Two ceremonies will be held to award the NJ Vietnam Service Medal to New Jersey residents who served in the Vietnam War. 172 New Jersey Vietnam Veterans will be honored at a 2 p.m. ceremony and 173 at a 4 p.m. ceremony. The Memorial is located on the grounds of the PNC Bank Arts Center, Garden State Parkway exit 116.

Approved by the New Jersey Legislature on Nov. 13, 2000, the medal commemorates the 25th anniversary of the ending of the Vietnam Conflict in January 1973.

To be eligible for the Vietnam Service Medal, veterans must meet the following criteria:

• be a current resident of New Jersey
• served in any branch of the armed forces of the United States in Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia or the contiguous waters or airspace thereof on or after Dec. 31, 1960 and on or before May 7, 1975.
• Have an honorable discharge or be currently serving in the military

Anyone interested in applying for the New Jersey Vietnam Service Medal should send a written request together with a copy of the individual's discharge document (DD Form 214) to:

NJDMAVA
ATTN: Vietnam Service Medal
PO Box 340
Trenton, NJ 08625-0340

Also being held at the Memorial on May 7 at 11 a.m. is the annual New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Ceremony. This year's ceremony will honor the life of Rick Rescorla, a Vietnam Veteran and hero of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. Susan Rescorla, widow of Rick, will accept the New Jersey Vietnam Service Medal, which is being posthumously awarded to Rick Rescorla.

On September 11th, Rick Rescorla, vice president for corporate security at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter and Co., helped to evacuate more than 3,000 employees from the Twin Towers before losing his own life.

Rescorla was a veteran of the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley in Vietnam, and is featured in the book, "We Were Soldiers Once…. And Young," which was recently released as a major motion picture.

General Hal Moore, whose life is portrayed by Mel Gibson in the film "We Were Soldiers," will attend the ceremony and speak about the lifetime of sacrifice and service that Rescorla devoted to our state and nation. A number of other veterans of the Ia Drang Valley, who were lifelong friends of Rescorla's, will also speak during the ceremony. 

Later that night at 7 p.m., there will be a panel discussion at the Vietnam Era Educational Center with 1st Cav veterans sharing their stories and experiences. The event is open to the public. Call (732) 335-0033 for more information.