WHO: Col. (Ret.) Stephen Abel, Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will join the local Veteran Services Officer to distribute benefit information to ‘those who served' as part of the Veterans Outreach Program

WHAT: A presentation of the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal to veterans.

World War II - William G. McCarrick, Toms River

Korean War - Anthony Chudyk, Jr., Brick

Vietnam War - Dennis R. Horin, Toms River

Desert Storm/Desert Shield - David A. Bass, Clinton

Operation Iraqi Freedom - David M. Martenson, Toms River; Michael J. Meyer, Forked River; Erik J. Myklebust, Brick; Sean D. O'Connor, Brick and Jeffrey M. Takotey, Egg Harbor.

WHEN: Friday, May 19, 2006 at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: Ocean County Mall is located on Hooper Ave. in Toms River

DETAILS: The kiosk will be staffed by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 18, 19 and 20. The kiosk will be set-up in the Center Court of the Ocean County Mall near the Macy's entrance.

The ‘One Mall a Month' schedule for the Veterans Outreach Program is an effort by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to talk one-on-one with veterans or their family members about the wide variety and scope of state and federal veterans benefits.

THE STORY: Ten percent of our nations Veterans receive compensation from the Veterans Administration (VA) for a service-connected disability. Here in New Jersey that number is only eight percent.  With 600,000 Veterans in the Garden State , that means that there are some 12,000 who should be receiving compensation but who are not.  The Veterans Outreach Program wants to find these 12,000 Veterans and assist them in filing their claims if they choose to do so.

To find out more about this program or your Veteran benefits call 1-888-8NJ-VETS.