DMAVA Highlights Jan. 13, 2011

‘Perfect Storm’ allows Jersey Guard to rise to occassion

By Sgt. Wayne Woolley They stumbled They helped Furlani out of DMAVA Public Affairs Specialist across a scene her vehicle, gave her a ride to almost from a the Tinton Falls police station When he was activated to movie. Scores of and then onto a makeshift shel- respond to the post-Christ- vehicles nearly ter that had been set up at the mas blizzard of 2010, New buried in snow. A AMC Theater at the Monmouth Jersey Army National Guard helicopter hovered Mall. Spc. Andy DeLeon was afraid overhead, sweep- She was among five people there would be no action. ing a spotlight to the Soldiers rescued that morn- It turned out there was cut through the ing. plenty. darkness and the “It was amazing how all these In fact, DeLeon and his fel- near whiteout con- people kept going that long. low Soldiers may have ended ditions caused by I’m sure that was something up saving some lives. howling winds. they didn’t expect,” said De- In the early morning hours of “We started Leon said. Dec. 28, DeLeon and Pfc. Brian finding people in In all, nearly a dozen Soldiers different cars and just decided Francione found themselves on some of those cars,” DeLeon responded to the storm, assist- to stay in one to save gas.” Route 18 in Monmouth County, said. “One guy had run out of ing more than a dozen motor- Most had been stuck for forcing their Humvee through gas and was getting really cold. ists. hours. As DeLeon and Fran- five-foot snowdrifts to respond In another car, we found two DeLeon, a Signal specialist cione worked, they saw another to reports of trapped motorists. guys who had been driving in assigned to the 50th Infantry vehicle on the opposite side of Brigade Combat Team Head- the highway. They tried to force Scholarships money for college-bound quarters, said his duty during the Humvee across the median, the storm was the most gratify- but without any luck. They Youth ChalleNGE cadets ing he’s had in his two years in made their way across on foot, Five New Jersey Youth ChalleGE Academy graduates will have uniform. through waist-high snow. a financial head start on furthering their education after graduating “It was an experience I won’t The Soldiers reached the van from the program in April. forget. I’m glad I went ahead and found Jessica Furlani, a That’s thanks to the National Guard Youth Foundation, which and took the duty,” he said. nurse who had been making her has arranged for the award of five $1,000 scholarships to the pro- “It was a good feeling to help way to her shift at a local hos- gram, according to Director Victoria Ragucci. people. You could see the joy pital. She had been stuck in her The individual scholarships donors are: Jefferies & Company, on people’s faces when we got car for 23 hours. Attain, and WWE. The two remaining scholarships are funded to them.” directly by the National Guard Youth Foundation. New rollover trainers and cost Savings bound for JT2DC Spc. Saul Rosa, 444th MPAD members who use the trainer A new Mine Resistant Armor and is a cost-effective alterna- Protected Vehicle Egress Train- tive for training and mobiliza- er (MET) has been brought to tion missions. the Joint Base to benefit service “I need to get the best training members training through a col- available for my soldiers and to laborative cost-saving effort by get the soldiers to know their the Joint Training and Training training will save their lives and Development Center (JT2DC) their friends,” said New Jersey and the training and mobiliza- Army National Guard Master tion site. Sgt. Rene Sales, a senior trainer Master Sergeant Rene Sales of the JT2DC staff demonstrates Staging the MET in National at the JT2DC. the capabilities of the MRAP Egress Trainer. Photo by Spc. Saul Guard Bureau’s JT2DC offers CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 Rosa. many benefits to the service DMAVA Highlights Jersey Devils to host military Miltary reservists asked Appreciation on Jan. 22 Here’s a chance for the entire Guard family to enjoy a night on to Nominate top bosses ice. Time is running out for Guard and Reserve service members and On Jan. 22, the Trenton Devils hockey team is having their mili- their families are encouraged to nominate employers who have tary appreciation night. provided exceptional support of military employees. Nominations All National Guard members are eligible to buy $8 tickets for are being accepted at www.FreedomAward.mil through January themselves, friends and family for the game against the Wheeling 17, 2011. Nailers. That’s half off the regular game-day price. And it comes The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award is with an added bonus: an hour long post-game skate. So, bring your the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employ- skates and round out a night of family fun. ers for the outstanding support of their employees serving in the Face off is at 7 p.m. Guard and Reserve. Make your reservations by calling Brian, Megan or Jackie at The 2011 recipients will be announced in the spring and honored 609-599-9500 on any weekday. in Washington, D.C. at the 16th annual Secretary of Defense Em- ployer Support Freedom Award ceremony on September 22, 2011. Recipients of the Snow? A handy list of 2010 Freedom Award met Where to tune in for privately with Vice President Joe Biden and DMAVA employees Secretary of The following radio stations have agreed to broadcast special an- Defense Rob- nouncements in the event that inclement weather causes other than ert Gates while normal operation of State offices during the 2009 winter season: in Washington, WSNJ-AM 1240, Bridgeton; WJLK-FM 94.3, Ocean Twp.(Mon- D.C. Under mouth); WRNJ-AM 1510, Hackettstown; WOBM-AM 1160, Secretary of De- Ocean Twp.(Ocean); WFPG-FM 96.9, Atlantic City; WOBM- fense, Chief Financial Officer Robert Hale and Assistant Secretary FM 92.7, Ocean Twp.(Ocean); WPUR-FM 107.3, Atlantic City; of Defense for Reserve Affairs Dennis McCarthy presented the WCHR-FM 105.7, Ocean Twp.(Ocean); WMVB-AM 1440, awards at a ceremony attended by members of Congress, senior Bridgeton; WIXM-FM 97.3, Millville; WCTC-AM 1450, New military officials, business leaders and the Guard and Reserve ser- Brunswick; WKXW-FM 101.5, Trenton; vice members who nominated the award recipients. WMGQ-FM 98.3, New Brunswick; WSJO-FM 104.9, Egg Har- Almost one-half of the U.S. military is comprised of the Guard bor; WSUS-FM 102.3, Newton; WNJT-FM and Reserve. The Department of Defense shares these citizen war- 88.1, Trenton; WNNJ-FM 103.7 Newton; WNJS-FM 88.1, Berlin; riors with their civilian employers, many of whom provide sig- WHCY-FM 106.3, Newton; WNJN-FM nificant support to their employees who serve in the Guard and 89.7, Atlantic City; WNNJ-AM 1360, Newton; WNJB-FM 89.3, Reserve. Bridgeton; WINS-AM 1010, New York; The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of WNJP-FM 88.5, Sussex; WPST-FM 94.5, Princeton; WNJM- ESGR to recognize exceptional support from the employer com- FM 89.9, Manahawkin; KYW-AM 1060, Philadelphia; WNJZ- munity. ESGR is a Department of Defense agency established in FM 90.3, Cape May Courthouse; WADB-AM 1310, Ocean Twp. 1972 whose mission is to develop and promote employer support (Monmouth); for Guard and Reserve service by advocating relevant initiatives, WIMG-AM 1300, Trenton; WCMC-AM 1230, Wildwood recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of appli- cable laws, and resolving conflict between employers and service members. For questions regarding the Freedom Award nomination Email your Highlights submissions to process, please visit www.FreedomAward.mil or contact Beth Sherman, ESGR Public Affairs, at 703-696-1171, ext. 539 or by [email protected] email at [email protected].

DMAVA Highlights is published weekly by the Public Af- New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs fairs Office of the New Jersey Department of Military and Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth – The Adjutant General Veterans Affairs. The views and opinions expressed herein Brig. Gen. James J. Grant – Director, Joint Staff are not necessarily those of the Department of Defense, the Raymond Zawacki – Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Army, the Air Force, the National Guard, Veterans Affairs Affairs or the state of New Jersey. Letters may be sent to: NJDMA- CW 2 Patrick Daugherty – Public Affairs Officer VA, DMAVA Highlights, Public Affairs Office, PO Box 340, Sgt. Wayne Woolley – Public Affairs Specialist Trenton NJ 08625-0340. E-mail at [email protected]. 2 DMAVA Highlights JT2DC, Joint Base team up for training, cost savings CONTINUED FROM PAGE1 supply and it is recommended Besides the great training en- that either shade or air-condi- vironment JT2DC offers, it’s tioning is provided for the heat also a cost-effective and green in the summer months. solution to the escalating cost The MET itself offers a real- of training the nation’s war istic simulation to develop the fighter. proper skills and confidence in “Cost saving’s was a mini- all service members’ ability to mum of $200,000 for a pad that safely egress from an overturned would have placed the system vehicle and survive on a battle- in the open air in the winter, field. The training center offers Soldiers with the 350th Finance Detachment, 42nd Regional Sup- port Group deployed with the 92nd Maneuver Enhancement Bri- spring, summer and fall,” said a unique training environment gade, Multinational Battle Group East, pose for a photo with Maj. Robert Stodnick, an Army Sup- for the MET and service mem- Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, second from right, and State Command Sgt. port Activity Training Support bers, because of its convoy lay- Maj. Jerome Jenkins, far left, during their visit at Camp Bondsteel, officer. “If we had to construct out with other Humvee Egress Kosovo. a building it would have been in Assistance Trainers (HEAT). excess of $400,000,” he added. This combination allows train- Grantham University’s Blue Star Flag program has been pro- The cost to stage the MET at ers to practice advance egress viding Blue Star Flags to Service members and their families the training development center scenarios and incorporate battle since 2006. For more information please go to: http://www. was nearly $13,000. drills and medical evacuation mybluestarflag.com. The MET’s size and weight training by mixing up which requires certain conditions to vehicle will flip. be met in order for it to be op- The MET was delivered to erated safely. It is required that JT2DC earlier this year. More Vietnam Memorial Announces the surface the device is on can than 100 Soldiers have been Scholarships for High School Seniors hold 33,000 pounds, a power trained so far. Graduating seniors have until April 15, 2011, to submit their ap- plications and essays to qualify for one of two scholarships offered FDU Vets Vie for Pepsi Refresh Grant by the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation. From now thru the end of January, you can vote for vets every The scholarships, each in the amount of $2,500, will be award- day in the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project. ed to high school seniors from New Jersey who plan to further The Fairleigh Dickinson University Veterans Association (FDU- their education either at a college or university or trade/technical VA) has been selected to compete for a $250,000 Pepsi Refresh school. Everything Grant. The money will support the Three Pillar Pro- Winners will be notified in early May and will be awarded the gram of Excellence, which helps student veterans. scholarship on Monday, May 30, 2011, during the Memorial Day To strengthen the Pillar of Service, $50,000 will be used to sup- Ceremony held at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial. port FDUVA events that include service and outreach projects. An In addition to the scholarship application and proof of acceptance additional $150,000 will be used for scholarships and merit based to a college or trade school, all applicants must submit an essay awards. The remining $50,000 will be used to create an Emergen- about his/her visit to the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, cy Relief Fund that will assist student veterans in times of financial located off the Garden State Parkway at exit 116 in Holmdel. distress. To assist students in writing their essays, the Foundation offers This is an excellent opportunity to receive additional financial free, veteran-led guided tours of the Memorial. Beginning Febru- support for a program that is making a difference. Your help is ary 5, 2011, and continuing through April 9, 2011, these tours are needed. held every Saturday at 11 AM and at 1 PM. These tours are also Text 105553 to 73774 or vote online at Pepsi Refresh Every- available to the members of the general public who would like to thing. learn more about the memorial. Tours are approximately 45 min- utes in length. Vets outreach comes to Trenton Devils The deadline for application and essay submission is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 15, 2011. Applications may be mailed, faxed to January 22, 2011 732-335-1107 or delivered to the NJVVM Scholarship Program, 1 Sun National Bank Center / Home of the Trenton Devils Memorial Lane, P.O. Box 648, Holmdel, NJ 07733. Military Appreciation Night For a scholarship application form or more information about the Outreach Event only – Outreach Table open 6-9 pm on New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation, please visit arena’s main concourse www.njvvmf.org or call (732) 335-0033 xt. 100. Game starts at 7pm 3