|
October 15, 2025 |  |
Ready To Serve ★ Proud To Have Served |
|
| |
 | Soldiers with the 42nd Regional Support Group, New Jersey Army National Guard, deployed in support of U.S. Central Command’s Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve on August 11, 2025. |
|
|
Honoring the National Day of the Deployed |
Each year on October 26, we observe the National Day of the Deployed, a time to recognize and honor the men and women of our Armed Forces who are currently serving away from home. This day also pays tribute to the sacrifices made by their families, who stand steadfast on the home front while their loved ones serve our nation.
Deployment requires strength, resilience, and unwavering dedication. Whether serving in combat zones, providing humanitarian aid, or supporting missions abroad, our deployed service members embody the highest ideals of duty and sacrifice. Their families, who often carry the quiet burdens of absence, are equally deserving of our gratitude and support.
On this day, we pause to say thank you to the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Coast Guardsmen, and Guardians who stand watch across the globe, and to the families who keep the home fires burning. Your service ensures our safety, strengthens our communities, and protects the freedoms we cherish.
As we honor the National Day of the Deployed, let us not only reflect on their sacrifice but also recommit ourselves to supporting our service members and families in meaningful ways.
To all who are deployed, and to those who love them: thank you. We stand with you today and every day. |
|
|
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.
Brigadier General Yvonne L. Mays
Adjutant General & Commissioner |
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
DMAVA Calendar |
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. | |
|
| |
We add new events to our calendar on a daily basis so please bookmark and check back often. |
| View Full Calendar |
|
|
|
 |
NJ Guard pilots SPP equipment transfer to generate cost savingsLt. Col. Agneta Murnan | NJNG | September 18, 2025
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Garden State Citizen-Soldiers and Citizen-Airmen supported a key Defense Security Cooperation Agency and National Guard Bureau initiative in coordination with the state’s longtime partner, the Republic of Albania. The initiative uses space on Air National Guard flights to transport Building Partner Capacity materials to State Partnership Program participants.
“The New Jersey National Guard is honored to stand with Albania, our partner of nearly 25 years,” said U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Yvonne L. Mays, the Adjutant General of New Jersey. “This effort reflects the strength of our alliance; delivering modern equipment, enhancing training, and reinforcing the trust that underpins our shared security and NATO partnership.”
Read Full Story |
| |
|
|
Join Our Team |
100% Free College Tuition
Bonuses | GI Bill
Student Loan Repayment |
|
| | |
 |
Newsweek names New Jersey’s best nursing homes for 2026Dawn Furnas | njbiz.com | October 3, 2025 |
Editors Note: The Veterans Homes at Paramus and Vineland made the list of best nursing homes. |
To help families find trusted care for their loved ones, Newsweek has released its America’s Best Nursing Homes 2026 ranking.
In partnership with data firm Statista, the publication recognized 1,200 facilities - out of 14,752 evaluated - across 33 states for their outstanding commitment to quality, safety and resident well-being.
The facilities were ranked by state and in three tiers: 50-99 beds; 100-149 beds; and more than 150 beds.
In New Jersey, 15 nursing homes were named among the best in the 100-149 group, and 50 were ranked in the largest division.
Read Full Story |
|
 | State Medal Ceremony
The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs held a State Medal Ceremony at VFW Kenilworth Post 2230 in Kenilworth, NJ on October 9, 2025. View Images |
| |
 |
Get Connected to Resources & Services | The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs has partnered with Unite Us to connect individuals and families to a wide variety of services and resources.
Unite Us is a coordinated care referral network of health and social service providers. Unite Us can connect our New Jersey military and veteran community to resources to obtain benefits, food assistance, housing, education, transportation, behavioral health services, peer support and more. |
| Learn More / Request Assistance |
|
 |
Veteran Homelessness | The mission of Bringing Veterans Home (BVH) is to effectively end veteran homelessness in New Jersey by enhancing existing systems, creating rapid access to housing, and ensuring homelessness becomes rare, brief and non-recurring.
BVH creates a clear path to stable housing for veterans experiencing homelessness through a coordinated network of services and support. |
| Learn More / Refer a Veteran |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| | | |
| | |
|
|
|
 |
National Guard State Family Readiness Council
OceanFirst Foundation working with the Jersey Shore BlueClaws completed this years Homeruns for Heroes program.
The National Guard State Family Readiness Council received a check for $6,000 this year. We've received a total of $65,000 since the beginning of this program.
We can't thank Ocean First Bank enough for their continued support. They do a tremendous job supporting our community. |
| |  |
Gloucester County Military Service Medal CeremonyOn September 27, 2025, the Gloucester County Board of Commissioners proudly hosted the Gloucester County Military Service Medal Ceremony at Riverwinds in West Deptford.
80 Gloucester County Veterans were recognized with the Military Service Medal, presented by Mark Suto, Warrant Officer 3 USMC, Retired. Each veteran also received a Certificate of Commendation, along with a Gloucester County Ribbon and Pin, as a symbol of our county’s gratitude for their service.
Image and caption courtesy Gloucester County Weekly Newsletter. |
|
|
| |
|
 |
Morris County Park Commission Partners on “The Healing Garden”morriscountynj.gov | October 3, 2025
More than 100 people gathered at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum on Friday, where the Morris County Park Commission and the Morris County Board of County Commissioners joined Veterans Valor of New Jersey for a formal signing of an agreement establishing The Healing Garden of Morris, a new public space dedicated to honoring veterans and supporting their families.
The agreement, signed by Park Commission Executive Director Dave Helmer, Park Commission President Stuart Lasser, and Veterans Valor Chairman Charlie Iuliano, marks the official launch of a project more than two years in the making.
“The County Commissioners are proud to work with the Park Commission and Veterans Valor to create a space that not only honors the service and sacrifice of our veterans, but also provides a place for them to help cope with some of the challenges they face when they return home,” said Commissioner Douglas Cabana, liaison to the Park Commission, who spoke at the ceremony. “Many months of planning led to today’s signing, and we’ll finally be able to break ground on this important project next month.”
Read Full Story |
| |
|
| |
|
|
 |
Chief Master Sergeant Patrick O’Connor
The 177th Fighter Wing's Chief Master Sergeant Patrick O’Connor concludes a 39-year career with a final deployment in Germany.
After nearly four decades in uniform - first as a U.S. Army combat engineer and later as an Air Force Reserve explosive ordnance disposal technician - Chief Master Sgt. O’Connor is completing his final deployment as the senior enlisted leader with the 406th Air Expeditionary Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
From Operation Desert Storm to today, O’Connor has embodied leadership, mentorship and quiet professionalism, leaving a lasting legacy for the next generation of Airmen. Read His Full Story
|
|  |
Staff Sergeant Jayson Stratton
The New Jersey Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion is proud to congratulate Staff Sergeant Jayson Stratton on graduating from Thomas Edison State University not only with a perfect 4.0 GPA, but also as the recipient of the President’s Award!
After 19 years of military service he returned to school and made the most of every opportunity.
Through his Joint Services Transcript and the benefits offered by the National Guard he earned 72 credits toward his degree. From there, he went on to achieve two associate degrees, a bachelor’s degree, a graduate certificate, and now a master’s degree in Management with a concentration in Organizational Leadership.
SSG Stratton’s accomplishments showcase what it truly means to be a Citizen-Soldier: gaining valuable skills and achievements often reserved for civilians, while continuing to strengthen his military career. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Victoria ChadwickCongratulations to our winner of the DMAVA Employee Award for the 3rd Quarter, Victoria Chadwick, employed at the NJ Youth ChalleNGe Academy!
Ms. Chadwick consistently demonstrates exceptional professionalism, reliability, and initiative in her role as Lead Counselor. She maintains excellent attendance, models positive behavior for staff and cadets, and ensures strict compliance with Academy rules and National Guard Bureau standards.
Her leadership has directly contributed to measurable improvements in cadet graduation rates and post-residential placement success.
The award was presented by Ryan Pope, Director of the NJ Youth ChalleNGe Academy. |
|
|
|
 |
New Jersey Fallen Heroes Memorial | In Honor of all those from New Jersey who gave their lives in the fight against terrorism during Operation Enduring Freedom & Iraqi Freedom.
In humble gratitude, we remember their sacrifice. | Memorial Inscription
"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 |
|
|
|
 |
Sergeant John Basilone |
|
|
October 15, 1845 |
Ellis Hamilton was born in Philadelphia. Hamilton moved to Camden, New Jersey, with his family at the age of four. Commissioned a second lieutenant in Company E, Fifteenth New Jersey regiment, in 1862, at the age of sixteen, he was the youngest New Jersey officer and perhaps the youngest officer in the Union army. Hamilton was promoted to first lieutenant and captain before being mortally wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 6, 1864. He died at a Washington hospital on May 16 and was buried in Trenton. His letters survive in Rutgers University’s Alexander Library in New Brunswick. |
October 18, 1753 |
Joseph Bloomfield was born in Woodbridge. Bloomfield studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1775 and established a practice in Bridgeton. With the outset of the Revolutionary War, he was commissioned a captain in the Third New Jersey Battalion. Bloomfield fought at Brandywine, where he was wounded, and Monmouth, rising to the rank of major, and was appointed judge advocate of the Northern Army before resigning to take a seat in the New Jersey Assembly. He served as governor in all but one year between 1801 and 1812, during which he engineered the state’s Gradual Abolition Act, resigning to return to the service as a general in the War of 1812. One of New Jersey’s most notable soldies and governors, Bloomfield died on October 3, 1823 in Burlington.
|
|
October 19, 1864 |
First Lieutenant William Burroughs Ross, Company B, 14th New Jersey Volunteers, killed in action near Middletown, Virginia, October 19, 1864. A cheerful, friendly man with a great love of music, William Burroughs Ross enlisted as a private in the 14th New Jersey Volunteers in the summer of 1862. He brought his guitar with him when he went to war and quickly became one of the most popular men in the regiment. His skills led to promotion to sergeant-major and, later to 1st lieutenant of the 14th's Company B. At the Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia, October 19, 1864, he was shot and killed. He was buried in Trenton, NJ. His wartime correspondence and his beloved guitar can be found at the Monmouth County Historical Association, Freehold, NJ.
| October 22, 1777 |
During the Revolutionary War, Continental Army soldiers were stationed at Fort Mercer on the Delaware River to keep the British and their Hessian mercenary allies from resupplying troops in nearby Philadelphia. On Oct. 22, 1777, the Army repelled a major assault by Hessian forces. Little-known today, the Battle of Red Bank was brief and ferocious, marking one of the worst defeats the Hessians suffered in the war.
|
October 24, 1942 | US Marine Corps Sergeant John Basilone of Raritan, commanding a machine gun section defending Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, held off an attack by Japanese soldiers, fighting for three days and nights without sleep, and ending the battle firing at them with his .45 caliber automatic pistol. |
|
| |
| |
| |
 |
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.
|
| Vacancies |
|
|
|
|
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 |
|
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. |
|
|
|  |
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. |
|
| |
|
|
