During September the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will be holding five award ceremonies to present the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal, the state’s top military award, to 974 state residents who are combat veterans of  World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Persian Gulf War, Somalia or Bosnia.

The NJ Distinguished Service Medal was originally issued in 1858 for those who had distinguished themselves in the New Jersey Militia, but was infrequently used until re-authorized by Governor Kean in 1988. 

After the Spanish American War, the Mexican Border Expedition and again after World War I, the State of New Jersey minted special medals for returning NJ veterans to honor their service. After WWII, Korea, Vietnam and subsequent combat actions no such medal was available. The State of New Jersey was looking for an appropriate way to honor all of these returning combat veterans and acknowledge the debt the state owed them for their service. The NJ DSM was then authorized for that purpose. It is New Jersey’s highest military award. 

Since its re-authorization in 1988, more than 4,000 medals have been awarded to combat veterans from New Jersey. “The New Jersey veterans receiving the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal are a credit to our state and our nation.  Their sacrifice and their bravery in combat is truly deserving of New Jersey’s highest military award.  The award also serves as a great way to thank our veterans for their extraordinary achievements while our nation has been at war,” said Acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco.

In order to be eligible for the Distinguished Service Medal you must meet all the following criteria:

• currently be a resident of New Jersey
• have been a resident of New Jersey  at the time you entered into military service
• have been honorably discharged
• have proof of having served in combat while on active duty during wartime.