New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
DMAVA Highlights » 24 February 2006

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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

 

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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NJ World War II Memorial

For information or to make a donation, call

609-530-7049

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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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Thought for the week

“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice,

But there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”

...Elie Wiesel

(Survivor of the Nazi Death Camps)

 

 

Miss America pays visit to the Veterans Memorial Home in Vineland.

Jennifer Berry, Miss America 2006, visited the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home at Vineland on Friday, February 17, 2006.  Ms. Berry, 22, is a student at the University of Oklahoma, majoring in elementary education.  Her platform issue is Building Intolerance to Drunk Driving and Underage Drinking.  On hand to greet her were Assemblyman Nelson Albano, members of the 177th Fighter Wing from Pomona, NJ, and Miss Holly City 2005, Ashleigh Udalovas.  Ms. Berry enjoyed a tour of the facility, visiting residents in their rooms, and personally greeting residents and staff along the way for over 2 ½ hours. 

Division of Veterans Programs reports January statistics.

Mr. William Devereaux, Director, Division of Veterans Programs, has issued the following report on Veterans Service Officer statistics for the month of January.

- Veterans seen, counseled, referred  -  5,588
- Veterans’ claims submitted, appealed, reopened  - 661
- Award Letters received  -   627
- Dollars retrieved on behalf of New Jersey’s Veterans  -  $9,534,887

State CSM announces winners of this year’s Soldier/NCO of the Year Board.

On 18 February 2006 the New Jersey Army National Guard held its Soldier/NCO of the Year Board.  Competition was stiff on a Board that last 7 hours.  Competitors appeared before a board comprised of Command Sergeants Major from three Major Commands and went through evaluations on Common Tasks.

The evaluated tasks were, Reacting to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Move under Direct Fire, Maintain an M-16 Series Weapon, Perform First Aid for a bleeding extremity, Communicate via a Tactical Radio in a Secure Net, Navigate on the Ground from one point to another, dismounted.

Competitors were from Joint Force Headquarters, 21st Civil Support Team, 154th Training Regiment, and the 50th Brigade.  Participants were:  SSG Donald Freeman, SPC Steven Ervin, SPC Hector Rivera, SGT Toby Tirrito, and SSG Daniel Coleman.

The winners were SSG Robert Freeman and SPC Hector Rivera from the Recruiting and Retention Command.  Congratulations to all of the participants who went before this board.

The winners will advance to the Regional Board in Vermont to compete in the Regional competition that will be held 7-9 April 2006 and compete with soldiers from six states.

Veterans Entitlement Counselor from Veterans Memorial Home at Vineland visits seniors.

On Wednesday, 15 February 2006, Leigh Pottle, Veterans Entitlement Counselor at the Vineland Veterans Memorial Home visited Leisure Ridge Adult Community in Manchester, New Jersey, to discuss the Home and other veteran entitlements.  Leigh spoke before more than one hundred veterans, spouses, and widows of veterans.  A video was shown of Vineland’s new replacement facility and some of the activities that are available at the Home.  The response by everyone in attendance was positive.

Celebrate African American History Month.

In recognition of African American History Month, the New Jersey Army National Guard presents a celebration, “Reaching Out to Youth:  A Strategy for Excellence.”  The BYOBL (Bring Your Own Bag Lunch) will be held in Building 3650, Fort Dix, on 28 February 2006, at 12:00 noon.  Keynote speaker will be New Jersey Assemblyman Herb Conaway.  For additional information, please contact SSG Mercedes Rowe at 609-562-0756.

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The 108th Air Refueling Wing’s Military Personnel Flight and Communications Flight move into new building.

After almost a year of remodeling, Building 33-24 reopened on January 24, 2006 in the 108th Air Refueling Wing area at McGuire Air Force Base.  Personnel, training, recruiting, communications, and many other offices have moved back into Building 33-24, which features a few changes to the previous layout.

Training has a new, more accessible location, separate from the MPF offices, and a new testing area; the Personnel Readiness Unit and Personnel Assistance Manager now share one large office: and the Military Personnel Flight layout greatly improves the customer service area – thanks to their new record room, you can walk right in and receive help from any of their personnel that are available.

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Operation Military Kids (OMK) meets this weekend.

What is OMK?  OMK is a collaborative outreach initiative to provide support and assistance to geographically dispersed military youth and their families.  OMK has partnerships with the USDA, Child and Youth Services, National 4-H program.  Boys and Girls Clubs of America and American Legions. 

  • Creates community support network for military youth “in our own backyard” when Soldier parents are deployed.
  • Delivers recreation, social, educational programs for military youth living in civilian communities.
  • Supports military kids coping with the stress of knowing their deployed parents may be in harm’s way.
  • Collaborates with schools to ensure that staff is attuned to the unique needs of military students.
  • Educates the public on the impact of the deployment cycle on Soldiers, families, kids, and the community.

OMK includes Speak Out for Military Kids (SOMK), a state-wide initiative to educate citizens about the impact of deployments on all members of the community.  The OMK initiative has also developed Hero Packs, which are backpacks that are given to deployed service members’ children.  The backpacks recognize the strengths of military-connected children and thank the youth for their sacrifices they make when their loved ones are deployed.

OMK members will be meeting on Saturday, February 25, 2006, from 10-3 p.m. in Westhampton, Burlington County.  To register for this event, please check out the website at www.njomk.org.

This program is opened to ANYONE interested – ages 0-99.   For more information, please contact the NJNG Youth Coordinator Amanda Balas at 609-562-0742 or amandabalas@hotmail.com.

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ESGR - Register your Employer

Register your employer:  Members of the National Guard and Reserve an now register their employers in a national database, hosted by the Defense management Data Center (DMDC).  Registering your employer will provide Reserve Force planners with valuable input that may help reduce the impact of call-ups on employers, and make it possible for your command or DOD to send information to your employer to promote support of your military service.  National Guard/Reserve members can go to the following link, http://www.esgr.org, click on “Military Member” and then click on “Register Your Employer.

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Support the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of New Jersey

Once again, the Enlisted Association is asking for your support by becoming a member of the Enlisted Association again this year.  Your continued support will increase our numbers and give our State a larger voice on all legislative issues that will benefit you and your families.  Your Association works for you at the Federal and State level on all important issues.  Visit our website www.EANG-NJ.org and click on Benefits for the application and also find out more about what we do.  Thank you for your support.  You can reach the Membership Chairman, Jerome Zebrowski, with any questions at 609-214-6959 or jcptfalc@aol.com or Co-Chairman, Edward Goetschius, at 609-965-1972 or esgtmaj@comcast.net.

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Housing Authority is offering Veteran’s Preference.

The Long Branch Housing Authority will be accepting applications for their Public Housing and Section 8 programs from March 1-3, 2006.  Due to an initiative undertaken by Housing Authority Member Mike Winnick, who is also the State Commander of the Jewish War Veterans, Long Branch now extends Veteran’s Preference when compiling their waiting lists.  They are among the first communities in the state to convey such a benefit to Veterans.  Those meeting the income eligibility requirements for Section 8 housing can receive vouchers redeemable in other communities.  For more information on this program, go to their website at www.lbhousing.org

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Career Day – Wednesday, March 15, 2006.

The Mercer County Veterans Task Force is sponsoring a Career Day program on Wednesday, March 15, 2006.  The program will be held at the Mercer County Community College, 100 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor Campus Student Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Job seekers will be able to meet employers from various industries and community agencies, as well as training providers.  Bring your resume and dress professionally! 

For additional information regarding the Career Fair, contact Kayra Melvin at 609-989-6523 or Yvonne Payton at 609-292-6743.

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DMVA Veterans Outreach Campaign continues.

The DMVA Veterans Outreach Campaign continues with kiosk displays at selected malls throughout New Jersey.  The schedule is as follows:

27-29 April 2006

Moorestown Mall

18-20 May 2006

Ocean County Mall

15-17 June 2006

Quakerbridge Mall

The kiosk will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the identified dates.

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America Supports You – Anheuser-Busch Extends Military Tribute

Anheuser-Busch launched “Here’s to the Heroes” in February 2005 to acknowledge the service of military men and women and the sacrifices made by their families.  More than 900,000 members of U.S. and coalition armed forces took advantage of the program offering free admission to Anheuser-Busch theme parks.  The program provides a single day’s free admission to any one Sea World or Busch Gardens park, Sesame Place, Adventure Island or Water Country USA for the servicemember and as many as three of his or her direct dependents.  Additional information can be found at:  http://www.americasupportsyou.mil.   

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PREP is NOT therapy

PREP is NOT therapy, and is unlike anything to which you have been exposed.  No encounter group or sharing of personal concerns, simply thrilling insights into a more loving, grown filled relationship!  PREP begins with teaching effective communication skills, addresses problem resolution strategies that work, and teaches how to discover the hidden issues in every relationship.  The program then moves into friendship, forgiveness, fun, and sensuality.  If you are interested in attending (soldiers that were deployed are given priority) or need additional information, please call Marie Durling at 609-562-0739. 

PREP is scheduled to be held at the Ramada Inn, East Windsor, New Jersey on the following dates:  17-19 February and 24-26 March 2006.

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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.

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Retirement Party planned for SSG Maria Hutchison.

A Retirement Party is planned for SSG Maria Hutchison and will be held at 1400 hrs. on 12 March 2006 at the Spring Lake Manor, 415 Highway 71, Spring Lake Heights, NJ.  Cost is $25 per person.  Contact Nick Perone by March 5th at Nick.Perone@us.army.mil or at (732) 539-5047.

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

25 March, 1:00pm
“Screaming Eagles in Vietnam:  The 101st Airborne Division during the War”  -- an oral history discussion and slide presentation by NJ Vietnam Veteran Peter Engelhardt.

Peter Engelhardt, of Summit, served in Vietnam from October 1968 through August 1969 with the 101st Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade, which operated out of Landing Zone (LZ) “Sally,” near the ancient imperial city of Hue, and Fire Support Base (FSB) “Whip” in the Ashau Valley near the Laotian border in northern South Vietnam.  Engelhardt was a college graduate who then attended Army Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia.  As an officer in Vietnam, he worked primarily behind the scenes dealing with operations planning and coordination, intelligence assessment, and psychological warfare exercises.  He holds a deep admiration and respect for the airborne infantry “line” officers and their men, whose primary duty was combat.  It is in their honor that he retells the story of his group of “Screaming Eagles,” the nickname for members of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division.

Lecture attendees are asked to RSVP to 732-335-0033.  A $5 donation is suggested.

7 April, 5:00pm
Scholarship Deadline - Scholarships ($2,500 each) will be awarded to two graduating seniors from NJ who plan to further their education either at a college, university, or technical/trade school.  Scholarship details and application forms can be obtained at www.njvvmf.org or by calling (732) 335-0033.

29 April, 1:00pm
“The Trail” – video presentation of an illustrated narrative about “walking point” in a combat patrol in the Vietnam War, by Vietnam Veteran Robin Bartlett.

7 May, 11:00am
NJ Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day Ceremony

20 May, 1:00pm
For Armed Forces Day – “The Originals” – The Women’s Auxiliary Ferry Squadron of WWII – Breaking the Gure ender Barrier in Military Aviation – a lecture by Honey Fulton Parker, youngest sister of one of the first WAFS, Dorothy Fulton.

29 May, 11:00am
Memorial Day Ceremony.

For more information, please call the NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation office at (732) 335-0033. or (800) 648-VETS.

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

Family Readiness Council Grants available.

The State Family Readiness Council has established a Grant Program that will provide both Family and Business Grants to deserving New Jersey National Guard families impacted by deployment. Additional information regarding these grants is available at Family Assistance Centers and Family Readiness Groups throughout the state. Those interested should contact Family Assistance at 1-888-859-0352.

Fitness Corner - Ernest Razzano, Certified Fitness Trainer, ISSA

When do you train?

The biggest advantage of training first thing in the morning is that you free up the rest of your day, allowing you to focus on work and enjoy your evening activities.  More often than not, waiting until later in the day drops the priority level of training below other matters like kids and work.

Training in the morning will help “jump-start” your metabolism and keep it elevated for up to 24 hours, thus burning more calories throughout the day.  However, don’t expect miracles.  Training in the morning alone won’t make you fit overnight.  You’ll need to carry out a good training routine, maintain a healthy, low-fat diet, and acquire good sleeping habits. 

In addition, we all have certain schedules and personal preferences that dictate how we function on a day to day basis which is based on circadian rhythms: the daily cycles that our bodies follow.  If you are a regular exerciser, you may have already determined your most productive time to exercise and follow a routine that works best for you.  The bottom line is exercise at any time is better than no exercise at all.  If you feel good beginning your day with exercise, then continue to do so.  Studies have shown that people who exercise in the morning are more successful at making it a habit.  If your schedule favors an early workout, emphasize stretching and a good warm-up to insure that your body is ready for action.

Now for your more technically adept people.  During exercise sessions lasting longer than thirty minutes, there is a gradual shift from carbohydrate metabolism to fat metabolism.  The process called lipolysis regulates fat metabolism.  Our bodies store fat at adipocytes in the body in the form of triglycerides.  Our bodies cannot use stored body fat for energy.  These triglycerides must be broken down into one glycerol molecule and three free fatty acid molecules.  It is the free fatty acids, which are metabolized via the Krebs cycle.  This conversion cannot take place without the enzymes called lipases.  At the onset of exercise the body releases the hormones epinephrine, norephinephrine, and glucagon, which stimulate the activity of the enzyme lapases.  Lipolysis is a slow process and an increase of fat metabolism occurs after several minutes of exercise, usually 20-30 minutes.

On the flip side, you many want to consider the following as well.  A study carried out at Kansas State University (Wilcox, Harford Wedel Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, 17:2, 1985), indicates that a kilogram of fat will be oxidized sooner when exercising in the fasted condition in the morning than when doing the same exercise in the afternoon.  By measuring respiratory gas exchange, caloric expenditure, and carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism, these researchers showed that the mass of fat burned during aerobic exercise amounts to 67% of the total energy expenditure achieved when the same exercise is done later in the day or in the fed state.

NJ Air National Guard Girls Softball Team plans St. Patty’s Day event.

Join the NJ Air National Guard Girls Softball Team for a St. Patty’s Day Dance and Chinese Auction on 18 March, 6-10 p.m., at the VFW in Cookstown, NJ. Tickets are $25 and include a buffet, music, door prize, cash bar and auction items. Buy your tickets by March 11 from Master Sgts Bonnie Gaskell, 609-562-0925, Tania Prairie, 609-754-2308, Keith Hyde, 609-754-6870, and Staff Sgt Stephanie Marshall, 609-754-8903.

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On this day in history -

Today is Friday, February 24th.  It is the 55th day of the year with 310 remaining.

0303 – 1st official Roman edict for persecution of Christians issued.
1803 – The U. S. Supreme Court ruled itself to be the final interpreter of all constitutional issues.
1848 – The Communist Manifesto was published.
1857 – The first shipment of perforated postage stamps was received by the U.S. government.
1868 – The first parade to use floats occurred in New Orleans at Mardi Gras.
1903 – In Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, an area was leased to the U.S. for a naval base.
1921 – The first transcontinental flight in 24 hours flying time arrives Florida.
1938 – The first nylon bristle toothbrush was made.  It was the first time that nylon yarn had been used commercially.
1942 – The Voice of America aired for the first time.
1991 – U.S. and allies begin a ground war assault on Iraqi troops.
1998 – Elton John knighted.

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Ash Wednesday Services are scheduled

DMAVA - 0900 - Cafeteria
JFHQ - Ft. Dix - 1030 - Drill Floor Bldg 3560
108th ARW - 1200 - 108th Operations Auditorium, Bldg 3390
177th FW - 1430 - Dining Hall Bldg 400

Mark your Calendar

27 April – Administrative Professional Day
14 June – Trenton Thunder Military Appreciation Day
15 June – Unity Day
16-22 July – National Guard Youth Camp (Sea Girt, NJ)

   
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