News Release - New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

NJDMAVA NEWS
March 2000

New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

New Jersey National Guard Busy in 2000
The New Jersey Army and Air National Guard is looking forward to a busy deployment schedule this year.
On the Army side of the house, the 1-114th Infantry will deploy to the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, Calif., in April. Company B of the 126th Army Aviation will be sent to the National Training Center in July. In February, the 50th Main Support Battalion began sending troops to Vincenza, Italy, to work alongside their active duty counterparts. The 50th will continue to send troops to Vincenza in March and April. In July, New Jersey Army National Guard units will be participating in Operation Sail - 2000 in both Philadelphia and New York. This will be the largest gathering of tall ships in United States history. The 5-117th Cavalry will deploy to Hohenfels Germany this August.
5-117th Cavalry M-1 Abrahms

    The New Jersey Air National Guard will see a variety of deployments worldwide this year. The 108th Air Refueling Wing will deploy to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, in April and in June as part of Operation Northern Watch. This is not the first time the 108th has gone to Turkey in support of operations against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Since 1997, the 108th has deployed to Incirlik Air Base four times.
    In June and in August, the wing will be sending aircrews to Operation Southern Watch in Saudi Arabia. Southern Watch is also part of the ongoing operation to deny Saddam Hussein the ability to fly and fight.
    The 108th will also be sending airmen to Keflavik, Iceland, this spring in support of the Air Expeditionary Force. This will be an ongoing deployment for the 108th. The wing will also be sending some of its medical personnel to Misawa Air Base, Japan, in June to work alongside their active duty counterparts.
    The 177th Fighter Wing has begun its deployments this year. Medics from the wing deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Southern Watch. This spring, the 177th will be deploying to Alpena, Mich., for annual training. This is in preparation for joining the Air Force Air Expeditionary Force and deploying its aircraft and maintenance personnel to Saudi Arabia this winter.

Groundbreaking Ceremony for War Memorial Held

      With more than 300 people in attendance, the New Jersey Korean War Memorial groundbreaking ceremony took place at Brighton Park, Atlantic City – where Park Place meets the Boardwalk.
    Among the distinguished guests were Senate President Donald DiFrancesco, Senator William Gormley, Major General Paul J. Glazar and Atlantic City Mayor James Whelan who joined members of the New Jersey Korean War Memorial Committee to mark the occasion.
    “This is a long-awaited and well-deserved tribute to honor and recognize the veterans of the Korean War,” said Maj. Gen. Paul J. Glazar, the Adjutant General of New Jersey. “Erecting a memorial is only a small way to show our appreciation for their courage in defending freedom and liberty.”
    Dedication of the Memorial is scheduled for July 27. The site will consist of a 12-foot high statue of “The Mourning Soldier” clutching dogtags and remembering his lost comrades. A group of soldiers “under fire” will emerge through a sheet of water just to his left. The back wall of the Memorial, beneath an eternal flame, will be engraved with the names of the 800 New Jerseyans who were killed or missing in action.
     The Committee has raised more than $2 million of the $2.5 million needed to build the Memorial. Fund-raising efforts are still actively underway.

New Jersey National Guard Still the Best Deal
   The New Jersey National Guard is still the best deal for going to college. The active duty services require that their people to serve for a minimum of two years before they are eligible to take advantage of their education benefits.
    With the New Jersey National Guard your constituents can attend college while they serve. If they go to a state school, their tuition is free. In addition they get paid while they are going to school. All this in return for one weekend a month and two weeks of annual training.
    The New Jersey National Guard - college was never easier.