NJ
Dept of Military and Veterans Affairs
BG Glenn K. Rieth
The Adjutant General
Col Maria Falca-Dodson
Deputy Adjutant General
COL (Ret) Emil H. Philibosian
Deputy Commissioner for
Veterans Affairs
Contacting us is easy!
Office of the
Joint Chief of Staff
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!
www.state.nj.us/military
"The
willingness with which our young people are likely to
serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be
directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans
of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their
nation."
.George
Washington
Calendar
Notes.
Annual Coat Drive
will
end 19 November 2003.
DMVA Holiday Dinner
Friday, 12 Dec 03
Garden Room
Lawrenceville Armory
Make your reservation NLT 5 Dec 03
ChalleNGe Youth Program
Classes will begin in March, 2004. Info is available at:
www.nj.gov/military/challenge
It
is the Veteran,
Not
the preacher,
Who
has given us freedom of religion.
It
is the Veteran,
Not
the reporter,
Who
has given us freedom of the press.
It
is the Veteran,
Not
the poet,
Who
has given us freedom of speech
It
is the Veteran,
Not
the campus organizer
Who
has given us freedom to assemble.
It
is the Veteran,
Not
the lawyer,
Who
has given us the right to a fair trail.
It
is the Veteran,
Not
the politician,
Who
has given us the right to vote.
|
Governor
James E. McGreevey observes Veterans Day at the Veterans
Memorial Home at Paramus.
Governor
James E. McGreevey attended Veterans Day activities
at the Veterans Memorial Home at Paramus on November
11, 2003. The
Governor toured the facility, individually spoke to
residents, our staff, and visitors. He addressed the assembled audience in the
cafeteria and spoke of the sacrifices Veterans and their
families make to ensure all of us continue to enjoy
and live in freedom. He asked all to thank every veteran they
encounter. Also
attending the ceremony were local Freeholders, the Mayor
of Paramus, along with other dignitaries, residents,
veterans groups, families, local chiefs of police, staff,
and many community visitors.
All in all, a great visit.
Veterans
Day ceremonies held at Brigadier General William C.
Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
Veterans,
service men and women, and family members gathered at
the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial
Cemetery on Veterans Day to honor those veterans who
have served this country over the years.
The cemetery also held its first Flag Retirement
ceremony during which the ashes of 2,579 old American
flags that were cremated earlier were placed in a container
and buried in a vault next to the plaza at the cemetery
chapel. The flag retirement ceremony was a first at the cemetery, but
will now become an annual event.
The
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launches "VA Kids"
website.
The
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched "VA
Kids," a new web page designed to help young people
understand what it means to be a veteran. The site contains areas for students in Kindergarten
through Grade 5, for Grades 6 through 12, and for
teachers. VA Kids has information about the VA, Veterans
Day, scholarships, student volunteer opportunities,
rehabilitative and special events for disable veterans,
and links to veteran related sites.
"The title 'veteran' is bestowed by a grateful
nation on citizens willing to sacrifice everything
to preserve our freedom," says VA Secretary Anthony
Principi. "It is our responsibility to honor these
heroes by ensuring that each American generation understands
what this prestigious title means."
Visit the website, http://www.va.gov/kids/
for more information.
Distinguished,
Meritorious, and Vietnam Service Medal Presentation
Ceremonies are scheduled.
19
November
11
a.m.
|
Distinguished Service Medal
|
National
Guard Armory
500
Rahway Ave., Westfield, NJ
|
17
December
11
a.m.
|
Distinguished Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
|
National
Guard Armory
151
Eggert Crossing Rd., Lawrenceville, NJ
|
The
Department of Defense supports the Great American
Smokeout.
There's
an old adage that says, "A quitter never wins!"
Dr. David Tornberg, Deputy Assistant Secretary
of Defense for Clinical and Program Policy, says, "For
smokers and smokeless tobacco users, the real winners
are those who make the often difficult and life-altering
commitment to quit." All who smoke or use smokeless tobacco products
are urged to take the first step to a healthier life
by participating in the Great American Smokeout on November
20, 2003. For active duty members of the military,
smoking and tobacco use hurt military readiness. Eliminating cigarettes and other harmful tobacco products keeps
people at their personal best and fit to fight. According to Dr. Tornberg, "The Military Health System encourages
and supports everyone to make a personal commitment
to a healthier and tobacco-free life."
For all who quit, the rewards will bring a lifetime
of better health. More information can be found on the following
websites: http://www.cancer.org/ or http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco.
Air
National Guard provided free child fingerprinting
on Halloween.
NJ
Air National Guard members of the 108th Air
Refueling Wing hosted a free child fingerprinting event
at the Moorestown Mall on Friday, October 31st.
Approximately 60 children received free fingerprinting. The fingerprinting cards were given to the
parent/guardians for safekeeping and are invaluable
for identification purposes should a child be reported
as missing. Detective James Dever from the Moorestown Police Department assisted
Master Sgt. David Visconi, 108th Civil Engineer Squadron,
and Master Sgt. James McCaffery and Senior Airman David
Tallman, both from the 108th Maintenance Squadron, during
this community event. The public was invited to stop by the 108th's new recruiting
station, located
in the Moorestown Mall, for information about opportunities
and benefits available in the New Jersey Air National
Guard.
The
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reaches out to
former Prisoners of War.
The
VA is trying to reach the thousands of former prisoners
of war who have never claimed their disability benefits. Besides regular veterans' benefits, former
POWs are also compensated for health conditions presumed
to be related to their internment and are exempt from
health care co-payments. Monthly benefits could range from $103 to
$2,163, depending on the degree of disability. Former POWs also would receive free dental treatment if their
captivity lasted more than 90 days.
The VA estimates that nearly 40,000 ex-POWs are
still alive, about 60 percent of whom receive disability
compensation. But some veterans do not realize that the list of disabling conditions
has been expanded and that they may stand to benefit
if they served as a POW.
The VA is urging all former POWs to contact the
agency to see if they are eligible for these benefits.
If you are a former POW or know someone who is,
please ask them to call the VA toll free at 800-827-1000.
November
is "National Adoption Awareness Month."
November
is "National Adoption Awareness Month" both nationally
and in New Jersey.
New Jersey takes great pride in continuing to
work with adoptive parents, foster parents, child advocates,
lawyers, local judges, and other professionals to give
every child in the state a permanent, nurturing home. Governor James E. McGreevey encourages you
to support Adoption Awareness Month, and celebrate adoption
by participating in educational programs, community
forums, and civic events taking place throughout the
month. More
information regarding adoption is available at the http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/adoption/adopt.html,
the Department of Human Services website.
NJ
Vietnam Veterans' Memorial and Vietnam Era Education
Center Announces its Calendar of Events.
For
more information about any of these events, please call
the NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation office at
(732) 335-0033.
15 Nov
|
1 p.m.
|
Author Lecture by Philip
J. Briggs, Ph.D. entitled "Making War and the
War Powers Resolution: Vietnam to the War on Terrorism"
|
13 Dec
|
3 p.m.
|
Author Lana Noone will discuss
her book, Global Mom:
Notes From a Pioneer Adoptive Family.
|
13 Dec
|
6 p.m.
|
Holiday Lighting Ceremony
will include lighting of the tree and menorah,
and a reading on Kwanza.
A memorial service and wreath laying ceremony
will follow.
|
28 Feb 04
|
1 p.m.
|
Vietnam-era veteran, Gerald
R. Gioglio will discuss his book, Days of Decision: An Oral History of Conscientious Objectors
in the Military During the Vietnam War.
|
The
NJ State Library announces new releases.
The
New Jersey State Library announced the following new
releases are available.
Borrowers may request them by contacting the
Governmental Reference office Monday through Friday,
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., at
(609) 292-6220 (voice), (609) 984-7900 (fax), or refdesk@njstatelib.org
(e-mail).
Biography
|
General Ike: a personal reminiscence.
Eisenhower,
John S. D.
The Free Press
Ball of fire: the tumultuous life and comic art of Lucille Ball
Kanfer,
Stefan
Alfred A. Knopf
|
Ecology-Environment
|
Win-win ecology: how the earth's
species can survive in the midst of human enterprise.
Rosenzweig,
Michael L.
Oxford University Press
|
History
|
The first Americans: in pursuit
of archaeology's greatest mystery.
Adovasio,
J. M.
Random House
|
Minority
Experience
|
The Chinese in America: a
narrative history
Chang,
Iris Viking Press
|
Today
is Friday, November 14th, the 318th
day of 2003. There are 47 days left in the year. On this day.
J
1832, the first streetcar went into operation in New
York City. The
vehicle was horse-drawn and had room for 30 people.
J
1851, Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick was first
published in the U.S.
J
1943, Ernie Nevers of the St. Louis Cardinals became
the first professional football player to score six
touchdowns in a single game.
J
1968, Yale University announced it was going co-educational.
J
1969, Apollo 12 blasted off for the moon from Cape Kennedy,
Florida.
J
1972, The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above
the 1,000 level for the first time.
J
1979, President Carter froze all Iranian assets in the
U.S. and U.S. banks abroad in response to the taking
f 63 American hostages at the U.S. embassy in Tehran,
Iran.
J
1989, The U.S. Navy ordered an unprecedented 48-hour
stand-down in the wake of a string of serious accidents.
Armory
Happenings - Check to see what's happening at an Armory
near you.
21 November
|
Boxing
Match Benefit
|
Westfield
Armory
|
21-23 November
|
"Home
for the Holidays" Gift Fair
|
Morristown
Armory
|
22-23 November
|
Sports
Card Show
11
a.m. - Mickey Rivers (NY Yankees) will sign autographs
($10 each)
|
Bordentown
Armory
|
30 November
|
Toy
Show
|
Freehold
Armory
|
12-14 December
|
Craft
Show and Sale
|
Morristown
Armory
|
14 December
|
Nascar
Collectibles Show
|
Bordentown
Armory
|
26-28 December
|
Wrestling
Tournament
|
Teaneck
Armory
|
28 December
|
Sports
Card & Comics Show
|
Bordentown
Armory
|
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