New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
DMAVA Highlights Archives

9 September 2005

Volume 4, Number 36

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NJ Dept of Military and
Veterans Affairs

Maj Gen Glenn K. Rieth
The Adjutant General

Brig Gen Maria Falca-Dodson
Deputy Adjutant General

Col (Ret) Stephen G. Abel
Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs

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Contacting us is easy!

Office of the Assistant Commissioner

Col (Ret) Michael B. Smith

Mrs. Laura A. Branham

Phone: (609) 530-6987

Fax: (609) 530-7109

Email:
branham@njdmava.state.nj.us

We're on the Web!
http://www.nj.gov/military

 

The NJ National Guard Needs You!

Here is our featured
Job of the Week

Signal Systems Support Specialist, 31U

The signal support systems specialist supervises, installs, employs, maintains, troubleshoots, and assists users with battlefield Signal support systems and terminal devices; integrates Signal systems and networks; performs unit level maintenance on authorized Signal equipment and associated electronic devices; trains and provides technical assistance to users of Signal equipment; and operates and performs preventive maintenance checks and services on assigned vehicles and power generators.

Performs Signal support functions, to include providing technical assistance and training for user owned and operated automation and communication equipment.

If you’re interested in an exciting job opportunity,

contact your Recruiting Office at

1-800-792-8396


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Veterans’ Organizations
Contact Information

State Veterans Service Council
Mr. Richard Clark
RJClark21@msn.com

NJ Advisory Committee for Women Veterans
Mrs. Anna Hoffman
hoffmanannem@aol.com

BG Willam C. Doyle Cemetery Advisory Council
Mr. William Rakestraw
warjrnj@msn.com

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Veterans Hotlines

Benefits & Entitlements
1-888-8NJ-VETS
(1-888-865-8387)

Mental Health
1-866-VETS-NJ4
(1-866-838-7654)

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New Jersey Freedom Loans

What is a Freedom Loan?

* Up to $10,000

* Annual APR 6%

* Term: 5 years (no pre-payment penalty)

* Unsecured Loan (no collateral required)

Who is eligible to apply?

NJ residents who are:

* Members of the National Guard or Reserve

* Mobilized for one year or longer to fight in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) – excluding routine training.

Or

* Served 90 or more consecutive days in the GWOT on federal or state active duty (excluding routing training) and have received orders extending cumulative active duty a year or longer.

How do I apply?

* Contact participating banks. Call or visit your local branch office to obtain an application.

* Guardmembers, Reservists, or family members with Power of Attorney must submit copies of current mobilization orders with the bank’s Freedom Loan application.

Current participants:

Commerce Bank
1-888-751-9000

Credit Union of NJ
609-538-4061, ext. 401

First Morris Bank & Trust
1-888-530-2265

Manasquan Savings Bank
732-223-4450

North Jersey Federal
Credit Union
1-888-78NJFCU

Peapack-Gladstone Bank
(908) 719-BANK

Pennsville National Bank
856-678-6006

PNC
1-866-PNC-4USA

Sovereign Bank
1-877-391-6365

Sun National Bank
1-800-691-7701

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To honor workers far and near Our nation passed a bill

To grant all men a day of rest

A Sabbath – if you will.

Much praise is due our labor force

For each achievement made

Who’ve furthered the economy

Our country’s growth and trade.

A time for picnics and parades

To revel in the sun

Before the summer’s days be spent

And Autumn has begun!

Have a Happy Labor Day!

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In light of the devastation in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama

"Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful, even if in a sense beyond our understanding, and that there is always tomorrow." -

Dorothy Thompson

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108th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) continues hurricane relief effort.

The 108th ARW has been continuously participating in transporting humanitarian relief supplies and personnel to the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Since last Thursday, the 108th has deployed approximately 35 security forces personnel, along with the first of many shipments of water to Naval Air Station, New Orleans, Mississippi. Earlier this week, 25 soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 112th Field Artillery from the NJ Army National Guard, Morristown, NJ, were transported on a KC-135E Stratotanker to aid those affected by the Hurricane.

The 108th ARW’s KC-135Es have shipped more than 1.8 million 16 ounce bottles of water, and flown more than 145 hours since their involvement. An average of 50 volunteers and workers from various career fields have been palletizing, netting, and loading the water almost non-stop since last Thursday.

The 108th Air Refueling Wing is scheduled to continue their relief efforts.

NJ Army National Guard responds to Hurricane Katrina’s relief effort.

On Sunday, 28 August 2005, Hurricane Katrina, a Category 4 Hurricane, made landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana. The states of Louisiana and Mississippi experienced catastrophic conditions as a result of this storm. Both Louisiana and Mississippi requested a number of specific logistic requirements to sustain their recovery efforts. National Guard Bureau established the NGB Joint Operations Center to consolidate these requirements and distribute them to States for consideration. New Jersey immediately responded to aid the victims of this tragedy by establishing twelve armories as collection points to receive donated bottled water for transport to the area of operation. West Orange, Port Murray, Woodbridge, Lawrenceville, Sea Girt, Bordentown, Woodbury, Vineland, Dover, Somerset, Atlantic City, and Cape May Armories were identified as collection points. The 250th Support Battalion (Forward) was assigned the task of loading and transporting bottled water from the armory collection points to the 108th Air Refueling Wing for transport to Naval Air Station New Orleans where it will be distributed to the general population. This mission generated a tremendous public outpouring. NJ citizens and numerous private organizations donated approximately 3.8 million pints of water over a seven-day period. The 250th Support Battalion, 108th ARW, and all the major subordinate commands continue to perform this mission professionally and proficiently.

Army implementing Virtual Family Readiness Group.

The Army will start a program on the World Wide Web on October 1st to support and improve methods of passing information to families when Soldiers are deployed. The virtual Family Readiness Group (FRG) is designed to replicate the major components of FRGs, but in a virtual context, said Jay M. Burcham, Chief of Deployment and Mobilization Readiness at the Army Community and Family Support Center, Alexandria, VA. This Web System is not just a website. Soldiers down range in Iraq, Korea, or wherever they are deployed will be able to communicate with families around the world by logging into this system. To support the upcoming start of the system, a waiting list area where units can sign up to establish a virtual FRG has been added to www.armyfrg.org. For more information, e-mail armyvirtualfrg@cfsc.army.mil.

Family Reunion briefings and workshops are scheduled.

The 42nd Infantry Division will be coming home from IRAQ in the near future. Briefings and workshops are scheduled to assist family members and friends to prepare for the reunion with their Soldier. Topics to be covered will include understanding the changes that have occurred both in yourself and in your returning soldier, adjusting and enhancing lines of communications, asking the right questions, and listening to his or her answer. Dates and locations of the briefings are:

Sunday, September 11 - 2:00 p.m.
Sheraton Hotel, Raritan Center
125 Raritan Center Parkway
Edison, NJ (Just off Interstate 287)

Thursday, September 22nd, Thursday, September 29th - 7:00 p.m.
Teaneck Armory

For further information or to RSVP, call your Armory contact.

Somerset - John A. Hales, 732-937-6290
Westfield - Marysol Nevarez, 732-499-5666
Teaneck - Sarah Loureiro 201-833-0632

State Approving Agency (SAA) News...

During the recently concluded annual meeting of the National Association of State Approving Agencies in New Orleans, Louisiana, New Jersey’s SAA Bureau Chief Charles Rowe was unanimously elected as the organization’s National Vice President for the 2006-2007 term. To hold such an office will bring stature and recognition to the state of New Jersey and our Agency. Good luck and best wishes, Charles!

Retirement Dinner planned for Renee McGuire, Executive Secretary to MG Rieth.

A Retirement Dinner honoring Renee McGuire, Executive Secretary to The Adjutant General, is planned for Tuesday, 4 October 2005, at 4 p.m. at the Lawrenceville Armory. Cost per person is $20. Please contact Angela Como at 609-530-6780 or Laura Branham at 609-530-6987. Checks should be made payable to “DMAVA Employee Activity Fund” and be sent by Tuesday, 27 September 2005.

BG William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery News

Under the auspices of Grounds Supervisor Joe Sharp, the BG Doyle Cemetery has recently become a member of Audubon International, and the facility is now in the process of meeting the stringent criteria to become designated a an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. The Categories of Certification are Environmental Planning, Wildlife & Habitat Management, Resource Conservation, and Outreach & Education. The certification process can take form one to three years though the cemetery has many of the requirements already in place. There are four cemeteries in the country that hold this distinction. Once certified, BG Doyle Cemetery will become the fifth.

Veterans to be honored at ceremony on 29 September 2005.

Salem and Cumberland County veterans will be honored in ceremonies to be held at the Salem County Community College, 460 Hollywood Avenue, Carneys Point, NJ. Veterans will be presented with the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal at an 11 a.m. ceremony. Korean Service Medals will be presented at a ceremony scheduled for 1 p.m.

Liberty USO sponsors Comedy Night at Cookstown VFW this Saturday.

Liberty USO of Philadelphia/South Jersey is sponsoring a beef and beer Comedy Night at the local VFW in Cookstown on Saturday, September 10th. Dinner starts at 6 p.m. to be followed by the show. Comedians are Steve Byrne and Robert Kelly, who are part of Drew Carey’s USO traveling show troop. Tickets are $25 and all proceeds go directly to the McGuire/Fort Dix Regional USO.

Anyone interested in attending can contact Kathy Hardy at khardy@libertyuso.org or call 267-2598-7523. Please pass the word around because this is a great organization and they have been very busy the last couple of years supporting and entertaining our deploying and rotating GIs.

Salvation Army – Operation Red Shield.

Operation Red Shield is a fully funded program run by the Salvation Army to meet the emergency needs of our deployed service personnel and their dependents. If anyone needs assistance or additional information on Operation Red Shield, please call 888-302-6100 or 888-247-0100. Full program details can also be viewed at www.salvationarmynewjersey.org.

NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and Vietnam Era Educational Center’s upcoming event schedule.

10 Sep - 1 p.m.
Between the Lines: Photographs from the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Author lecture and slide presentation by Vietnam Veteran Thomas F. Morrissey.

16 Sep - 11 a.m.
National POW/MIA Recognition Day and Gold Star Mothers Recognition Day ceremony.

18 Sep - 11 a.m.
Rolling Thunder – NJ, Motorcycle Run for POW/MIA Awareness.

For more information about any of these events, please call the NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation office at (732) 335-0033.

The Vietnam Era Educational Center is located adjacent to the NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial off the Garden State Parkway at Exit 116.

Standdown 2005 to be held in South and North Jersey.

Homeless veterans and their families are invited to attend the annual one-day Standdown that will be held at Essex County College on 17 September 2005 and at the Cherry Hill Armory on Friday, 23 September 2005, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Federal, state, public, and private support agencies will offer a broad array of FREE services and assistance such as: VA benefit counseling, welfare, Social Security, food stamps, legal services, addiction services, housing, medical, dental, employment/unemployment, haircuts, and clothing provisions. Pre-registration and transportation arrangements are encouraged. Call (800) 464-8387 for additional information.

NJ Friends of the Guard and Reserve Announce Golf Outing

The NJ Friends of the Guard and Reserve is proud to present the 2005 State Chairman’s Annual Golf Outing. The golf outing will be held on Thursday, 22 September 2005 at the Falcon Creek Golf Course at McGuire AFB. The $85 per golfer registration fee includes greens fees, cart registration, food and beverages on the course, door prizes and dinner at the McGuire AFB Officer’s Club. Hole and cart sponsors are being sought too. All proceeds to benefit the activities of the NJ Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. For additional information please contact Hank Pierre at 609-530-6879.

104th Engineer Association plans benefit golf outing.

Jthe 104th Engineer Association will hold its first annual golf outing to benefit the “SGT Frank T. Carvill Scholarship Program.” The event will be held on Monday, 19 September 2005 at the Overpeck County Golf Course in Teaneck, NJ. Contact www.EANG-NJ.org to obtain additional information.

A Service of Remembrance and Fellowship is scheduled.

The Masonville United Methodist Church located at 200 Centerton Road, Masonville, NJ with loving gratitude invites all First Responders and their loved ones to a Service of Remembrance and Fellowship on September 11, 2005 at 10 a.m. and a Spiritual Healing Service on September 11, 2005 at 6 p.m. Come, share, decompress, unburden, and begin your journey towards healing. Captain Karen Onesti, Chaplain, Civil Air Patrol and Denise S. Miller, RN will conduct services. For additional information, call 856-234-0941.

Job Fair to be held at Fort Monmouth.

A Job Fair will be held on September 20, 2005 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Gibbs Hall, Fort Monmouth. Army Community Service – Employment Readiness Program us sponsoring the Job Fair that will have the participation of over 60 businesses. Parking is limited and the public is encouraged to car pool or take public transportation. Photo ID will be required. No large bags, backpacks, briefcases, etc. will be permitted inside the gate. Lunch will be available for purchase inside Gibbs Hall. Bring adequate copies of your resume as no copy facilities will be available. If you require additional information, you may contact jill.mcdonald@mail1.monmouth.army.mil.

Part-time opportunities in Military Funeral Honors Program.

The New Jersey Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors Program has several part-time employment opportunities immediately available across the state for TDGs and Technicians. Earn one day’s base pay and one retirement point for a few hours work providing Military Funeral Honors for our Veterans. If you are interested, please contact SGM Edward Goetschius, Military Funeral Honors Coordinator, at 609-530-7090 or by e-mail at Edward.goetschius@nj.ngb.army.mil.

Armory Happenings – Listed below are events taking place at your local armory.

Date/Time Event Location
17 Sep
10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Irish Festival
Ancient Order of Hibernians

Sea Girt
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17 Sep (10am-6pm)
18 Sep (11am-6pm)
Antique Show Morristown
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18 Sep (7:30am-4pm) Sport Card & Memorabilia Show Bordentown
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21 Sep (5pm-9pm) Free Rabies Vaccination
Township of Lawrence
Lawrenceville
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22-24 Sep (10am-8pm)
25 Sep (10am-6pm)
Tool Show Woodbridge
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22-24 Sep (10am-8pm)
25 Sep (10am-6pm)
Tool Show Freehold
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24 Sep (6am-6pm) Flea Market Teaneck
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24 Sep (10am-10pm) Medieval Festival Westfield
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30 Sep (10am-5pm)
1 Oct (10am-8pm)
Quilt Show Westfield

Fitness Corner –

Ernie Razzano, Certified Fitness Trainer, ernest.razzano@njdmava.state.nj.us

Alcohol and Nutrition

Once ingested, food must be digested (broken down into small components) so it is available for energy and maintenance of body structure and function. Digestion begins in the mouth and continues in the stomach and intestines with help from the pancreas. The nutrients from digested food are absorbed from the intestines into the blood and carried to the liver. The liver prepares nutrients either for immediate use or for storage and future use.

Alcohol inhibits the breakdown of nutrients into usable molecules by decreasing secretion of digestive enzymes from the pancreas. Alcohol impairs nutrient absorption by damaging the cells lining the stomach and intestines and disabling transport of some nutrients into the blood. In addition, nutritional deficiencies themselves may lead to further absorption problems. For example, folate deficiency alters the cells lining the small intestine, which in turn impairs absorption of water and nutrients including glucose, sodium, and additional folate.

Just remember – the key is moderation.

For those of you who did not receive a copy of the August 26 Highlights, I discovered a website/product that does what you all have wanted – to burn that ugly fat. Open this at home, take the short quiz, and enjoy!
http://www.wemarket4u.net/fatfoe.

Today is Friday, September 9th. It is the 254th day of the year with 113 days remaining.

On this day in history..

1776 – The second Continental Congress officially renamed the "United Colonies" the "United States."

1850 – California became the 31st state to join the union.

1890 – Harlan Sanders was born. He was the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

1908 – Orville Wright made the first 1 hr airplane flight in Fort Myer, VA.

1926 – The Radio Corporation of America (RCA) created National Broadcasting Company (NBC).

1956 – Elvis Presley appears on national TV for the first time. (Ed Sullivan Show).

1966 – John Lennon meets Yoko Ono at an avante-garde art exposition.

1976 – Communist Chinese leader Mao Tse-tung died at the age of 82.

1990 – Bush and Gorbachev meet in Helsinki and urge Iraq to leave Kuwait.

Call today to volunteer at a Family Readiness Center near you.

If you are able to assist the families of our deployed soldiers and airmen, please call our Family Readiness Center at our toll-free number 888-859-0352.

Thought for the day..

"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." - Herm Albright

 

   
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