NJ
Dept of Military and Veterans Affairs
BG Glenn K. Rieth
The Adjutant General
Col Maria Falca-Dodson
Deputy Adjutant General
COL (Ret) Emil H. Philibosian
Deputy Commissioner for
Veterans Affairs
Contacting us is easy!
Office of the
Joint Chief of Staff
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
“Thanksgiving
is a time when Americans celebrate the plentiful yield
of our soil... the beauty of our land... the preservation
of those ideals of liberty and justice that form the
basis of our national life, and the hope of international
peace.”
…Dwight
D. Eisenhower
Calendar
Notes…
Annual
Gifts for Kids Drive
24
Nov - 8 Dec 03
DMVA Holiday Dinner
Friday, 12 Dec 03
Garden Room
Lawrenceville Armory
Make your reservation NLT 5 Dec 03
ChalleNGe Youth Program
Classes will begin in March, 2004. Info is available at:
www.nj.gov/military/challenge
Thanksgiving
The
year has turned its circle,
The
seasons come and go.
The
harvest all is gathered in
And
chilly north winds blow.
Orchards
have shared their treasures,
The
fields, their yellow grain,
So
open wide the doorway ~
Thanksgiving
comes again!
…Anonymous
It
is the Veteran,
Not
the preacher,
Who
has given us freedom of religion.
It
is the Veteran,
Not
the reporter,
Who
has given us freedom of the press.
It
is the Veteran,
Not
the poet,
Who
has given us freedom of speech
It
is the Veteran,
Not
the campus organizer
Who
has given us freedom to assemble.
It
is the Veteran,
Not
the lawyer,
Who
has given us the right to a fair trail.
It
is the Veteran,
Not
the politician,
Who
has given us the right to vote.
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Thanksgiving
Day - November 27, 2003 - A brief history of the holiday.
The
origin of Thanksgiving Day has been attributed to a
thanksgiving festival held by Plymouth colony in December
of 1621. The idea of a day set apart to celebrate
the completion of the harvest and to render homage to
the Spirit who caused the fruits and crops to grow is
ancient and universal. The practice of designating a day of thanksgiving
for specific spiritual or secular benefits has been
followed in many countries.
From early colonial times, the various American
colonies celebrated thanksgiving days in recognition
of such happy events as good harvest and victories over
the Indians. One
of the first proclamations was made in Charlestown,
Massachusetts in 1676. President George Washington issued the first
Presidential thanksgiving proclamation in 1789 in honor
of the new constitution.
During the 19th century an increasing
number of states observed the day annually, each appointing
its own day. On
October 3 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a presidential
proclamation that appointed the last Thursday of November
as Thanksgiving Day. Each succeeding president made similar proclamations
until Franklin D. Roosevelt, in 1939, appointed the
third Thursday of November Thanksgiving Day.
Both Congress and the President changed this
two years later to the fourth Thursday of November.
Thanksgiving Day is a day to express gratitude
for our blessings and celebrate material bounty.
Due
to the holiday, DMVA Highlights will not be published
next week.
Army
Award for Maintenance Excellence (AAME) Program.
The
New Jersey Army National Guard’s selection to participate
in the Small TDA Category of the Army Award for Maintenance
Excellence (AAME) Program, Region 1B, is OMS No. 25. Located at the NJ National Guard Training
Center, Sea Girt, NJ, OMS No. 25 is under the direct
daily supervision of the Full Time Support Supervisor
(FTSS), CW2 Douglas L. Hartley. CW4 Frederick C. Menschner, J4-SMM-MR, will
represent the NJARNG at the Region 1B evaluation board,
to be conducted 24 November 2003.
Congratulations to CW2 Hartley, his Full Time
Support Force (FTSF) and the Traditional Drilling Guardsmen
from the 250th FSB, NJARNG, for a job well
done!
Veterans Honored at Recent Ceremony.
BG
Thomas J. Sullivan presented the New Jersey Distinguished
Service and Meritorious Service Medals to 105 veterans
at a ceremony held 19 November 2003 at the National
Guard Armory in Westfield, New Jersey.
The medal recipients were veterans who had
served in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War,
Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Special guests at the ceremony included Ms.
Amanda Woloshen, representing Congressman Michael
Ferguson. Department
representatives, COL (Ret) Emil Philibosian, Deputy
Commissioner for Veterans Affairs, Ms. Karen Hansen,
and Ms. Michele Johnson, assisted Master of Ceremonies
CW5 (Ret) Robert Wimberly with the day’s program.
New "House Rules" developed at Veterans
Memorial Home at Menlo Park
Mr.
Joseph Brandspiegel, the new Chief Executive Officer
at the Veterans Memorial Home at Menlo Park, has developed
and instituted a set of terrific new “House Rules”
for his facility. The values and wisdom that are included in these “House Rules”
can improve the work atmosphere and home life for
each and every DMVA employee, no matter which facility
or office they work in.
Dignity
|
Treat
each person you meet, as you would like to be
treated. This includes our residents, their families,
friends, and your co-workers.
|
Privacy
|
Respect
a person’s privacy.
Knock as you enter a resident’s room.
|
Handle with Care
|
Imagine
you are on the receiving end.
The patient could be your parent or spouse.
|
Take Time to Care
|
Make
eye contact.
Smile. Introduce yourself. Call people by name. The sweetest music to anyone’s ears is
the sound of their own name.
Extend words of concern.
Caring is contagious.
There is nothing as nice as a cheerful
word of greeting.
|
Be Helpful
|
Does
someone look lost or confused?
Stop and try to help.
This includes visitors, family and/or friends.
|
Respond Quickly
|
Every
minute is an hour when people are worried or sick
or need assistance to the bathroom.
|
Explain What You Are Doing
|
People
are always less anxious when they know what is
happening.
|
Listen
|
Listen
objectively in order to help with the person’s
real need.
|
Quiet
|
Noise
annoys; it often shows a lack of consideration.
|
Look the Part
|
You
are a health care professional – look professional.
|
Humor
|
Smiling
is healthy for you and for all of those you serve
and work with. It takes 72 muscles to frown and only 14
to smile. A
big dose of patience and a dash of humility, and
you will be rewarded many times over.
|
Gratitude
|
Be
grateful for the opportunity to give.
Give and receive a hundredfold.
Speak and act as if everything you do gives
you genuine pleasure.
|
Be Genuinely Interested
in People
|
You
can like almost anyone if you try.
|
Be Generous with Praise
|
Cautious
with criticism.
|
Be Considerate of the Feelings
of Others
|
There
are usually three sides to a controversy:
Yours, the other fellow’s, and the right
one.
|
Distinguished,
Meritorious, and Vietnam Service Medal Presentation
Ceremonies are scheduled.
17
December
11
a.m.
|
Distinguished Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
|
National
Guard Armory
151
Eggert Crossing Rd., Lawrenceville, NJ
|
New Jersey National Guard Participates in a Gateway
Exercise.
The
New Jersey National Guard participated in a Gateway
Exercise on November 15, 2003.
The 21st CST (Light), the Joint Operation
Center in the Homeland Security Center of Excellence,
and Task Force Alpha elements all responded in their
lanes of responsibility to a simulated explosion and
chemical release on the Port Authority docks in Newark.
There were over 600 total participants in the
exercise from 70 federal, state, county, and local agencies.
The National Guard gained valuable
experience in our “on the street response” mission
and in working within a unified command structure.
Desert Storm Veteran Speaks at Veterans Day Women's
Luncheon
MAJ
Denise K. McCleary was guest speaker at the Veterans
Day Luncheon sponsored by Zonta International, Hackensack/Ridgewood
Club, a professional woman’s group, and spoke about
her Desert Storm/Gulf War experiences.
MAJ McCleary was a platoon leader for the Equipment
Storage Platoon with the 144th Heavy Material
Supply Company out of Hammonton. She was mobilized in November of 1990 and served in Saudi Arabia
until her return in September of 1991. Luncheon guests included local members of the Veterans of Foreign
Wars, Kiwanis, and Rotary Clubs.
The 63rd Army Band Schedules Holiday Concert
The
New Jersey Army National Guard’s 63rd Army
Band has scheduled a holiday concert for Saturday, 13
December 2003. The concert will be held at the Expo Center,
Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey, and will begin at 7 p.m. If you have a valid military ID Card and
DOD sticker, you will not need a parking pass. If you do not have a valid military ID Card and DOD sticker, you
must obtain a parking pass by calling 732-974-5963,
not later than December 3, 2003, with your name and
address. Your pass will be sent directly to you.
The New Jersey Army National Guard (NJARNG) Welcomes
Another New Warrant Officer Candidate.
LTC
Deborah Allen, Commander of the 150th Forward
Support Battalion (FSB) and LTC Roch Switlick, Commander
of the 50th Main Support Battalion (MSB)
joined forces last month to enable the accession of
the NJARNG’s newest Technical Services Warrant Officer
Candidate, WOC Manish Karnik, effective 30 October 2003.
WOC Karnik is a full-time technician at the Combined
Support Maintenance Shop (CSMS-A) in Bordentown, New
Jersey. He will be assigned as an Electronic Systems
Maintenance Technician in Company D of the MSB. Candidate Karnik will attend the Pre-Warrant
Officer Candidate Course at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania,
before attending Warrant Officer Basic Course at Fort
Rucker, Alabama. Following his initial appointment as a WO1,
he will have two years to complete Warrant Officer Basic
Course at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, and at Fort Gordon,
Georgia.
Time is Running Out for the Open Season for Federal
Employees' Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) and Health Benefits.
Open
season for TSP – October 15 to December 31. Members can increase their contribution to
14% for FERS or 9% for CSRS and can change their distribution
through HRO or on-line.
Those who are 50 or older and are contributing
the maximum amount for which they are eligible can contribute
an additional amount to the TSP from their pay. For 2003, the maximum amount of “catch-up”
you can contribute is $2000.
It will increase a thousand dollars every year
until 2006. For more information, members can go to www.tsp.gov.
Open
season for Health Benefits and Flexible Spending Accounts
runs from November 10 to December 8, during which time
members can change health companies or change coverage.
The Federal Flexible Spending Plan (FedFlex)
enables eligible employees to pay for certain benefits
with pre-tax dollars. Employees can set up a health care FSA to
use for out-of-pocket costs, including co-payments and
deductibles and for health care expenses not covered
by insurance, such as dental services and eye-care.
An account can also be set up for dependent-care
expenses for children and aging parents. Go to www.opm.gov
for more information.
Armed Forces Value Card Offered at Killington Ski
Resort.
The
Armed Forces Value Card allows participants to purchase
Killington lift tickets for $39 a day – a daily savings
of up to $26. Active
duty, Reserve, National Guard and retired members of
the Armed Forces are eligible to participate in this
program. The
card is available at no cost and can be obtained at
the Guest Services Desk (located in all of the Killington/Pico
base lodges). All
you need to do is present your military ID, complete
the application, and your card will be issued while
you wait.
Air Force Research Lab Kicks off 3rd Annual Wright
Scholar Research Assistant Program.
The
Air Force Research Laboratory Propulsion Directorate
officials are kicking off the 3rd Annual
Wright Scholar Research Assistant Program for summer
2004. High
school juniors and seniors can now apply for the opportunity
to work hands-on research, while under the guidance
of science and engineering mentors.
This program also gives students an up-close
look at Air Force careers and educational opportunities.
Application deadline is January 16, 2004.
For instructions on how to apply for this program
and more information, visit www.pr.afrl.af.mil/jobs/scholar.htm.
NJ Vietnam Veterans' Memorial and Vietnam Era Education
Center Announces its Calendar of Events.
For
more information about any of these events, please
call the NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation
office at (732) 335-0033.
13 Dec
|
3 p.m.
|
Author Lana Noone will discuss
her book, Global Mom:
Notes From a Pioneer Adoptive Family.
|
13 Dec
|
6 p.m.
|
Holiday Lighting Ceremony
will include lighting of the tree and menorah,
and a reading on Kwanza.
A memorial service and wreath laying
ceremony will follow.
|
28 Feb 04
|
1 p.m.
|
Vietnam-era veteran, Gerald
R. Gioglio will discuss his book, Days
of Decision: An Oral History of Conscientious Objectors
in the Military During the Vietnam War.
|
Today
is Friday, November 21st, the 325th day of
2003. There are 40 days left in the year. On this day…
J
1877 – Thomas Edison announced the invention of the
phonograph.
J
1934 – The New York Yankees purchased the contract of
Joe DiMaggio from the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific
Coast League.
J
1964 – World’s longest suspension bridge “Verrazano
Narrows” opens (NYC).
J
1980 – 83 million viewers tuned in to find out “who
shot JR” on the CBS show “Dallas.”
Kristin was the character that fired the gun.
J
1993 – U.S. House of Representatives voted against making
the District of Columbia the 51st state.
J
2000 – Florida Supreme Court granted Al Gore’s request
to keep the presidential recounts going.
Armory Happenings – Check to see what’s happening
at an Armory near you.
21 November
|
Boxing
Match Benefit
|
Westfield
Armory
|
21-23 November
|
“Home
for the Holidays” Gift Fair
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Morristown
Armory
|
22-23 November
|
Sports
Card Show
11
a.m. – Mickey Rivers (NY Yankees) will sign autographs
($10 each)
|
Bordentown
Armory
|
30 November
|
Toy
Show
|
Freehold
Armory
|
12-14 December
|
Craft
Show and Sale
|
Morristown
Armory
|
14 December
|
Nascar
Collectibles Show
|
Bordentown
Armory
|
26-28 December
|
Wrestling
Tournament
|
Teaneck
Armory
|
28 December
|
Sports
Card & Comics Show
|
Bordentown
Armory
|
J
America’s first Thanksgiving celebration was held in
1621.
J
The Wampanoag tribe celebrated the first Thanksgiving
with the colonists.
J
Turkeys were first domesticated in Mexico and Central
America.
J
Benjamin Franklin lobbied to make the turkey the national
symbol.
J
A mature turkey has 3,500 feathers.
J
Wild turkeys can run 25 miles per hour, and fly up to
55 miles per hour.
J
90% of American homes serve turkey on Thanksgiving,
and 50% of Americans eat turkey on Christmas.
Why do turkeys always gobble,
gobble?
Because they never learned
good table manners.
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