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 | New Jersey Korean War Memorial |
124 Park Place, Atlantic City, NJ |
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Message from the
State Command Chief |
The world around us is constantly changing and it is increasingly important for teams to be effective and adaptable to changing goals and objectives. To achieve this, it is essential to maximize the abilities and contributions of each team member and partner. The concept of "psychological safety" unites us, readers of the DMAVA newsletter, as supporters of those who serve and those who have served. I want to tell you how.
Psychological safety is a shared belief that it is safe to take risks, express ideas and concerns, and ask questions. This concept touches on virtually every aspect of operations, including communication, connectedness, innovation, process improvement, risk assessments and mitigations, decision-making, task execution and productivity.
Where cultures of psychological safety exist, we find evidence of consistently successful teamwork, adaptability to changing requirements, and positive environments. Reviewing any survey about an organization's climate or culture can quickly reveal whether there is a culture of psychological safety. So, what are the steps for fostering cultures of psychological safety? According to research:
Make clear why voices matter: Let your teammates and partners know why they matter and are critical to the success of the mission or goal. By doing so, you are setting the tone for an environment where their opinions and contributions are valued.
Admit your own fallibility: By being human and admitting your own mistakes, you create an environment where it is safe for others to do the same.
Actively invite input: Silence does not always mean agreement. In fact, it could mean the opposite. By actively inviting input, you are creating an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, ideas and concerns.
Respond productively: Being dismissive or belittling, intentional or not, destroys psychological safety. By responding productively to input, you are creating an environment where participants feel heard, valued and respected.
I encourage readers to be bold and courageous leaders who value the inputs and contributions of those around us. Help foster the positive environments where participants can thrive, meet and exceed the demands of the changing world around us.
Thank you for your contributions to DMAVA, our Garden State, and for serving your organizations and communities. |
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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.
Chief Master Sergeant Wayne R. Miller
State Command Chief |
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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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 | 63rd Army Band
The New Jersey Army National Guard's 63rd Army Band performed for audiences around the state during the band's summer concert series, June 27-July 4, 2024. Check out images and videos of their patriotic performances on the band's social media platforms. Facebook
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 | 44th IBCT
44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Soldiers assigned to Task Force Elkhound worked alongside coalition partners from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and German Armed Forces during an aerial gunnery training exercise with AH-64 Apache helicopters in Northern Iraq, July 2, 2024.
The exercise highlighted the interoperability of coalition forces as they maintain proficiency and readiness in support of the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve mission. |
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177th Civil Engineer Squadron and 171st Civil Engineer Squadron Participate in Piney Devil Prime BEEF Training ExerciseSrA Darion Boyd & SMSgt Andrew Merlock | 177th Fighter Wing | July 10, 2024
Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, NJ - Last month, civil engineer Airmen from the 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, and the 171st Air Refueling Wing, Pennsylvania Air National Guard, participated in the Piney Devil Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force (Prime BEEF) exercise here at the 177th Fighter Wing.
The exercise consisted of both classroom lectures and the performance of taskings to test their ability to provide the engineering support required to establish an airbase and bed down both people and aircraft.
“We’re a Prime BEEF squadron. Our Job is to go repair bases and fix bases. If it’s not there, we’re going to make it,” said Lt. Col. Lucas Smith, commander of the 177th Civil Engineer Squadron. “So as a Prime BEEF team, we have to do a 96-hour training event roughly every four years. This exercise allows us to provide Prime BEEF training to the members that were excused from last year’s training in Alaska and the members that are new to our squadron.”
Read Full Story |
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Join Our Team |
100% Free College Tuition
Bonuses up to $20,000
Student Loan Repayment |
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 | Veterans Outreach Campaign
Veterans Service Officer Alicia Kagan discussed veterans benefits with Garden State veterans including U.S. Navy Veteran Brian Wiener, founder of Brigantine Veterans Surf Camp in Brigantine, on July 8, 2024.
DMAVA kicked off our “Summer Veterans Outreach Campaign” on June 27, 2024 and will continue through the end of August with visits to the Ocean City Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach Boardwalk and the Columbus Farmers Market.
Check the Veterans Outreach Schedule to see when we will be in your area or contact your local Veterans Service Office. |
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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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 | Child and Youth Programs
July 8, 2024 marked the start of the New Jersey National Guard Youth Camp. Colonel Yvonne L. Mays welcomed the campers on their first day of a week of arts and crafts, archery, swimming at the beach and sports activities. The camp is held annually at the National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt, NJ.
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 | Welcome to NJYCA Class 58
New Jersey Youth ChalleNGe Academy Class 58 in-processed on July 16, 2024 at the National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt, NJ. Follow their progress on our social media until their graduation in December 2024.
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How to avoid DBQ fraud scamsVA News | July 5, 2024
Due to the rise of Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs) scams, VA wants to ensure Veterans - including those who choose to have their private health care provider complete a DBQ - are appropriately equipped with the information they need to submit DBQs successfully.
A DBQ is a streamlined medical examination form designed to collect medical evidence relevant to a claim for benefits. DBQs allow Veterans to submit medical evidence from their health care provider to support their claims for disability benefits. Veterans are entitled to a no-cost disability examination by VA if an examination is deemed necessary to decide the claim for benefits.
VA wants Veterans to be aware of individuals and companies marketing the service of completing DBQs. Don’t be fooled by companies advertising they have a special relationship with medical professionals and can guarantee the Veteran a benefits award. When a Veteran uses for-profit DBQ companies, the fees may be costly.
Read Full News Feature |
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Presidential Proclamation on Certain Violations of Article 125 under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
On June 26, 2024, President Biden issued a proclamation that gave a full and unconditional pardon to individuals with court-martial convictions under former Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice for conduct that involved consensual, private acts with persons aged 18 or older. It also pardoned individuals convicted of attempts, conspiracies, and solicitation to commit a qualifying Article 125 offense under Articles 80, 81, and 82.
The pardon recognizes that many LGBTQI+ individuals who have served our country left the military on account of their sexual orientation or gender identity, some after court-martial conviction for former Article 125 offenses, which criminalized even consensual acts of sodomy. The proclamation helps to address this historical injustice against service members and their families.
Read Full News Release |
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Clothing Allowance for Disabled Veterans In this episode of theSITREP, the host discusses VA's Clothing Allowance: a benefit for disabled Veterans who use a prosthetic, orthopedic device, or topical medication and it damages their clothing.
theSITREP Podcast |
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 | Battleship New Jersey |
Twilight tours at the Battleship are back!
On Friday, August 16, this 21+ tour led by the Curatorial team will show off sailor art and allow guests to hear more colorful stories. After the tour, guests can enjoy beer or wine on the main deck. Learn More and Get Tickets |
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Aero Camp | At the end of June, campers and flight instructors with the Doylestown Airport Leading Edge Aviation Aero Camp, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, visited the 177th Fighter Wing.
Aero Camp is designed to give young people a unique opportunity to explore the vast and exciting world of aviation and aerospace at their local airport.
Thanks, Leading Edge Aviation. It was a pleasure to have you visit! |
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 | Honor Military Veterans
The NJBIZ Veteran in Business awards honors those who served in the military and are now business leaders in the Garden State. Winners will be recognized during a virtual awards ceremony in November 2024. Nomination deadline is August 11, 2024. Learn More |
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 | Veterans ride the waves of therapy surf camp in Brigantine |
Nick Iadonisi | 6abc | July 12, 2024
BRIGANTINE, New Jersey (WPVI) - Veteran Brian Wiener has a yearly program where veterans participate in a surf camp.
"I am a vet. I do suffer from PTSD. And I have found such tranquility and such peace in that ocean. I feel as if it's something that needs to be shared with other people," said Brian Wiener.
Their newly obtained hobby of surfing gives them an escape from their post-service struggles.
"Our goal is to give the veterans a different opportunity to experience some peace and tranquility with their PTSD, out in the water, on a surfboard, learning how to surf," said Wiener.
Read Full Story with Video |
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 | A Marine Vet’s Dedication to Campus and CountryChristina Lynn | Rutgers.edu | July 3, 2024
There’s a good chance you may spot Julio Dagand with a reporter’s notebook or a camera in hand. The English and communication major covers news and events for Rutgers University–Camden's student-run campus newspaper, The Gleaner. He also philosophizes with the Deep Thinkers Club and is part of HombRes, an empowerment group for Latino men. The United States Marine Corps veteran said he wants to immerse himself as much as possible in the student experience.
“I’m not going to just shuttle to and from class and keep my head down,” the Burlington County resident said. “Education is such a gift. I need to use it the best I can, or I’m wasting it. And that's the last thing I want to do.”
When Dagand takes stock of the military experience that preceded his academic journey at Rutgers–Camden, he counts himself fortunate, expressing gratitude for the benefits he’s received since serving his country in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years.
Read Full Story |
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 | PV2 Cesar Luis Smart-Shaw
The story of this country is rooted in migration and immigration, with obtaining citizenship becoming the ultimate goal for many across the world who see the United States as a beacon of new beginnings. There are plenty of paths to obtain citizenship in the United States; however, one of the most remarkable and noble paths is taking on the burden of service in the United States military.
The New Jersey Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion is proud to see this exemplified in the case of PV2 Cesar Luis Smart-Shaw, a Motor Transport Operator (88M) in the New Jersey Army National Guard's 253rd Transportation Company.
PV2 Smart-Shaw originally hailed from the Dominican Republic. After taking the proper steps, he pursued naturalization, with assistance in his US citizenship application from the Recruiting and Retention Battalion.
We are happy to see where his new status as an American citizen takes him.
Photo by Charlie Elison, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service |
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Katie GleasonMy name is Katie Gleason. I’m a rising junior at American University in Washington D.C., majoring in History and minoring in International Studies. I am also an Army ROTC Cadet!
I first learned about the National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey when I used its veteran oral histories archive to conduct research on the experiences and relationships between Jewish and African American soldiers in the US military during World War II. Despite interviewing for a summer intern position, I was eager to start work for the museum, as I believe strongly in its mission to preserve veteran stories. Thus, since March, I have completed numerous summaries of veteran interviews, alongside my studies at American.
Outside of my research project about Jewish and African American WWII soldiers, the veteran interviews were a great resource for other school assignments. I used the experience of Korean War veteran Victor T. Stella to supplement my research about the Battle of Chipyong-ni. His story provided important insight into my paper about regular warfare during the 20th century.
Going forward, I am excited to continue assisting with the museum’s oral histories program, and I am especially enthusiastic to conduct my first interview, with a Gold Star mother, the first to come to Sea Girt to share her hero’s story. |
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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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July 22, 2010
Operation Enduring Freedom Maj James M. WeisU.S. Marine Corps
Toms River, New Jersey |
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July 23, 2004
Operation Iraqi Freedom LCpl Vincent M. SullivanU.S. Marine Corps
Chatham, 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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 | Gettysburg Rededication Team in 2013. |
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July 20, 1957 | Four nurses left Paterson for annual training with the 114th Surgical Hospital, New Jersey National Guard. They were the first women ever to deploy for training with a New Jersey National Guard unit. |
July 20, 2013 | “New Jersey at Gettysburg Day,” an official rededication of the New Jersey monuments at Gettysburg Battlefield by the New Jersey Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee, was held at Gettysburg National Military Park. |
July 21, 1780 | General Anthony Wayne led a raid on a Loyalist blockhouse at Bull’s Ferry, now part of Hackensack. Although they outnumbered the enemy, Wayne’s men failed to take the blockhouse, and were only able to capture some cattle. |
July 21, 1757 |
A 350-man force of New Jersey and New York Provincial troops left Fort William Henry on a reconnaissance. Two days later, at Sabbath Day Point on Lake George, they were surrounded and ambushed by the French and their Indian allies. The provincials panicked, losing 160 men killed or drowned and many of the remainder captured. It was reported, albeit not confirmed, that Ottawa warriors subsequently dined on at least one unfortunate Jerseyman. |
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July 25, 1917 |
The New Jersey National Guard, except for some companies of the 5th Regiment, on guard duty in northern New Jersey, assembled at Sea Girt for World War I duty, and then traveled to Camp McClellan, Alabama, where they were subsequently joined by the remainder of the 5th Regiment. | July 30, 1673 |
New York and New Jersey, which together were New Netherland until 1664, were recaptured from their British conquerors by a twenty-one ship Dutch fleet, the largest ever seen in North America, without a shot being fired. The colonies were returned to British control, however, in a peace treaty signed in November 1674. A Captain Manning, the commander who surrendered to the Dutch, was subsequently sentenced to publicly having a sword broken over his head. |
July 30, 1916 |
The “Black Tom” ammunition pier on the Hudson River in Jersey City exploded. Although America was still neutral in World War I, large amounts of ammunition manufactured in the United States were shipped to the allies in Europe, and German saboteurs had placed bombs on the pier. A postwar Claims Commission found Germany guilty of sabotage in both Black Tom and the subsequent Kingsland explosion in Lyndhurst, and awarded $50 million in damages to claimants. World War II intervened, but in 1953 the West German government, without ever admitting responsibility, agreed to pay the compensation. It was finally paid in 1979. |
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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 Eggerts 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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