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Vincent Solomeno, Deputy Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, right, presented a proclamation signed by Governor Phil Murphy to Col. (Ret.) Michael L. Warner, Treasurer, Board of Trustees of the NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and Museum during the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day ceremony in Holmdel. |
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Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day | Yesterday, May 7th, symbolized a number of important developments for New Jersey Vietnam War Veterans, their families and loved ones.
At a national level, May 7, 1975 was declared the end of the Vietnam Era by President Gerald Ford following ceasefire agreements signed in 1973.
On May 7, 1989, ground was broken for the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and the Vietnam Era Museum & Educational Center at Holmdel, designed to honor the sacrifices made by New Jersey residents who gave their lives while serving in Southeast Asia and, at the same time, pay tribute to all who have served.
In 1991, the State of New Jersey designated May 7th as New Jersey’s Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day, noting that 1,564 New Jersey men and 1 woman did not return home.
The bloodshed, captivity, torture and debilitating injuries suffered by a great number of those who served in Vietnam were horrific, but perhaps equally horrific was the way Vietnam Veterans were treated in the days, months and years that followed. Huge gaps in support for Veterans compounded their traumas, and I am glad our country, our state, our communities have learned from this conflict and its aftermath.
Much of the work to reconcile the nation’s debt to the Veterans of Vietnam and to preserve lessons learned has been done by volunteers. Yesterday, it was an honor for DMAVA to join Veterans, families, community leaders and students to celebrate the grand re-opening of our newly renovated New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' memorial, dedicated May 7, 1995; museum, dedicated May 7, 1998; and Iroquois Huey helicopter static display, dedicated May 7, 2014.
To all who made this event possible; to those who carry out the mission of paying tribute to those lost in Vietnam; to those who support our Veterans and their families; to those who work to promote education and outreach, please accept our gratitude.
You can view images from the event at DMAVA Flickr and a video story by News 12 New Jersey. |
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As always, thank you for staying connected to DMAVA.
We invite you to share ideas, events and feedback. Please email our team at outreach@dmava.nj.gov.
Major General Lisa J. Hou, D.O. The Adjutant General & Commissioner |
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Major General Lisa J. Hou The Adjutant General
New Jersey Department of Military and
Veterans Affairs
cordially invites you to attend the
Annual Memorial Day Ceremony
On Saturday, the 25th of May 2024 at 11:00 am
at the
Brigadier General William C. Doyle
Veterans Memorial Cemetery
350 Province Line Road
Wrightstown, New Jersey 08562
Dress
Military: Service Uniform
Civilian: Business Casual |
| Official Invitation |
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 | Multiple Dates and Locations
Free Eight-Hour Training Sessions
Mental Health First Aid Training
Learn How to Support Veterans
Intended for community organizations that interact with Service Members, Veterans, and their families at the local level, but is open for all interested participants.
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DMAVA is sponsoring or will participate in the events below. A DMAVA Veterans Service Officer will be present at many of these events. Please check details to confirm. | |
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We add new events to our calendar on a daily basis so please bookmark and check back often. |
| View Full Calendar |
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 | Best Warrior 2024
Sgt. Shaun A. Hollenkamp, Recruiting and Retention Battalion, and Spc. Michael J. Schweyher, 104th Brigade Engineer Battalion, pose for a photo as the winners of the New Jersey Army National Guard’s Best Warrior Competition at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ, April 25, 2024.
Competitors are tested on physical fitness, marksmanship, land navigation, and other soldiering tasks. Six Soldiers and 5 noncommissioned officers competed, April 22-25, 2024, with the top Soldier and NCO going on to compete against 7 other states in Region I competition.
The Best Warrior Competition recognizes Soldiers who demonstrate commitment to the Army Values, embody the Warrior Ethos and represent the Force of the Future. View Images |
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44th IBCT Patching CeremonySoldiers assigned to Task Force Guardian conducted a deployment patching ceremony in Northern Iraq on April 29, 2024.
The patching ceremony is a military tradition in which each Soldier, on their deployment, receives the shoulder sleeve insignia of their respective unit - commonly referred to as a ‘deployment patch.'
The patch is worn on a soldier’s right arm underneath the American flag and represents having served on a designated deployment. View Images |
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NJ Guardsman’s prompt response saves arm of local contractor in SyriaSSG Bruce Daddis | CJTF-OIR | April 27, 2024
Picking up her meal at a market in North East Syria, U.S. Army Sgt. Lauren Shalabi wasn’t expecting chaos, but she was ready for it. Her daily routine on March 24, was abruptly interrupted when the market owner rushed over to her asking for assistance because one of his workers was severely injured.
Shalabi, an automated logistical specialist assigned to the 250th Brigade Support Battalion, 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, New Jersey Army National Guard, was quick to respond, finding the man with his severely damaged right arm stuck in a generator. Utilizing her experience and tactical combat casualty care training, she pulled the man from the generator and rendered aid while communicating with her Arabic language skills, in order to stabilize him before moving to a safer location.
A six-year veteran police officer with the Jersey City, New Jersey Police Department, Shalabi continued to treat the victim while her teammates ran to get help from the medical personnel at the nearest coalition medical facility. When the help arrived, she continued to assist the process as a translator and got the casualty transported to the facility for treatment
Read Full Story |
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 | OIR Coalition medical team performs rare emergency surgery
CPT Kyle Marr | CJTF-OIR | April 19, 2024
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Karl Coutinho and his coalition partners performed a significant surgical feat at Erbil Air Base’s coalition medical facility on April 19, 2024. Led by Coutinho, a team of Operation Inherent Resolve coalition surgeons conducted the first emergency surgery at Erbil's medical facility in over three years, an exploration and bilateral orchiopexy. The procedure demonstrated the coalition forces' interoperability and commitment to delivering premier medical care under challenging circumstances.
The U.S. service member was transported by aircraft from Baghdad to Erbil in order to receive expert care from Coutinho, who is a practicing urologist in New Jersey as well as the 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s brigade surgeon. Along with U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Julianne Oates, Lt. Cmdr. Justin Frisenda, and German Army Lt. Col. Sebastian Fischer, the team performed a successful two-hour procedure. The service member discharged from EAB’s medical facility shortly after the completion of the surgery, and is expected to make a full recovery.
Read Full Story |
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 | Recruit Sustainment Program
U.S. Army Recruits with the New Jersey Army National Guard’s Recruit Sustainment Program conducted weekend drill training at the National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt, NJ on May 5, 2024.
The Recruit Sustainment Program is a program of the United States Army National Guard designed to introduce new recruits to the fundamentals of the U.S. Army before they leave for Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training. View Images |
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177th Civil Engineer Squadron
The 177th Civil Engineer Squadron was recognized as the Most Outstanding Civil Engineer Unit in the Air National Guard when it was presented the 2023 Colonel William Deneke Award during the unit’s Unit Training Assembly in April!
The Deneke Award winner, chosen annually from nearly 100 civil engineer units throughout the 54 states and territories, is presented to the top Air National Guard civil engineer unit based upon installation and expeditionary engineering, emergency services, environmental leadership and community support.
Congrats Devil Engineers!
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 | Holocaust Days of Remembrance Observance
The New Jersey National Guard State Equal Employment Manager's Office hosted a National Holocaust Days of Remembrance Observance on May 6, 2024 at the National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey in Sea Girt.
"Holocaust Early Warning Signs and the American Response" was presented by Patricia Chappine, Adjunct Professor of History and General Studies at Stockton University.
Days of Remembrance was established by the U.S. Congress to honor the lives of six million Jewish victims - as well as the millions of others killed - and the heroic liberators of the Holocaust. View Presentation on Facebook
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Join Our Team |
100% Free College Tuition
Bonuses up to $20,000
Student Loan Repayment |
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 | State Medals Ceremony
The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs held a State Medals Ceremony at the Canal Walk Veterans Club in Somerset, NJ on April 24, 2024. View Images |
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State Medals CeremonyThe New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs held a State Medals Ceremony at the American Legion Post 170 in Rochelle Park, NJ on May 3, 2024.
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 | SMS Alerts - Text "NJVets" to 78015
Opt-in now to receive SMS Alerts from DMAVA! Text "NJVets" to 78015 or scan the QR code above and send. You will be immediately opted-in to receive alerts and important messages from the Division of Veterans Services.
This service is provided free of charge, however, carrier messaging and data rates may apply. To opt-out at any time, simply reply “Stop”. |
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 | Public Employees Recognition Week
Employees with five or more years of service at the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs were recognized during Public Employees Recognition Week at the DMAVA Headquarters in Lawrenceville, NJ on May 6, 2024. View Images |
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Sea Girt Beach, RV & Cottage PoliciesThe National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt, NJ has updated their policies for 2024. Get more information at NGTC MWR. |
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VA announces plan for new counseling resources in northern New Jersey, expanding access to care for New Jersey VeteransDMAVA Public Affairs | April 23, 2024
TRENTON - Tuesday, April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced the plan to add a new Vet Center Outstation to expand access to care in the communities focused on Warren and Morris Counties. This new Vet Center Outstation will be in Hackettstown, New Jersey, with the exact opening date and location to be determined. In addition to the creation of this Vet Center Outstation, VA will soon add a Vet Center Community Access Point, or satellite location, in Morristown, NJ.
“This was the result of the hard work and advocacy of a coalition of Veterans, community leaders and elected officials,” said Vincent Solomeno, Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and Chair of the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families. “Our state team, including our Veterans Service Officers throughout northern New Jersey, are so excited about this expanded access to counseling and mental health services.”
Read Full News Feature |
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Buddy Finder provides a faster method to find former service friends Brian Foster | VA News | April 10, 2024
Togetherweserved.com (TWS)’s new Buddy Finder was created specifically to help Veterans find those they served with. Now with more than 2.3 million members in five separate service branch websites, TWS has possibly reconnected more Veterans than any other website or organization. The secret behind this high rate of success is the depth of TWS’s hand-built databases that contain hundreds of U.S. military units, ships, squadrons and bases going back to WWII.
Read Full News Release |
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 | Rutgers / Seton Hall / Princeton Army ROTC |
Cadets with the Army ROTC programs at Rutgers, Seton Hall, and Princeton universities conducted a Combined Field Training Exercise (CFTX) at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, April 27, 2024.
This year's CFTX served as a culminating event, following months of preparation and training. The exercise simulated scenarios mirroring the challenges encountered by U.S. Army Officers on a daily basis.
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 | Hokanson: Nation’s Investment in National Guard Comes at Pivotal Moment |
SFC Zach Sheely | National Guard Bureau | May 2, 2024
WASHINGTON - The National Guard is a dynamic operational force integral to the National Defense Strategy, the Guard’s most senior officer told lawmakers April 30, emphasizing that sustained mission readiness requires continued and deeper investment in the Guard.
In his annual testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, 29th chief of the National Guard Bureau and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed the need to reform Guard and reserve duty statuses, modernize the federal military technician program, revisit the cap on Active Guard Reserve positions, and overhaul the health care program available to Reserve component service members serving on part-time orders - about 80% of the National Guard.
“Our nation’s investment in the National Guard comes at a pivotal moment,” Hokanson said. “Our strategic competitors are seeking advantages in every domain: land, sea, air, space and cyber.
Read Full Story |
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 | New Mom & Jersey Shore Army Veteran Named NJ VFW Teacher of the Year |
She serves, she teaches, she helps other vets transition to civilian life, she rucks - and she just gave birth! | Jennifer Amato | njfamily.com | May 1, 2024
Mary Ruiz served for 10 years in the U.S. Army, including two combat tours, reaching the rank of staff sergeant. She returned home to New Jersey where she currently works as a basic skills reading teacher at Stafford Intermediate School in Manahawkin.
Because of her commitment to teaching patriotism to her students, and for all her support of other veterans in the community, VFW Post 12173 in Little Egg Harbor Twp. nominated Ruiz for the 2024 New Jersey VFW State Middle School Teacher of the Year award – and she won!
Read Full Story |
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 | South Jersey nonprofit plans to convert motel into housing for homeless veterans |
Raymond Strickland | CBS Philadelphia | May 4, 2024
ABSECON, N.J. (CBS) - A vacant South Jersey motel is coming back to life with the help of some devoted volunteers. They hope to make a place for some heroes to call home.
"We purchased this motel in March 2023," said Gladys Krasicki, the CEO of the nonprofit "Veterans 101."
The organization has spent the past year transforming the space into what will soon be called the "Veterans Village of Absecon." "We are not making this just a plain Jane living facility. We are actually turning this into a community," she said.
Krasicki said donations and help from the community will allow her to house 26 veterans experiencing homelessness or in need of housing at the property. Each unit is renovated from top to bottom, including a refrigerator, a bed and a bathroom.
Read Full Story with Video |
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In Honor of all those from New Jersey who gave their lives in the fight against terrorism during Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. In humble gratitude, we remember their sacrifice. |
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May 9, 2005
Operation Iraqi Freedom SSgt Anthony L. GoodwinU.S. Marine Corps
Mount Holly, New Jersey | May 10, 2007
Operation Iraqi Freedom PVT Anthony J. Sausto
U.S. Army Somers Point, New Jersey | May 11, 2005
Operation Iraqi Freedom
LCpl Jourdan L. Grez U.S. Marine Corps Long Branch, New Jersey |
May 11, 2009
Operation Iraqi Freedom SSG Christian E. Bueno-GaldosU.S. Army
Paterson, New Jersey |
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May 14, 2004
Operation Iraqi Freedom SPC Philip I. SpakoskyU.S. Army
Browns Mills, New Jersey | May 18, 2010
Operation Enduring Freedom Col. John M. McHugh
U.S. Army West Caldwell, New Jersey | May 19, 2006
Operation Enduring Freedom
SSG Christian Longsworth U.S. Army Newark, New Jersey |
May 20, 2010
Operation Iraqi Freedom SPC Stanley J. Sokolowski IIIU.S. Army
Ocean, New Jersey |
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"But on the battlefield their feet stood fast, and in an instant at the height of their fortune, they passed away from the scene, not of their fear, but of their glory."
~ Pericles |
| NJ Fallen Heroes Memorial |
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 | Soldiers of the 2nd NJ Volunteer Infantry in Virginia in May 1863. |
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May 10, 1864 | The first military draft in New Jersey under the Enrollment Act of 1863 took place in Ocean County. Ultimately, only 951 men drafted in New Jersey in 1864 and 1865 actually served in the army. The rest either paid commutation or provided a substitute. |
May 12, 1864 |
Born in England, John P. Beech was a Trenton, NJ resident in 1861 when he enlisted in the 4th New Jersey Infantry. Beech was awarded the Medal of Honor for his conduct on May 12, 1864 at Spotsylvania. He ran forward to assist an artillery battery, most of whose men had been killed or wounded. He voluntarily assisted the remaining artillery men, despite being under heavy fire. Beech died in Trenton in 1926. |
May 12, 1864 | Colonel William Penrose’s First New Jersey Brigade, the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifteenth New Jersey regiments and four companies of the Second New Jersey regiment attacked Confederates at the “Bloody Angle” at Spotsylvania, Virginia, suffering heavy casualties.
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May 13, 1862 |
Centre Street military hospital was opened in Newark as a facility for wounded New Jersey Civil War soldiers. Philanthropist (and later governor) Marcus Ward founded and organized the hospital, which was later renamed in his honor. | May 14, 1918 |
Trenton native Private Needham Roberts, an African-American soldier serving with the segregated 369th Infantry Regiment of the New York National Guard, assigned to the French Army, was badly wounded when a post he manned with Sergeant Henry Johnson was attacked by a German patrol. Both men continued to fight with rifles, knives and hand grenades, killing 20 German soldiers, and were awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French army. |
May 21, 1777 | The force under George Washington’s direct command encamped at Morristown reported 7,363 officers and men “fit for duty and on duty.” Arms and ammunition were arriving in large quantities from France, including 19,000 muskets and 1,000 barrels of gunpowder during the month of March alone. |
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We Are Hiring!
At the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs we take our work in support of Veterans, Servicemembers and their families very seriously. Whether supporting our Veterans with nursing care, transitional housing, or assisting them in navigating access to their Veteran benefits, the Department provides valuable services and can offer rewarding career opportunities to members of the public.
We also have opportunities in facilities management and program management. In addition, we have job openings for members of our military to serve in AGR and Federal Technician roles.
Subscribe to DMAVA Jobs Bulletin to stay updated on job openings.
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We hope you enjoy receiving our newsletter and find it both educational and engaging. If you have questions about our department, our programs or your benefits, please visit our website at nj.gov/military to get contact information. |
| Contact DMAVA |
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Please email us at outreach@dmava.nj.gov with feedback and comments regarding the newsletter. If you would like to contribute with an item of interest to our subscribers, please email us your proposal.
Visit the DMAVA archives to view previous editions of our newsletter.
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nj.gov/military NJ Department of Military & Veterans Affairs
101 Eggert Crossing Road Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Privacy Notice
Disclaimer: The appearance of any non-DMAVA information or hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement of the products or services on the part of the New Jersey Department of Military & Veterans Affairs. |
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