DMVA
Weekly Highlights
22
November 2002
Joint
Chief of Staff, COL (Ret) Michael B. Smith
Current
DMVA Highlights
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- FOUR
CHIEFS: TAG DEFINES THE ROLE OF HOMELAND SECURITY CHIEF.
BG Glenn K. Rieth directed that MG (Ret) G. Thomas
Garrett is to assume the title of Chief of Homeland
Security in the Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs. This change accurately reflects the status
and importance of the Homeland Security in DMVA's ongoing
service to New Jersey and the Nation. The Chief of Homeland
Security joins the Army National Guard's Chief of Staff,
the Air National Guard's Air Executive Officer, and
DMVA's Joint Chief of Staff in their responsibility
for policy, management, and task execution.
- 177TH
CIVIL ENGINEERS DEPLOY FOR COMBAT READINESS EXERCISE.
More than 60 members of the 177th Fighter
Wing's Civil Engineering Squadron and Services Flight
departed for an intensive, one-week combat readiness
exercise known as Silver Flag at Tyndall Air Force Base,
Florida. The course is designed to prepare them for
worldwide deployment into hostile areas lacking the
necessary facilities or infrastructure to support Air
Force operations. The first part of the training consists
of classroom exercises broken down by skill sets. Civil
Engineering and Services members include carpenters,
plumbers, electricians, heating and cooling specialists,
heavy equipment operators, power generation specialists,
cooks, mortuary affairs specialists, and others. This
is followed by a hands-on exercise that involves simulated
attacks, a forced relocation to a remote area, and airfield
recovery operations.
- THE
VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL FOUNDATION WILL AWARD TWO
$2,500 DOLLAR SCHOLARSHIPS. The scholarships can
be used for post high school education (college, community
college, trade schools, etc.). If you are interested,
please contact Diane Donahue at 609 530-7049 for additional
eligibility criteria and an application.
- NEW
JERSEY ARMY NATIONAL GUARD REPORTED A 0.78% NO VALIDATION
OF PAY PERCENTAGE FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2002. This
is the second consecutive month we reported a NoVal
Pay rate of below 0.8%. This statistic shows that 99.2
of our assigned soldiers are reporting for drill.
- COATS
DONATED DURING THIS YEAR'S COAT DRIVE WILL BE GIVEN
TO VETERANS HAVEN AND THE VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA.
Residents at Veterans Haven and local charities
selected by the Veterans Memorial Homes will receive
all of the coats we select.
- 1-254TH
REGIMENT (ARMOR BATTALION) RECEIVED AN ACCREDITATION
VISIT FROM THE FORT KNOX QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICE (QAO)
on 1-3 November 2002. This visit was the first of
six for Region A and the 154th Regiment.
The Accreditation Team was here to ensure that the Armor
Battalion was conducting courses in accordance with
the United States Army's Training and Doctrine Command
(TRADOC) standards. The Armor Battalion did very well
during this visit, gained an accreditation rating, and
was one mark away from being considered a "School of
Excellence." The Region will be given a final accreditation
rating after all visits have been accomplished.
- THE
UNITED STATES CONGRESS PASSED A MULTI-YEAR FUNDING BILL
FOR STATE APPROVING AGENCIES (SAA). On Wednesday,
19 November, the Senate passed a five-year funding bill
that was identical to the bill passed by the House of
Representatives the week before. The bill calls for
a $14 Million dollar budget in Fiscal Year 2003, an
$18 Million dollar budget in Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005,
and a $19 Million dollar budget in Fiscal Years 2006
and 2007. The SAA certifies all schools and training
to enable veterans to utilize their GI Bill benefits.
- NOVEMBER
IS AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE MONTH. This
year's theme is "Honoring Life, Honoring Elders, Honoring
Heritage." A display has been set up at the 108th
HQs building at Fort Dix.
- NEW
JERSEY ARMY NATIONAL GUARD TEAM COMPETES IN NATIONAL
GUARD SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIPS. The best combat shooters
in the Army and Air National Guard from 40 states and
territories competed for championship honors at the
32nd Annual Winston P. Wilson Rifle, Pistol,
Sniper, and Light Machine Gun Championship Matches held
at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, North Little Rock, Arkansas,
October 5-11, 2002. This year, over 700 competitors
vied for the distinction of "Best of the Best" in the
four different shooting disciplines. The matches are
designed to promote battle-focused marksmanship by providing
high levels of training to participating soldiers and
airmen with particular emphasis devoted to development
of "move and shoot" combat marksmanship skills. Congratulations
to the members of the New Jersey marksmanship team who
proudly represented the NJ Army National Guard.
Combat
Rifle Team
PFC
Michael J. Snyder
SPC
John E. Bertino
SPC
William T. Eckstein, Jr.
SFC
Michael J. Vey
SPC
Kelly Wilson
SGT
Marc Stevens |
Combat
Pistol Team
SGT
Timothy J. Rawcliffe
SGT
David A. Dickinson, Jr.
SGT
Eric R. Schumann
SGT
Victor Garcia
SSGT
Charles J. Gillette
MSG
Robert W. Bork |
Light
Machine Gun Team
SSG
Jose E. Couselo
SPC
Patrick E. Hegarty |
- MILITARY
APPRECIATION NIGHT, THURSDAY, 30 JANUARY 2003 - NJ DEVILS
VS. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS. Tickets are $30 - you save
over 40% per ticket. Game time is 7:35 p.m. at the Continental
Airlines Arena. If you are interested in attending the
game, contact SMSgt Dave Whalen, 108th Air
Refueling Wing, at (609) 754-3616. He will provide you
with an order form, which must be completed by January
20th. Tickets are filled on a first-come,
first served basis, based on availability and will be
mailed to you.
- MARK
YOUR CALENDARS NOW. YOUTH CAMP 2003 IS COMING! 6-12
JULY 2003. Sponsored by the New Jersey National
Guard Family Foundation and organized by volunteers,
Youth Camp is a one-week resident camp held at the National
Guard Training Center in Sea Girt, New Jersey. It is
a place where children will meet new people and make
new friendships, while participating in arts and crafts,
swimming, archery, camping, drug & alcohol awareness,
health and fitness. Youth Camp is open to the children,
grandchildren, and legal dependents of active, former,
or retired National Guard members from 9-12 years of
age. The cost is $100 per child. Applications for campers
and volunteers will be available in the December-January
timeframe at all units, and are available now at the
Department's website: www.state.nj.us/military/familysupport/youth_camp.html
- EACH
MONTH NEW JERSEY'S VIETNAM SERVICE AND DISTINGUISHED
SERVICE MEDALS ARE PRESENTED THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
The NJ Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), approved by the
New Jersey Legislature on November 13, 2000, commemorates
the 25th anniversary of the ending of the
Vietnam Conflict in January 1973. It is New Jersey's
way of thanking its residents for their military service
in South East Asia Theatre of Operations from 1960 to
1975. The New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)
honors veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States
who served in time of war or national emergency. It
acknowledges the debt the state owed returning veterans
for their service. It is New Jersey's highest military
award. The criteria for applying for these awards can
be found on the Department's website, www.state.nj.us/military/veterans/.
Listed below is the schedule for upcoming award ceremonies.
If a ceremony is being held in your neighborhood, stop
in and join the State of New Jersey and the Department
of Military & Veterans Affairs as we honor our veterans.
03
Dec 02 |
11:00
a.m. |
Vietnam
Service Medal |
Cape
May Court House Armory |
05
Dec 02 |
11:00
a.m. 1:00
p.m. |
Vietnam
Service Medal |
Hall
of Heroes-Law & Public Safety Institute, Mahwah,
NJ |
18
Dec 02 |
11:00
a.m. |
Distinguished
Service Medal |
Westfield
Armory |
13. ARMORY
HAPPENINGS.CHECK TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT AN ARMORY NEAR
YOU!
16
Nov |
Danger
Zone Championship Wrestling |
Bordentown
Armory |
21-24
Nov |
"Home
for the Holidays" Gift Fair |
Morristown
Armory |
23
& 24 Nov |
EMCEE
Sports Card Show |
Bordentown
Armory |
30
Nov |
Balloon
Art Exhibit |
Dover
Armory |
29
Nov - 1 Dec |
Craft
Show |
Westfield
Armory |
1
Dec |
NASCAR
Collectibles Show |
Bordentown
Armory |
15
Dec |
EMCEE
Sports Cards & Comics Show |
Bordentown
Armory |
14. THOUGHTS
FOR THE DAY...
"We
make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we
give." - Winston Churchill
"Even
if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you
just sit there." - Will Rogers
"If
you wish your merit to be known, acknowledge that of other
people." - Oriental Proverb
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