Download PDF Version of this week's highlights

News For Your Views

New Jersey Helmets to Hardhats helps military personnel find careers

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 best careers in the building and construction industry. Our program seeks to honor and reward military service with a solid, family-sustaining career in one of our 15 affiliated trades:

? Boilermakers
? Carpenters
? Electrical workers
? Elevator constructors
? Insulator and asbestos workers
? Iron workers
? Laborers
? Operating engineers
? Painters
? Pipe trades
? Plasterers and cement masons
? Roofers
? Sheet metal workers
? Teamsters

We 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:

? Personal career counseling
? Review of apprentice entrance requirements
? Interview coaching
? Guidance through the application process
? Entrance test preparation
? Referral to supportive services

For program registration and information, visit us online at www.njbctc.org/h2h or contact us at 732-499-7295 or at H2H@njbctc.org.

While Mark Twain likened golf to a good walk spoiled, many people find joy in playing and watching the game. For those of you who enjoy the watching part, tickets are available for the AT&T National at Bethesda, Md., July 3-6.

Military members can get one pair of tickets for themselves and a guest for Tuesday through Friday and one pair for either Saturday or Sunday.

Tickets are available at Fort Monmouth Tickets n’ Tours, building 1010, Fort Monmouth. Additional tickets for military personnel and the rest of the DoD community can be purchased through Tickets n’ Tours. The phone number is 732-532-3077. Cost is $20 for Tuesday-Friday tickets; $25 for weekend tickets. Children under 12 are free at the gate when accompanied by a ticket-holding adult.

There will be limited satellite parking available in Maryland and Virginia with free shuttle buses. Buses from the Metro Red Line will also take spectators to the Club. There is NO parking at or near The Congressional Country Club.

The tournament, which will be hosted by Tiger Woods, will have former President George H.W. Bush hit the ceremonial first shot on July 4 to start the long weekend. The shot will take place on the first tee of the Blue Course of the country club.

From the desk of Command Sgt. Maj. Nick Kampf, Safety and Occupational Health NCO
Here are some water safety tips during the 101 Critical Days of Summer.
? Learn to swim.
? Swim in areas supervised by a lifeguard.
? Read and obey all rules and posted signs.
? Children or inexperienced swimmers should wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device, or PFD.
? Watch out for the dangerous “toos” – too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun, too much strenuous activity.
? Set water safety rules for the whole family based on swimming abilities.
? Be knowledgeable of the water environment you are in and its potential hazards.
? Pay attention to local weather conditions and forecasts. Stop swimming at the first indication of bad weather.
? Use a feet-first entry when entering the water.
? Enter headfirst only when the area is clearly marked for diving and has no obstructions.
? Do not mix alcohol with swimming, diving or boating.
? Know how to prevent, recognize, and respond to emergencies.

On June 16, employees and friends of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs participated in a motorcycle run to visit our residents at the three veteran’s homes. The intent of the motorcycle run was to increase the veterans’ morale and provide interaction between the riders and veterans. Approximately 30 riders departed Lawrenceville for the 300-mile ride. The New Jersey Leatherneck Motorcycle Club was the largest contingency of riders at the run. To say the least, the 1st Annual Veteran’s Home Motorcycle Run was a huge success. Thanks to all who supported and participated in this very rewarding experience, especially, Master Sgt. James Hubert, who provided maintenance support. The organizers look forward to improving the ride each year. If you are interested in participating with the group, please contact Lt. Col. Walter R. Nall at 609-530-6841 or walter.nall@njdmava.state.nj.us.

The tickets for Military Family Appreciation Day at Great Adventure on August 27 are available at any of our Family Assistance Center locations (Teaneck, Somerset, Pomona, Lawrenceville, Toms River, Woodbury or Jersey City) or the Family Programs Office at Fort Dix. Tickets will not be available until July 3. Tickets will be $20 each (regular price is $69.99). Tickets are for National Guard Soldiers and Airmen and civilian employees of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Parking at Great Adventure will be $15 per car. For more information, contact Marie Durling at 609-562-0739 or Amanda Balas at 609-562-0742 in the State Family Programs Office.

The 2007 Korean War Commemoration Ceremony will take place on July 27 at 11 a.m. at the New Jersey Korean War Memorial, at Park Place/Boardwalk, near Brighton Park, Atlantic City.  Hosted by the New Jersey Korean War Veterans Association in cooperation with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, it will be the 54th Anniversary Commemoration Signing of the Korean War Armistice.  There will also be a presentation of the New Jersey Korean War Commemorative Medal to local Korean combat veterans.

It’s time to say farewell to Col. Robert E. Watson. He is retiring after 38 years, seven months and 18 days in the military. The retirement buffet luncheon will be held at Club Dix (building 5455, Alabama and East 6th Street) on June 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost of the lunch is $15 and is payable prior to June 28. To reserve a spot in the send-off line, call Marcia Gose no later than June 26 at 609-562-6258.

The Armed Forces Recreation Center in Virginia Beach joins locations in Orlando, Fla., Germany, Hawaii, and Korea.  The Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command assumed responsibility of the 93-room set of cabins and bungalows at Fort Story, Va., in April, but plans to expand the property over the next two years with additional rooms and conference facilities.  The resort is open to active duty, reservists, retired military, DoD civilians, delayed-entry recruits and family members.  Prices range from $59 to $273 per night based on the resort, rank, paygrade, duty status, room size and location.  For more information go to www.capehenryinn.com .

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.

Teams are split geographically throughout the state and volunteers can stay busy.  In April 2007, the teams conducted 205 services for deceased veterans.  By May15, there were 120 funerals where the team performed their duties.  Retired Sgt. Maj. Ed Goetschius, who oversees the program, believes that there will be at least 2,000 services where the honor guard has served by the end of the year.
If you are interested in applying for the Honor Guard program, call Goetschius at 609-530-7090.

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.

The New Jersey National Guard Family Readiness Council is looking for an IT or “web savvy” individual to donate their services. Your talents are needed to set up and maintain a Web site for the Family Readiness Council. Anyone who is interested should call Terry Dearden at 609-530-6893 to set up a meeting with the members of the Council.

The National Guard State Family Readiness Council is a nonprofit organization developed to assess and implement solutions to challenges that our Guard families experience during their Soldier’s or Airman’s deployment. One of the functions of the council is to add support to the Family Assistance Centers scattered throughout the state.  The council is accessible to individual families and other military organizations. Financial support is provided by the council to military activities through generous donations and fundraising activities.  Resource services and emotional support are also available.

Summer is coming and now is the time that many kids will be signing up for camps, recreational activities and lessons, etc.  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 for their children. 
This grant, provided by the Department of Community Affairs is available to spouses and families of deployed military personnel in all branches of service in the State who are income eligible. 
For more information and an application, contact Fawn Mutschler at 609-543-6200, ext. 325 or e-mail wocmilitarygrant@ymca-bc.org.

The thirteenth Annual New Jersey National Guard Youth Camp will be held July 29 to Aug. 4 at the New Jersey National Guard Training Center, Sea Girt.

Applications are available at: www.state.nj.us/military/familysupport/youth_camp.html
Children, ages 9-13 are invited to apply.  The camp fee is still $100.  Campers must be children, grandchildren or legal dependents of an active or retired member of the New Jersey National Guard.  A variety of volunteer positions are available. For more information, call the Family Programs Office at (609) 562-0668.

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

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.

The Trenton Vet Center with support from our community partner, Trenton Thunder Baseball, will sponsor baseball tickets at a special rate for Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard, separated, and retired veterans.  A regular $10 season ticket will be offered at $7for veterans and family members.  The primary purpose of the program is to allow veterans and their families an opportunity to experience Trenton Thunder baseball due to their service and sacrifice for our country.  If you have questions, call Matt Petima, director of ticket operations for the Trenton Thunder at 609-394-3300, ext 1200 or the ticket box office at 609-394-3300.

Proof of Veteran Status:  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.

Like to ride motorcycle?  Here is an opportunity to ride and support servicemembers and their families at the same time.  Join the 3rd Annual “Support Our Troops” Motorcycle Run on October 13 (rain date of October 14).

Registration is from 10-11 a.m. at the Tri-Towne Plaza, Route 70, Marlton and the ride departs at 11:15 a.m. The route is to travel the Pine Barrens to Sweetwater Casino Restaurant, Sweetwater (Hammonton mailing address). The run will be approximately 48 miles (one way). Please come with a full tank of gas.  Cost of the ride is a donation of $15 per rider and $5 per passenger.
Proceeds benefit the Freedom Alliance Foundation which provide:

1. Educational scholarships to the children of America’s military heroes that have given the ultimate sacrifice.
2. For the injured in our hospitals pre-paid long-distance phone cards, gift cards for clothing, food, toiletries, books, and magazines.
3. Funding for family members to travel to see and encourage their loved one.

For more information contact John Atkinson at 856-596-9100, or go to www.citikids.org/freedom.htm, for local run information or to the national site -  www.freedomalliance.org.

The 11th Annual Lt. Col. Dave Savino Memorial Golf Tournament will be held on Sept. 17 at the Fountain Green Golf Course, Ft. Dix.   Shotgun start is at 8 a.m., with a two-person scramble (best ball).  Cost to play is $85 per person, with checks made payable to “Lt. Col. Dave Savino Memorial Fund.”  Call Senior Master Sgt. Mike Balas at 609-330-4069 or Connie Cisek at 609-562-0901 for more information.  Proceeds from the tournament go to help fellow Guardsmen in need.

The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of New Jersey is holding a golf outing on Oct. 22 at Gambler’s Ridge Golf Club, 121 Burlington Path Road, Cream Ridge, NJ.  All proceeds from the event go to the association’s scholarships.

Registration and a continental breakfast begins the day at 7:30 a.m. The play is two-person best ball with a modified shotgun start at 8:45.  A donation of $90 includes greens fees, cart and luncheon.  There will be prizes for first and second place teams for the low gross, closest to the pin on all par 3’s and the longest drive.

For more information call Mike Amoroso at 609-562-0754. Make checks payable to EANG-NJ (Golf) and mail to Leon Cisek, PO Box 365, Wrightstown NJ 08562 no later than Oct. 15.

Here’s to the Heroes provides a single day’s free admission to any one SeaWorld or Busch Gardens park, Sesame Place, Adventure Island or Water Country USA for the service member and as many as three direct dependents.

Any active duty, active reserve, ready reserve service member or Guard member is entitled to free admission under the program. He or she need only register, either online at www.herosalute.com or in the entrance plaza of a participating park, and show a Department of Defense photo ID.

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.

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, veterans’ dependents and members of the American Legion family.  When you get on the site, click on “Scholarship Information” in the “Useful Links” block.

There are many scholarships available to military family members. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Military Line suggests that you not pay someone to find scholarships for you. Why? Because these researchers will use the same sources on the internet that you will use, so why pay them to do so? For suggestions on where to find scholarships for which you might be eligible, visit: www.enewsbuilder.net/cbbb military/e_article-000694547.cfm?x=b8r7v3.

For information to help military families avoid financial pitfalls, visit: http://military.bbb.org

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.

The National Guard Association of New Jersey will be conducting the following events.  All members (active and retirees) are encouraged to participate:

1. National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) 129th Conference - this conference will be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico from August 25-27, 2007.  The New Jersey delegation will be staying at the Caribe Hilton (15 minutes from airport).  Our hotel is located on the beach, has a great pool for the family and is located close to the convention center (10 minutes).  We have reserved 30 rooms on a first come, first gets basis.  Additional information and registration forms will be coming out shortly.  If you are interested, please contact Capt. Jose Maldonado.
2. NGANJ Website - The above information is posted on the NGANJ website.  If you need copies of the forms, specific contacts or additional information, please go to the website at:  www.nganj.org.

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

*Medal ceremonies begin at 10:30 a.m. on these dates.
The kiosk will be open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the identified dates.

N.J. Vietnam Veterans' Memorial and Vietnam Era Educational Center's upcoming events:
 =================