Dear Veterans,
It's no secret that these are challenging budgetary times in New Jersey.

Gov. Chris Christie has asked every state agency to find efficiencies, re-evaluate existing programs and in some cases, face steep cuts in funding.

Fortunately, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs was already poised to weather a tough financial environment – and has been for years. The Department has long been an innovator among state agencies for finding ways to reduce costs and generate additional revenue.

The Department reduced its central office payroll by 25 percent during the past decade and pared its vehicle fleet by more than one third over that time. Simply turning down the thermostats and other measures helped the department save more than $2 million last year.

At the same time, the Department has been hailed as a national model for its use of alternative energy and has been successful in using federal dollars to support critical veterans programs.

For all those reasons -- and the fact Gov. Christie remains committed to our Veterans – the Department emerged from the latest budget cycle with no reduction in funding for any key programs that serve the men and women who have worn our nation's uniform. There's another reason the Department fared well even in this era of tough choices: New Jersey enjoys one of the most robust Veterans' communities in the nation. You are this Department's partners in every sense of the word. Your voices have been clear in Trenton about the need for funding that adequately supports DMAVA's mission. And your spirit of volunteerism has enhanced everything from the care provided at our Veterans Memorial Homes to the beauty of the Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Cemetery.

Even in these difficult financial times, our service to Veterans continues to grow. By the end of the year, both a 44-bed expansion at Veterans Haven and the long-awaited Multipurpose Room at the Paramus Memorial Home will be completed. The Veterans Haven project will double the number of homeless Veterans the Department can assist in getting their lives back on track. And the Paramus project will enhance the quality of life for residents at a home that has already been recognized with an elite five-star rating.

The financial challenges faced by all levels of government show no signs of abating. But our commitment to finding innovative ways to serve Veterans will never waver.

One of our newest projects will be to harness the power of social media to bring together our Veterans' community with the launching of a Facebook page. So, look for us online and become our "friend."

In the meantime, have a safe and prosperous year.