further evaluation and treatment.

“The purpose of the demonstration was to introduce the new decontamination system to local emergency responders,” stated Master Sgt. Samuel Suarez, a Medical Services Technician and IPPDC Team Chief, “it also sets the foundation for future community response planning.”

The 177th Medical Group is one of two decontamination teams in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Region II area that provides in-place patient decontamination.

Commissary Scholarship program for Military Children is underway.

The fifth year of Scholarships for Military Children is now underway. Administered by Fisher House Foundation and funded by the manufacturers and industry supporting commissaries, the program has awarded over $3 million through nearly 2,000 scholarships to the unmarried children under the age of 21 (23 if enrolled in school) of active duty service members, Guard and Reserve members, and military retirees. Applications, eligibility requirements, and other information for the 2005 program are available at commissaries or online at http://www.commissaries.com. The deadline for filing your application is 16 February 2005.

Info on Holiday Mailings to the Troops.

The Department of Defense (DoD) recently issued a reminder that the “Any Servicemember” mail program is still suspended. The general public urged not to send unsolicited mail, care packages, or donations to service members during the holiday season. The Department of Defense emphasizes that names and addresses of military personnel must not be distributed by the media, websites, companies, non-profit organizations, schools or individuals for the purpose of collecting letters of support or donations for mailing to service members. According to the DoD, family members should not pass around military addresses by for use donation programs. People who wish to mail a letter, or card or package to a service member must have a specific person’s name and address on their mail. If you would like to help service members or their families or if you are approached by someone who knows that your work for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and wants to help the troops, here is a website given by DoD with many ways that Americans can support the troops. Go to http://www.defendamerica.mil and click on the Support Our Troops “button.

Continental Airlines honors the Military.

Continental Airlines is honoring America’s veterans, active duty, National Guard, Reserve and their families with airline discount benefits, including a Frequent Flyer Program bonus. Veterans Advantage (http://veteransadvantage.com), a nationwide card membership program providing new benefits for Veterans and their families, and Continental Airlines announced a 5% discount on all Continental tickets booked at http://www.continetal.com, plus a frequent flyer award bonus for Veterans Advantage members. Veterans Advantage provides travel and entertainment savings, home and office discounts, and health and wellness benefits for those who serve the country and their family members.

Today in History...

Today is Friday, November 19th, the 324th day of the year with 42 days remaining.

1493 - Christopher Columbus discovers Puerto Rico on his 2nd voyage.

1863 – U.S. President Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address as he dedicated a national cemetery at the site of the Civil War battlefield in Pennsylvania.

1893 – The first newspaper color supplement was published in the Sunday New York World.

1928 – Time magazine presented its cover portrait for the first time. Japanese Emperor Hirohito was the magazine’s first cover subject.

1959 – Ford Motor Company announced it was ending production of the Edsel.

1969 – Apollo 12 astronauts, Charles Conrad and Alan Bean, made man’s second landing on the moon.

1977 – Egyptian President Anwar Sadat became the first Arab leader to set foot in Israel on an official visit.

1998 – The impeachment inquiry of U.S. President Clinton began.

2001 – U.S. President George W. Bush signed the most comprehensive air security bill in U.S. history.

2002 – The U.S. government completed its takeover of security at 424 airports nationwide.

Part-time opportunities available 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.

NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and Vietnam Era Education Center’s upcoming event schedule.

The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial will host a Veterans Day Ceremony on Thursday, 11 November 2004, at 11 a.m.. The keynote speaker will be Frank M. McDonough, Esq. of Oakhurst, NJ and Lake Worth, Florida, who is a retired environmental attorney and former maritime advisor to Governor Christie Whitman. He retired from a 22-year Marine Corps career in 1978 and served four tours in Vietnam.

Four veterans will be inducted into the “In Memory” Program, which honors those who served in Vietnam and returned home only to die as a result of their tour, but whose names are not on the Memorial. The four inductees are:

James Lorenzo, US Army, of Jersey City, who died November 19, 2003.

Thomas J. Pascal, US Army, of Port Reading, who died May 15, 2003.

William J. Steele, US Marine Corps, of Bayville, who died April 8, 2004.

James L. Tomasulo, Jr., US Army, of Newark, who died April 23, 2003.

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.

Influenza Insight –
by SrA Alex Karas, 108th Public Health

Q: What is influenza?

A: Often called “the flu,” is caused by the influenza virus, which infects the nose, throat, and lungs.

Q: What are the symptoms of the flu?

A: Symptoms of flu include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches. Children can have additional symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Q: Do I have a cold or the flu?

A: It is very difficult to distinguish the flu from other viral or bacterial causes of respiratory illnesses on the basis of symptoms alone. A test can confirm that an illness is influenza if the patient is tested within the first two to three days after symptoms begin.

Q: How common is the flu?

A: Each flu season is unique, but it is estimated that approximately % to 20% of U.S. residents get the flu. About 36,000 Americans die per year from complications of flu.

Q: How do I stay healthy without the flu vaccine?

A: It’s all about prevention. Eat healthy on a regular basis, wash your hands as often as possible, cover your mouth and nose, and stay away from people who are already sick.

If you would like further insight on influenza, visit the Centers for Disease Control’s website at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu.

Family Programs Event Calendar

Listed below are the events being planned by the Family Readiness Groups throughout the state.

Tips on how to winterize your vehicle.

Snowflakes have already been seen in some parts of our region, and drivers need to be reminded to “winterize” their cars. Here are some tips to help get your car through the winter months:

- Antifreeze: Make sure your radiator has a mixture of 50% coolant and 50% water, which protects engines better than coolant alone.

- Oil: Check your owner’s manual to see if you need to switch to lighter “winter weight” oil. Lighter-grade oil reaches engine parts quicker than heavier summer weight oil and reduces wear on the engine.

- Battery: Make sure the battery is fully charged and the connections are clean.

- Heater/Defroster: Don’t wait for the temperature to plummet before you find it doesn’t work.

- Windshield wipers: Summer’s heat dries them out; replace them before winter. Also, make sure washer fluid reservoir is filled.

- Tires: Replace tires that have less than 1/16th of an inch of tread. Tires also typically lose one pound of inflation pressure for every 10-degree drop in temperature, so check your owner’s manual for proper inflation levels.