News Release - New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

NJDMAVA NEWS
April 2000

New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

New Budget Boon to Veterans

   The Fiscal Year (FY) 2001 budget looks to be the best budget for veterans’ benefits ever.
    The budget proposes approximately $18 million in property tax relief. Recently New Jersey voters approved, and the Governor supported a 400 percent increase in the $50 property tax deduction for veterans; the deduction will rise to $250 over a five-year period. In addition, disabled veterans who paid property taxes not knowing that they were exempt will be receiving a refund from the FY 1999 budget. State law exempts veterans, who are fully and permanently disabled because of a wartime, service-related injury or disease, from paying property taxes.
     The FY 2001 budget includes an additional $9 million state match for a $33 million reconstruction of the Vineland Veterans Memorial Home. The home will expand to have 300 beds and an assisted living complex with 32 beds. In addition, a new $42 million, 332-bed veterans home in Menlo Park was completed in 1999, and offers adult day care to reduce the number of institutionalized veterans.
    The FY 2001 budget includes funding for additional burials, enabling the number of interments at the Brigadier General Doyle Memorial Cemetery to rise annually by 200. While state funding will cover the architectural and engineering plans, the cemetery will also receive $9 million in federal money. The project will allow for multiple burials in bad weather.

TAG Honored by Senate and General Assembly
    Maj. Gen. Paul J. Glazar, The Adjutant General of New Jersey, was honored in a Joint Legislative Resolution sponsored by Senator Robert W. Singer and Assemblymen Melvin Cottrell and Joseph R. Malone, as well as the Burlington County Chapter of the Knights of Columbus.
    The resolution was presented to Maj. Gen. Glazar during the Knight’s Patriotic Military Banquet at McGuire Air Force Base on April 1.
    The Resolution reads: “Be it Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey: That this Legislature hereby honors and congratulates Major General Paul J. Glazar, joins in praising his outstanding record of service, and extends best wishes for continued success in all his future endeavors.”
Maj. Gen. Glazar was confirmed by the Senate as the 29th Adjutant General of New Jersey on February 24, 1994.

Around DMAVA

Menlo Veterans Home Ranked in Top 5%...The Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home was ranked in the top five percent of New Jersey nursing homes for the third consecutive year. Nursing homes are evaluated and inspected for the Advisory Standards only after meeting the mandatory regulations. Less than five percent of the state’s long-term care facilities achieve this highest standard.

Conference...The National Guard Association of New Jersey will be conducting its annual conference at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Atlantic City from April 14 - 16. The Association membership is made up of almost 2000 Guard officers, spouses, and associate corporate sponsors. Interested members of New Jersey state government are invited to attend the business meeting from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 15, in the Sheraton Hotel to meet their National Guard constituents and their families.

Legislative Tour...Major General Paul Glazar will host a legislative tour of New Jersey military bases and facilities for Members of Congress, congressional staff, and selected members of New Jersey state government on April 24 - 25. The tour is to acquaint legislators with the role New Jersey’s bases play in the national military strategy, the economic impact of the military on New Jersey’s economy, and the partnerships developed between industry, the military, and academia.

Guard Begins Deployments
   Annual Training (AT) officially started this month for the New Jersey Army and Air National Guard.
   The 1-114th Infantry of the New Jersey Army National Guard began deploying to the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, Calif., this month. The 1-114th will be serving as the “Bad Guys” in exercises against active-duty Army units.
   The 108th Air Refueling Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard at McGuire Air Force Base just deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. The 108th has gone to Turkey in support of operations against Iraqi four times since 1997.
   At the end of April, the 177th Fighter Wing at Atlantic City, will be deploying to Alpena, Mich. This is in preparation for sending its aircraft and maintenance personnel to Saudi Arabia in November to participate in the Air Force’s Air Expeditionary Force.

“The New Jersey National Guard - Making New Jersey a Better Place to Live, Work, and Raise a Family.”