By Kryn
P. Westhoven, Public Affairs Staff Officer
Two dozen
media outlets posed questions to Governor Jon S.
Corzine and Maj. Gen. Glenn Rieth, The Adjutant
General, concerning the announcement that the state's
50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will be deploying
to Iraq in 2008. According to
Maj. Gen. Rieth, the Adjutant General for New
Jersey, the 50th Brigade will be conducting
a variety of important missions in Iraq.
The brigade's pre-mobilization training begins immediately
and will take place in New
Jersey, with further theater-specific
preparation being conducted out-of-state.
"We will
ensure that our Soldiers are fully mission capable
and ready to deploy.and that their families are
taken care of back home," said Rieth, who went on
to say that, "I have assured Governor Corzine that
these deployments will not prevent our state's National
Guard from responding to emergencies at home."
Originally
slated to go to Iraq
in 2010, the 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is
being deployed earlier to compensate for the changes
needed to comply with new Department of Defense
policies. The Brigade deployment will bring the
total number of New Jersey Soldiers now being sent
to Iraq
and Afghanistan
to over 3200. Additional units being sent
overseas include an embedded training team, two
aviation units and a military police company.
All units will be mobilized for one year, which
includes stateside training and "boots on the ground"
in theater.
Civil Support
Team hosting orientation day, Oct. 27
The 21st
Civil Support Team will be hosting an orientation
day on Oct. 27, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Members of the
Guard and civilians are invited to attend. Discover how a CST works.
The orientation
will be divided into three sessions. Sessions will
repeat every two hours, 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.,
in order to better accommodate participants.
Each session
will consist of the following:
v
Civil Support Team overview
v
"What It Takes To Be A Member" brief
v
Facility tour and equipment demo
v
Decontamination Line demonstration
v
Hands on participation/familiarization with equipment
v
Wear of SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus)
and level A suits
Individuals
who wish to participate in the wear of self-contained
breathing apparatus and level A suits may wear PT
uniform, civilian fitness clothing, ACU OR BDU.
This is
a unique opportunity for members of the NJ Army
and Air Guard to see first hand what a Civil Support
Team does. Civil Support Team members will engage
in face to face sessions with participants in order
to bring a clearer understanding of team member
responsibilities. All applicants, future applicants
and interested Soldiers and Airmen are encouraged
to come and participate in the orientation day.
Individuals
who wish to participate in wearing of the SCBA and
level A suits; please send an email to terrence.d.taylor@us.army.mil or toby.tirrito@us.army.mil. This will aid us in accommodating all participants
and meeting safety requirements. For further information
you may contact 1st Sgt. Terrence Taylor at 609-562-3139
or Staff Sgt. Toby Tirrito at 609-562-3236.
108th celebrates
arrival of new aircraft
From
the desk of 1st Lt. April Kelly, 108th ARW PAO
The arrival
ceremony of the KC-135R to the 108th Air Refueling
Wing was held on Monday, October 15 at 11 a.m..
To celebrate this event Congressman Jim Saxton,
Gen. Arthur Lichte, Maj. Gen. Glenn Rieth, The Adjutant
General of New Jersey participated as guest speakers
during the ceremony. An estimated 450 Guard members,
Team McGuire, retirees
and civic leaders where in attendance.
254th Regiment
hold training courses
The 254th Regiment (CA) will be holding training
courses in the upcoming months at the National Guard
Regional Training Institute, Sea Girt.
Inactive Duty Training -
Small Group Instructor Training Course, (SGITC) Jan. 5-6,
Feb. 2-3, March 1, 2008. You can learn about personality
types and the human thought process, how to control
the sharp shooter in class, and how to present the
best class possible. Few seats remain, sign up now.
Basic NCO Course,(BNCOC) next course starts in April 2008
.
Military Police (31B10 MOS-T) Phase I, Nov. 3, 2007, June
7-8, 2008; 5 seats available. Class starts in 3
weeks, get your soldiers registered today.
PRE WARRIOR Leadership Course, three weekends: Jan. 5-6,
Feb. 2-3 and March 1-2, 2008; seats available. Tune
up those map reading skills, pass Warrior Leadership
Course.
Officer Candidate School Class 52 (OCS)- Project officers interviewing candidates
at this time.
Active Duty Training -
Combat Medic Training Course (68W Sustainment), Dec. 3-12,
2007, 20 seats will be available. Look for course
in ATRRS on Oct. 22.
Combat Lifesaver (CLS), 1st class will be held Oct. 29-31,
2nd class will be held Nov. 1 -3, 2007. 3rd class
will be held Nov. 13-15, 2007; 30 seats have been
filled for each class. Thank you for a great job!
For more information, contact Master Sgt. G. Davidson, 254th
Regiment operations sergeant, 732-974-5912, Gary.Davidson@us.army.mil or your unit Readiness
NCO. You
can also visit our school information on ATRSS at
https://www.atrrs.army.mil/atrrscc/, school code is
1004.
Clint Black
performing in live concert on Fort Dix, Oct. 29
Country
music star Clint Black will be performing at a free
concert on Oct. 29 on Doughboy Field, Fort
Dix. The concert will begin at 6 p.m. It is open
to all DoD ID card holders and their families. Priority seating to military in uniform. No
pets or coolers; lawn chairs are allowed.
For more information, call 609-562-5853 or
www.dixmwr.com.
VA Mobile
Medical unit at Trenton
Vet Center
on Nov. 7
The VA Mobile
Medical Unit will be at the Trenton
Vet Center,
934 Parkway Ave. Ewing
on Nov 7, 2007.
This is
an opportunity for veterans to enroll in VA health
care services, receive a health care assessment
and check out medical benefits.
For more
information, call 609-882-5744.
Annual Coat
and Gifts drives coming soon
The Annual
Coat and Gifts for Kids
Drive will run from Nov.
1-23. The Gifts for Kids drive will run from Nov.
26-Dec. 17.
More information
will follow.
Free entrée
for veterans at McCormick and Schmick
From
the desk of retired Chief Master Sgt. Paul
Gunning, Wing Family Program coordinator
McCormick
& Schmick's to honor veterans with free entree
a part of its ninth annual Military Veterans Appreciation
Event http://www.roa.org/site/
R?i=d9OCwxPsQ7V5y0Ccu4TpCQ. McCormick
& Schmick's seafood restaurant will offer all
retired U.S. military veterans a free entrée
on Nov. 11, 2007, in appreciation for their service
to our country. The offer extends to all who are
defined as a veteran by the Veterans Administration,
Title 38 US Code 101, which is a person who served
in the active military, naval, or air service, and
who was discharged or released under conditions
other than dishonorable. All veterans must show
proper identification. Traditionally, the McCormick
& Schmick's Veterans Appreciation event is held
on the Sunday prior to the formal Veterans Day holiday.
Since Veterans Day falls on a Sunday this year,
the McCormick & Schmick's Appreciation event
will take place this year on the formal holiday
itself.
VFW sponsors
scholarships
From
the desk of retired Command Sgt. Maj. Mike
Hughes, Family Assistance specialist
The Veterans
of Foreign Wars has two scholarship programs. The
Voice of Democracy (VOD) scholarship program is
an audio-essay contest for high school students
in grades 9-12 that annually provides more than
$3 million in scholarships. The Patriot's Pen award
is a youth-essay writing contest that gives students
in grades six through eight the opportunity to write
essays expressing their views on democracy. The
deadline for both scholarships is Nov. 1, 2007.
Learn more at http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=cmty.levelc&cid=1836&tok=1.
More unemployment
benefits for military spouses
New Jersey, Arkansas,
South Carolina and Connecticut have come onboard to allow military spouses
to collect unemployment compensation when they quit
their jobs to move to new duty stations with their
service-member spouses. This makes a total of 21
states that authorize unemployment benefits. Eight
other states flatly deny benefits while the remainder
will consider them on a case-by-case basis. The
changes have occurred since the Department of Defense
launched a "USA 4 Military Families" campaign
three years ago. To assist, DoD has assigned 10
regional representatives to act as liaison between
the services and the appropriate state agencies.
Support
for military children of deployed and injured
Guard members
From the desk
of retired Command Sgt. Maj. Mike
Hughes, Family Assistance specialist
Our Military
Kids (OMK) provides tangible support to the
children of deployed and severely injured National
Guard and Military Reserve personnel through grants
for enrichment activities and tutoring that nurture
and sustain the children during the time a parent
is away in service to our country. OMK grants are
made to honor the sacrifices military parents make
and to ensure that the children have access to activities
and support that help the children better cope with
challenges arising during a parent's deployment
or injury recovery. For additional information go
to www.ourmilitarykids.org
Keep going
with the Fitness Challenge
From
the desk of Ernie Razzano, DMAVA Health Professions
recruiter
I just wanted
to congratulate those of who took the Fitness Challenge
- you on getting to the half way mark. The
challenge ends on Nov. 3, so hang in there! I
want to thank all of you for participating this
year. We have more than four times as many
participants (67) than we did last year (15).
For those of you who are using this challenge as
a springboard to start a fitness program - I salute
you! Keep up the good work and contact me
at any time for any motivation you may need.
For those of you already in a fitness program, you
have the unique advantage of knowing the benefits
you're obtaining as you continue to train.
If you have any questions regarding the program
or fitness in general and would like to speak to
a certified fitness professional, don't hesitate
to contact me at 609-530-6767.
Army Information
Line: 1-800-833-6622
The Army
Information Line (1-800-833-6622) is designed to
help all Soldiers and their Family members whether
they are deployed; stationed stateside or overseas;
are brand new to the Army; or are 30 year veterans.
In addition
to The Army Information Line, Army Well-Being's
Army Families Online Web site www.ArmyFamiliesOnline.org recently welcomed its 2-millionth visitor this
year.
The Army
Information Line also celebrates its 25-year existence
of providing information and referral services to
those Soldiers and Family members.
N.J. Militia
Museum conducting Retiree Oral History Program
The National
Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey has put together
a National Guard Veteran Retiree Oral History
Program. In the past, the NJNG has not conducted
oral exit interviews of commanders, full-time personnel,
and retirees to preserve history. The museum
is going to institute a volunteer program to try
to catch up. If you wish to participate, contact the museum
at 732-974-5966.
Program
expands services to families of fallen Soldiers
As part
of ongoing efforts to better assist Families of
fallen Soldiers, Army Long Term Family Case Management
added 11 new categories to the Support Program section
on its Web site.
The information
can be found in the Support Programs section of
www.ALTFCM.army.mil.
Policy change
boosts G.I. Bill eligibility for some Guard, Reserve
From
the desk of retired Command Sgt. Maj. Mike
Hughes, Family Assistance specialist
A recent
Defense Department policy change widens the eligibility
window for some Reserve-component troops who want
to use their Montgomery G.I. Bill education benefits.
The DoD policy now aligns with Department of Veterans
Affairs rules, which say National Guard members
and reservists are eligible to receive Montgomery
G.I. Bill education benefits for the period covering
the amount of time they served on active duty, plus
four months. The total amount of G.I. Bill
coverage for reservists is still 36 months and reservists
normally have 14 years to use their Montgomery G.I.
Bill benefits. However, that time might also be
extended by the amount of time Guard or Reserve
members serve on active duty, plus four months.
The Reserve
Education Assistance Program (REAP), established
by the 2005 National Defense Authorization Act,
is another DoD education initiative for members
of the Guard and Reserve. To be eligible, servicemembers
must have served at least 90 consecutive days of
active service after Sept. 11, 2001, in response
to a Presidential or Congressional call-up of military
forces for wartime or other emergency service.
Guard and
Reserve members who served for two continuous years
on active duty in support of a contingency operation
would qualify for both the Montgomery G.I. Bill
and REAP and could select which program they want
to use,
Servicemembers
can determine if they qualify for the Montgomery
G.I. Bill and REAP by contacting their local education
office.
Project
Victory offers rehabilitation services
Project
Victory will provide free rehabilitation services
to veterans across the country who suffer from moderate
to severe Traumatic Brain Injury sustained in Operation
Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in
Afghanistan.
The program
is funded by a three-year grant from the Iraq Afghanistan
Deployment
Impact Fund of the California
Community Foundation.
Project
Victory will serve 65 servicemembers annually. Applicants
must meet criteria for care. Rehabilitation and
housing costs will be covered.
Project
Victory is outpatient rehabilitation/community re-integration
programs that will help combat veterans achieve
the greatest degree of independence in their daily
lives.
A designated
Family member or caregiver will participate as an
integral part of the rehabilitation team.
Together,
Project Victory staff and the servicemember's caregiver
will assess progress and revise goals based on the
patient's changing life situation. This will ensure
a more successful transition back into the home
and community environment.
Project
Victory is a collaborative program uniting medical
doctors from the Michael E.
DeBakey
Veterans
Affairs
Medical
Center
in Houston with rehabilitation specialists from
Memorial Hermann TIRR Challenge Program.
Memorial
Hermann TIRR, a brain injury rehabilitation program,
was recently named one of the top-five rehabilitation
hospitals in the United States.
For more
information visit: www.tirrfoundation.org/victory.asp contact Shawn Brossart, Project Victory Coordinator,
at 713-383-5604, or
shawnbrossart@memorialhermann.org.
Enlisted
Association announces new officers
From
the desk of retired Command Master Sgt. Michael
Hughes, EANGNJ
The Enlisted
Association of the National Guard of New Jersey
elected new officers at their Annual Conference
at Valley
Forge, PA
on Oct 5-7. The newly elected officers are:
President: retired Command Sgt. Maj. Michael
T. Hughes
Vice President - Army:
retired Sgt. Maj. Michael C. Amoroso
Vice President - Air:
retired Chief Master Sgt. Kathy Christian
Corresponding Secretary:
Sgt. 1st Class Valerie A. Hopkins
Recording Secretary:
Staff Sgt. Beth B. Lapoint
Treasurer:
retired
Chief Master Sgt. Leon Cisek
Immediate Past President:
Chief Master Sgt. Thomas J. Quinn
Rep JF HQS:
Staff
Sgt. Andrew J. Faucett
Rep Air McGuire:
Master
Sgt. Vincent Mazza
Rep Air Atlantic City:
Master Sgt. Joseph A Iacovone Jr
Rep 57th Trp Cmd:
Sgt. 1st Class Larry S. Rosenthal
Rep 50th Brigade:
Sgt.
1st Class Leroy A. Wright
Rep 42nd RSG:
Command
Master Sgt. Richard Vanderclute
Rep Air Retired:
retired
Chief Master Sgt. Chuck Adamson
Rep Army Retired:
retired
Command Master Sgt. Richard T. LaRocca
Mailing
help for holiday overseas packages
By Karen
Jowers - Army Times Staff writer
If you want
to get holiday gifts to a service member deployed
overseas by Dec. 25, it's time to start thinking
about mail deadlines.
The first
suggested deadline of Nov. 13 is for packages going
by parcel post to deployed troops and those living
on overseas installations, according to the U.S.
Postal Service. Parcel post may be the slowest option,
but it's the cheapest, too. For packages to arrive
by the start of Hanukkah, at sundown Dec. 4, they
should be mailed by Oct. 23.
You can
check the cost of mailing your package through different
avenues on the Postal Service's Web site.
Postal officials
strongly advise families to consider these deadlines
because of the volume of mail during the holiday
season. Many groups are already gearing up to send
packages to deployed troops.
Some tips
from the Postal Service:
v
Packages must be addressed to an individual service
member. Mail cannot be delivered to "any service
member." Use the member's full name, military
organization or unit and APO/FPO address.
v
Do not include the country name in any part of the
address when using an APO/FPO address.
v
Choose a box strong enough to protect its contents,
and use plenty of cushioning material such as popcorn
or newspapers.
v
Consider using the Postal Service's free Military
Kit - eight boxes of three different sizes popular
for mailing to military personnel, along with mailing
labels, tape and U.S. Customs forms. Kits can be
obtained by calling toll-free to (800) 610-8734.
Choose option 1, and when a live agent responds,
ask for Care Kit 4.
v
Write the delivery and return addresses on one side
of the package.
v
Place a return address label inside the package.
If you miss
the parcel post deadline, here are your options
for getting mail to an APO/FPO address by Dec. 25
(subtract 21 days from these deadlines to ensure
delivery in time for Hanukkah):
v
Space Available Mail (SAM): Nov. 27.
v
Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL): Dec. 4, except for ZIP
codes starting with 093, which are all areas of
contingency operations. The suggested deadline for
those locations is Dec. 1.
v
Priority Mail: Dec. 11 (093 ZIP codes, Dec. 4).
v
First-class letters and cards: Dec. 11. (093 ZIP
codes, Dec. 4).
v
Express Mail Military Services: Dec. 18 (not available
to 093 ZIP codes).
Visit the
following Web site to check out mailing guidelines.
http://www.usps.com/ send/preparemailandpackages/preparingpackages.htm.
Cyber Security
Awareness month
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) National Cyber Security Division (NCSD) is
spearheading the fourth annual National Cyber Security
Awareness Month which is intended to raise awareness
of the growing need to protect our nation's critical
infrastructures and key resources from cyber threats
and vulnerabilities.
The theme of this year's campaign, "Protect
Yourself Before You Connect Yourself," was
chosen to demonstrate that both individual and enterprise
users can take simple steps to protect their part
of cyberspace and help secure America's cyber
assets.
Assistant Secretary of Cybersecurity and Communication, Greg Garcia,
is providing some practical advice to thwart future cyber attacks:
*
Take cyber risks seriously and ask neighbors and
coworkers to do the same.
*
Educate yourself on ways to safeguard yourself and
your family from identify theft, fraud, and other
cyber threats by going to the Web site, www.OnGuardOnline.gov.
*
Spread the word and became an ambassador of cyber
security by reporting incidents to your IT department
or to US-CERT at www.US-CERT.gov.
*
Explain the importance of protecting yourself while
online to those around you.
Golf tournament
is cancelled
Be aware
that the Enlisted Assoc Golf Tournament scheduled
for Oct 22 has been cancelled.
Retirement Dinners
Dinner to
be held for Catherine Vasil
Here is
your chance to say goodbye to Catherine Vasil of
the DMAVA Human Relations Division. Her retirement
dinner will be held Oct. 26, 5 p.m., at Mastoris
Restaurant, Bordentown.
Cost of
the dinner is $30 per person which includes the
gift. RSVP no later than Oct. 19 to Anna Marie Boutchia
at 609-530-6889.
The retirement
dinner for Chief Warrant Officer Five Albert G.
Curving will be held on Nov. 2 at the Lawrenceville
Armory. Cocktail
hour begins at 6 p.m. and dinner will be served
at 7 p.m.
Cost of
the dinner is $32 per person. For more information,
to make payments and reservations, contact Maj.
Denise McCleary at 609-562-0213. Reservations must be made by Oct. 15.
For Your Calendar
Army Soldier
Show coming to New
Jersey
The 2007
U.S. Army Soldier Show is a high-energy 90-minute
live musical review showcasing the talents of active
duty Soldiers who are selected by audition from
the Army who have a passion for music, dance and
performing. They come from infantry, transportation,
military police, medical, intelligence, aviation,
signal and other tactical units. The show is assembled
in six weeks, and then tours for 6 1/2 months.
The most recent tour began in May 2007. It will be in our area on three occasions.
Oct. 23 - Fort Monmouth, N.J.
Admission to all performances is free.
Check with local Morale, Recreation and Welfare
or public affairs officials for exact location,
post access procedures, and curtain times. Dates
and locations are subject to change.
ANG Dinosaurs
holding fall gathering on Oct. 24
The (NJ)
ANG Dinosaurs are holding their fall gathering of
Air National Guard retirees at Moore's
Tavern, Freehold, on Oct.
24 at 1 p.m.
All ANG retirees and current ANG employees
who are soon to be retired are invited. Army Guard retirees are welcome to attend
also.
Please RSVP
to Mel Sylvester
at 609-298-5970 or NuffSaidMel@aol.com or Rich Donovan at 732-223-2051 or 732-223-4445 or
DONOVAN@exit109.com.
Cost of meal (drinks will be separate) with tip
will be about $25.
North Jersey AUSA chapter will hold meeting Oct. 25
The Northern
New Jersey Chapter of the Association of the United
States Army will hold their fall meeting on Oct.
25 at The Rutgers Club in New
Brunswick.
Cocktail hour begins at 5:30 p.m. and the
buffet dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m.
The special
guests for the meeting will be Lt. Col. Peter Sandberg,
professor of Military Science, Rutgers University
Army ROTC and Cadet Lt. Col. Robert Preziosi of
the Scarlet Knight battalion.
They will host a discussion on Army ROTC's
role and mission and how it develops future leaders
in the U.S. Army.
The chapter will also recognize 18 Rutgers
ROTC seniors, 13 of whom are in the New Jersey Army
National Guard.
Cost is
$35 per person.
To RSVP, call retired Col.
Richard F. Plechner at 732-549-1535.
The uniform of the evening is Mess Dress/Dress
Blue or civilian business attire.
Historic
Soldier Weekend will collect for Operation Shoebox
Operation Shoebox, NJ will be on site
accepting donations to ship overseas for our troops
at Historic Soldier Weekend, held on the historic
Burlington riverfront, Oct. 27 and 28.
They are accepting donations for the shoeboxes.
The following list contains items
frequently requested by U.S. Soldiers and Marines
serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Please note that aerosol
products cannot be shipped overseas. Also, all items
must be in their original packaging. When in doubt,
think small. It is easier to ship smaller packaged
items than large, economy size.
Lip balm, Sun block, Moist wipes,
Bug spray - non-aerosol, Bars of soap, Small bottles
of shampoo, Deodorant - non-aerosol, Powdered drink
mixes, Cereal/Snack/Granola bars, Instant oatmeal
- individual packets, Boxes of hot chocolate that
contain individual packets, Small cans of tuna with
pop-tops, Small cans of fruit with pop-tops, Microwave
popcorn - individual bags can be sent, Athletic
socks, Batteries - all sizes, Gum, Candy, Small
boxes of cereal, Small bags of trail mix, peanuts, pretzels,
etc.
Operation
Shoebox
NJ
is a registered non-profit organization.
Operation Shoebox NJ has shipped more than 12,000 packages
to U.S.
military personnel serving in Iraq,
Kuwait, Afghanistan
and other posts in the Middle
East. (http://opshoeboxnj.org/)
For more information on the Historic Soldier
Weekend, which is an historical encampment
featuring re-enactors and their equipment from every
American conflict, spanning from the French and
Indian War to the Vietnam War, visit http://www.historicsoldiersweekend.com/.
Honorable Mention
Are you
Red for the Post Deployment Health Reassessment?
Is your
AKO stoplight Red for My Medical Readiness?
Is AKO telling
you that you are due to complete your Post Deployment
Health Reassessment (PDHRA)?
Want to
know how to fix this? The PDHRA seeks to identify
proactively potential health issues before they
become chronic conditions. The PDHRA provides education,
screening, assessment and access to care for a wide
variety of questions and concerns that Soldiers
may have about their health after they return from
deployment. Soldiers who redeployed from a combat
zone more than 90 days ago are eligible for the
PDHRA.
Just follow
these simple directions.
Option 1:
Begin PDHRA online and complete it over the phone.
You may complete the PDHRA online through AKO by
going to https://apps.mods.army.mil/mwde/ secure/AKOForms.asp
and logging in with your AKO username and password.
You must then call 1-888-PDHRA-99 to discuss your
responses with a healthcare provider.
Option 2:
Complete PDHRA entirely over the phone.
If you do not have access to a computer or
AKO, you may call 1-888-PDHRA-99 and complete the
entire assessment over the phone.
Questions?
Visit www.virtualarmory.com/mobiledeploy/PDHRA for
more information.
Nominate
your co-worker for a state award
Here is
the chance to nominate your fellow employees for
a state award. Has the person in the cubicle next
to you done something that makes you proud?
Nominate
your co-workers for an award in one of the following
categories:
v
Heroism
v
Exceptional service
v
Co-worker recognition
v
Community service
v
Teamwork/Partnership
v
Customer service
v
Professional achievement
Rules, instructions
and forms are available on the Human Resources page
of the DMAVA Intranet or by calling 609-530-7107.
Completed forms must be typed, signed by
the nominee's supervisor and received at DMAVA-HRO
no later than Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. to be considered
for this year's awards.
Send Highlights your happenings
We want
your stuff!! Is
your unit doing some unique training?
Did someone in the New Jersey Guard receive
accolades for accomplishing something extra special?
Is your unit running a special event for the community?
Does your section of DMAVA have something they need
to tell the rest of the department? We want to know
about it.
Send us
a short piece on what is happening so we can publish
it in DMAVA Highlights. Let us
know who wrote it so we can give them credit.
If there are photos, you can send those too. While we do not publish photos in Highlights, we can give them to the editor
of Guardlife
and they may be used in that publication.
When you
send in your article:
ý
Identify all people in the article with rank, first
and last names and job title or position.
ý
Spell out all acronyms.
ý
When it comes to equipment, do not just give the
nomenclature, also include the "name" of the equipment. Do not use M998 alone, HMMWV is also needed.
ý
Give us as much as possible of the meat of the story
- who, what, when, where, why and how concerning
the event.
ý
Photos need identification of people in the photo
and what is happening in the photo.
Deadline
for each week is noon Thursday and should be e-mailed
to Barbara.harbison@njdmava.state.nj.us. We do not publish flyers or Adobe files.
If a Web site is out there to give people
more information or to get a registration form,
put that in your article.
Don't be
intimidated by writing, we edit it for understanding
and grammar. Your article may look a different when
it is published as we also edit to fit the standards
of the AP
Style Guide.
Show us
your stuff!!
Counterdrug
Task Force has job openings
The Counterdrug
Task Force announces an opening in the Counterdrug
support operations. Two positions are open to any
qualified current member of the New Jersey Army
and Air National Guard.
It is a full time, Active Duty Special Work,
military duty position vacancy (Title 32). Military
grade needed to apply for the position is E2-E5
with E5 being the maximum grade.
Members
who are selected for the job are subject to unusual
and additional duty hours. They must maintain responsibilities
to their unit of assignment to include MOSQ, attend
scheduled drills and annual training, and maintain
readiness status.
The job
consists of assisting Law Enforcement Agencies with
intelligence analysis support and developing investigations
and cases for prosecution. Activities include, inputting, reviewing and
analyzing collected information and providing legal,
paralegal and auditing assistance. Operational support
to LEAs is designed to enhance the effectiveness
of the supported agency and release law enforcement
officers for drug enforcement duties.
For more
information on how to apply for the positions, contact
Staff Sgt. Christina D. Ermi at 609-530-7166.
Guardsmen wanted to join the PTAE
The New
Jersey Army National Guard is in the process of
developing its Pre-Mobilization Assistance Element
(PTAE). The
PTAE is currently looking for Traditional Drilling
Guardsmen of various MOSs for a Title 32 ADSW (Additional
Duty Special Work) tour at Fort Dix.
The purpose
of the PTAE is to provide training feedback to the
supported unit and TAG through the G-3.
The PTAE will monitor and assist unit training
and tracking of individual soldier/unit progress
and completion of pre-mobilization training tasks.
All applicants
must be eligible and submit the following:
v
Complete DA Form 1058-R with commander's signature
v
A current Retirement Point Assessment Statement
v
Meet height/weight standards along a valid APFT
within one year of ADSW start date
v
Physical Profile, DA Form 3349. Temporary profiles are not eligible.
v
Pregnancy statement (females only) within 15 days
of ADSW start date.
v
Current resume
v
Eligible to obtain a Secret security clearance.
v
Eligible to attend 15 day Observer Controller Training
(OC-T) course in Camp
Shelby,
Miss.
For more
information call Lt. Col. Walter Nall at 609-562-0321
or walter.r.nall@us.army.mil or Master Sgt. Jonny
Hannigan at 609-562-0337 or jonny.hannigan@us.army.mil.
New Jersey Bar Association offers pro bono
military legal assistance
The New
Jersey Bar Association established and administers
the Military Legal Assistance Program.
This pro bono program provides assistance
to New Jersey residents who have served overseas
as active duty members of reserve components of
the armed forces after Sept. 11, 2001.
Individuals
who have been adversely affected upon their return
from deployment and cannot be represented by military
lawyers can use this program. The program currently
offers assistance to the following areas: family
law, employment law, veterans' benefits and debtor-creditor
law.
The Military
Legal Assistance program will refer members of the
military who contact the state bar association to
volunteers qualified to assist them with their specific
legal issues. Volunteers
who accept a case through the program must agree
to handle such case from inception to resolution
without compensation or reimbursement for expenses.
If interested
in the program, call toll free 1-888-541-1900 for
referral or visit the New Jersey State Bar Association
web site at www.njsba.com and click on the button for the Military Legal
Assistance program.
Honor Guard
program wants YOU!
Looking
for a way to serve and get some satisfaction at
the same time? The Honor Guard program is looking for members
of the Army and Air Guard to join the team to perform
honor guard duties at the funerals of veterans.
There is an initial eight hours of training
for all new enrollees, with on-going sustainment
training. As
an honor guard member, you will receive a day of
pay for each day's mission, minimum of $50, and
traditional drilling Guard members receive a retirement
point for each day's duties.
If you are
interested in applying for the Honor Guard program,
call Retired Sgt. Maj. Ed Goetschius at 609-530-7090.
VA Launches
Suicide Hotline
To ensure
veterans with emotional crises have round-the-clock
access to trained professionals, the Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun operation of
a national suicide prevention hot line for veterans.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson said:
"Veterans need to know these VA professionals
are literally a phone call away. All service members
who experience the stresses of combat can have wounds
on their minds as well as their bodies. Veterans
should see mental health services as another benefit
they have earned, which the men and women of VA
are honored to provide." VA's hot line will
be staffed by mental health professionals in Canandaigua, N.Y.
They will take toll-free calls from across the country
and work closely with local VA mental health providers
to help callers. The toll-free hot line number is
1 (800) 273-TALK (8255).
Discounts
offered for State employees
Are you
a state employee looking to save a few $$$?
Visit www.state.nj.us/personnel/discounts/index.htm and you can find a number of businesses who
offer discounts to New
Jersey state employees.
From amusement parks to fitness to computer
to phones and lots of other discounts between, you
will find many ways to save money. For more information,
please contact Cindy Leese at cindy.leese@njdmava.state.nj.us
or call 609-530-7056.
For the Families
N.J.
State
Family Readiness Council offers Family Grants
Program
The New Jersey National Guard State Family Readiness
Council has expanded its Family Grants Program to
include an additional grant. There are now
two levels of Family Grants; TIER I is the $2,500
grant that has been in place for the past couple
of years. The TIER II opens family grants
to New Jersey Army and Air National Guard non-deployed
service members who were on State Active Duty or
State Missions (e.g., hurricanes, floods, border
missions) for more than 20 consecutive days.
Service members meeting these criteria are eligible
to apply for a financial hardship grant up to $1,500.
Applications are available at all New Jersey Army
and Air National Guard Family Assistance Centers.
Program offers assistance to spouses of deployed
military
The Deployed Military Spouses Assistance Program
provides direct assistance and referrals to existing
programs for spouses of deployed military personnel
(active duty, reserve and National Guard) who face
unusual financial and emotional stress as a result
of the deployments.
Applicants should contact Fawn Mutschler at 609-543-6200
ext. 325 or wocmilitarygrant@ymca-bc.org to obtain
an application. In addition to the completed
application form, applicants will also need to submit
the following documentation: LES/paystub for applicant
and spouse; statement of Financial Need (i.e. reason
for applying and how the grant will help); bill
or pricing of expenditure as well as any other supporting
information the applicant feels may be helpful.
Additional information can be found at: www.state.nj.us/dca/dow/depmilspouseasst.shtml
Sports and Entertainment
First Annual Jack Green Memorial 5K Run/Walk
The First Annual Jack Green Memorial 5K Run/Walk
will be held Sunday Oct.
21 at 8:30 a.m. at the 177th Fighter Wing, 400 Langley Road, Egg Harbor Twp, N.J.
Registration will be held from 6:30 to 8 a.m.,
in building. 229 - the Base Gym.
Pre- registration fee is $15 if postmarked
by Oct. 10. Race day fee will be $20. Please make checks
payable to: 177 Fighter Wing Chief's Council and
mail to: Master Sgt. Frank G Heath, 400
Langley Road, Egg Harbor
Twp.,
NJ 08234.
For an application or information contact Tech.
Sgt. Erica Nelson at (609) 645-6224 or Master Sgt.
Frank Heath at (609) 645-6109 or frank.heath@njatla.ang.af.mil.
This event will be open to unit members, dependents,
and individuals that would normally have access
to the base. This is not open to the general
public.
Scholarship, Education News
HBCU
holding career fair for students
A number of organizations, including the New
Jersey Dept. of Education and the New Jersey Commission
on Higher Education, are coming together on Nov.
11 at the Trenton
War Memorial
Building
to commemorate the Malcolm Bernard Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week.
High school and community college students and
parents are invited to attend.
An Ecumenical service with the featured speaker,
Rev. Stephen Samuels will be held from 10-11:30
p.m. A college
fair with workshops will be held from 11:30 a.m.
to 3 p.m. More that 40 HCBUs will be represented at
the fair with information about scholarships and
financial aid, making the college decision and present
and future job market. For more information, visit the web site www.HBCU-CFNJ.com.
Free SAT/ACT Offer Extended
A group of NFL, NFL Europe, AFL, and CFL football
players have announced they are extending their
sponsorship of the SAT/ACT training to all military
families.
The sponsorship allows any military person (active,
Guard, reserve, or retired) to request as many programs
as they need for the students in their lives.
There is a secure website to confirm a person's
military status before directing the user to the
software order site.
Logon to:
www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/portal/page/itc/MHF/MHF_DETAIL_0?current_id=20.20.100.30.0.0.0.0.0
Programs are shipped to domestic U.S. addresses and APO
addresses. The
sponsorship covers the purchase price of $199 and
the family pays only the shipping and handling of
$9.95.
American Legion offers scholarships, booklet
on their Web site
The American Legion has scholarship information
on their Web site - www.legion.org - including
the 152-page booklet, Need
a Lift, which is a complete financial aid reference
guide for veterans, family members and the American
Legion family. When
you get on the site, click on "Scholarship Information"
in the "Useful Links" block.
Association News
NGANJ group life insurance available to members
Are you covered by the NGANJ Group Life Insurance
Program? As
a member of either the Officers or the Enlisted
Association, you are entitled to enroll in your
Association Life Insurance Program.
This special program provides from $5,000
to $50,000 of Life Insurance for you, "round the
clock". Premiums
range from as little as $2 per month and may be
payroll-deducted from your drill check.
Family coverage is also available at low
rates designed for you as a member of the New Jersey
Army and Air National Guard.
Think of it!!
No aviation exclusions...No hazardous duty
restrictions...No war clauses.No checks to write. Dependent coverage includes spouses and all
children. Information
can be obtained by contacting retired CWO Jack Petrosilli
at 609-530-6843, or retired Brig. Gen. Robert S.
Dutko Sr. at 609-273-1004.
Enrollment forms can be obtained by calling
retired Col. Frank L. Carlone, Program Coordinator
at 732-249-8335.
Enlisted Association of the National Guard of
New Jersey
The Enlisted Association is seeking members to
help give our state a larger voice.
The Association speaks on legislative issues
that benefit military members and families. The
association works 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.
Veterans Information
Vet Career Connect helps military members find
jobs
Vet Career Connect is a program designed to connect
military service members with New
Jersey employers. Vet Career
Connect matches veteran's specific abilities, drives
and interests with jobs requiring those specific
abilities.
Participants complete a Caliper Profile, which
is an on-line self assessment. They will receive
an Individual Developmental Guide outlining personal
motivators and areas of developmental opportunity.
Participants will then have the opportunity to place
the results of the Caliper Profile, their resume
and military achievements onto a database which
will be viewed by New Jersey-based companies who
have indicated a strong interest in employing veterans.
Vet Career Connect program is available at no
cost to service members. In order to participate
in this program, or if you have additional questions
please email or call Barbara
Foos, Project Administrator, at
609-524-1228 or bfoos@calipercorp.com.
Veterans Day ceremony in Ewing
The Department of Veteran Affairs/Readjustment
Counseling Service requests your company at their
annual Veterans Day celebration on November 7 at
noon at their office located at 934 Parkway Avenue,
Ewing. Their will be a reception immediately following
the ceremony.
For more information contact Darryll Johnson at 609-882-5744.
The New Jersey State Building and Construction
Trades Council's Helmets to Hardhats Program (NJ
H2H) is designed to help transitioning military
personnel, National Guardsmen and Reservists find
the careers in the building and construction industry. The program seeks to help military members
find a career in one of 15 affiliated trades, such
as electrical workers, carpenters and painters.
They work in cooperation with the national Helmets
to Hardhats program, adding a personal component
to the program's on-line services.
NJ H2H offers veterans preparation for successful
application to any of New Jersey's registered apprenticeship programs
in the building and construction trades. Services
include career counseling, entrance test preparation
and referral to supportive services.
For program registration and information, visit
online at www.njbctc.org/h2h or contact at 732-499-7295
or at H2H@njbctc.org.
DMAVA Veterans Outreach Campaign continues
The DMVA Veterans Outreach Campaign continues
with kiosk displays at selected malls throughout
New Jersey. The schedule is as follows:
October 30*, 31, November 1 |
Brunswick Square Mall |
November 27, 28, 29 |
Quaker Bridge Mall |
January 8,9, 2008 |
Woodbridge
Center |
February 5, 6, 7 |
Moorestown Mall |
March 4*, 5, 6 |
Paramus
Park
Shopping Center |
April 1, 2, 3 |
Voorhees
Town
Center |
May 6*, 7, 8 |
Ocean County Mall |
*Medal ceremonies begin at 10:30 a.m. on these
dates. The
kiosk will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
N.J. Vietnam
Veterans Memorial
N.J. Vietnam Veterans' Memorial and Vietnam Era Educational
Center's
upcoming events:
=================
Free guided tours of the Memorial are offered
on the first Saturday of each month at 11 a.m. and
1 p.m.
Oct. 20,
1 p.m. - "Choppers at War: Vietnam
to Iraq,"
a lecture by N.J. Iraq War Veteran, Lt. Col. Mark
Preston, USA.
Nov. 3,
1 p.m. - The
Last Ghost of War, a film about Vietnam Veterans and
Agent Orange presented by film director Janet
Gardner.
Dec. 8,
1 p.m. - Ghosts
in the Landscape: Vietnam
Revisited, a photo gallery display
and book discussion by the author/photographer,
N.J. Vietnam Veteran Craig J. Barber.
====================
For further information call 1-800-648-VETS or
visit www.njvvmf.org.