Cover photo credits New Jersey National Guard Soldiers and Airmen (New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans from 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment; 508th Affairs photo by Mark C. Olsen) Military Police Company; 108th Wing, and 177th New Jersey Air National Guard Airman 1st Fighter Wing arrive near the Capitol to set up security Class Bria J. Murray, 177th Fighter Wing, reviews positions in Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2021. National second appointment information with individuals Guard Soldiers and Airmen from several states who received the COVID-19 vaccine at the COVID-19 deployed to Washington, D.C., in support of Federal Atlantic County Vaccination Mega-Site in Atlantic and District authorities leading up and through the City, N.J., Feb. 25, 2021. Citizen-Airmen with the 59th Presidential Inauguration. (U.S. Air National Guard 108th Wing and the 177th Fighter Wing are assisting photo by Master Sgt. Matt Hecht) healthcare workers in temperature screening, Resident Carl Wilson receives the COVID-19 registering and guiding individuals through the vaccination at the New Jersey Veterans Memorial various stations, and monitoring people after they Home at Menlo Park, Edison, N.J., Jan. 5, 2021. received their vaccinations. (New Jersey National These are the first vaccinations administered at Guard photo by Mark C. Olsen) the Home under the Federal Pharmacy Program. A New Jersey Army National Guard Soldier with the 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, performs a temperature check on an individual scheduled to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the newly opened COVID-19 Burlington County Vaccination Mega- Site, Moorestown, N.J., Jan. 22, 2021. The Citizen-Soldiers are assisting in temperature screening, inputting insurance information, guiding individuals through the various stations, and monitoring people after they received their vaccinations. (New Jersey National Guard photo Mark C. Olsen) Thank you for this opportunity to present the FY 2022 I wish to first address the heartbreak and sorrow this Department budget for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. has seen in the past 13 months. In the six months in which I I would also like to acknowledge those representatives of have served as Interim Commissioner and Adjutant General, I our Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) with us virtually have overseen direct changes to tighten internal controls and today. The men and women on this call, as well as thousands procedures to mitigate issues the virus had laid bare. of others working throughout our state, are tireless advocates To be clear: every resident of our veterans’ homes is a for those who have worn the uniform, those who continue to family member to us. Every life lost is a tragedy. Our sadness serve, and their families. at the losses sustained at our homes is unspeakable. I am Dr. Lisa Hou, the Interim Adjutant General of New As someone who has proudly worn our nation’s uniform for Jersey and Commissioner of DMAVA. Governor Murphy more than a quarter-century, I cannot think of a more important appointed me to these positions in mid-October of last year. mission than to protect the lives of those who protected our I have been wearing this uniform and serving our state and nation’s highest values. our country for 26 years. For 24 of those years, I have also COVID-19 is a threat to older people, especially those been donning a stethoscope as a medical professional. with pre-existing health conditions. Residents of our homes During my more than two decades in the Army, I have often come to us in poor health, with many serious conditions, been a field surgeon in Iraq and Afghanistan, had the honor of and are often at an advanced age. Fighting this virus in our being the first Joint Surgeon of the New Jersey National Guard homes is a battle the likes of which I have never seen before, and served as the Deputy Adjutant General. but one that I have taken on with great resolve. The oaths I have taken, both as a Soldier and a doctor, When Governor Murphy asked me to take over the give me a unique perspective on the health emergency that Department, it was made clear that the foremost goal of my face our state’s veterans. team and every member of our staff was to immediately make Before I speak to the Department’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget, changes to our operations and act to safeguard the residents of Since taking on the role of Commissioner, my number one priority – both as a physician and a Veteran – was to ensure that the losses we endured early on in the COVID-19 pandemic would never be repeated. 1 NJDMAVA FY 22 Ours is a daily fight against an invisible and pernicious enemy. Everyone at the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is committed to providing our Veterans Memorial Home residents with the highest standards of care. our veterans homes. I have never shied away from a mission, DMAVA senior leaders and I have been to our Veterans and the mission I was asked to take on is the most important Homes on a regular basis talking to residents, clinicians, and one I have ever undertaken in my career. administrators. We fully understand and base our decisions on Since taking on the role of Commissioner, my number the fact that COVID-19 remains a threat to our residents. one priority – both as a physician and a Veteran – was to We are working to improve communications with the ensure that the losses we endured early on in the COVID-19 family representatives of our residents. The goal is weekly pandemic would never be repeated. Preparing our homes for emails and more frequent messages if needed about any the remainder of the pandemic has been the focus of my work positive COVID cases. and my team’s work, and we will continue to make every effort to fight this virus. A resident at the New Jersey Veterans Home at Paramus meets with his family. (New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs photo by Anthony Elia) New Jersey Army National Guard Spc. Laurel Yerg, a combat medic We have begun Incident Command Training to ensure we with the 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment, checks on a resident of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home at Menlo Park in Edison, N.J., have plans in place for another pandemic, or any natural or April 17, 2020. More than 60 NJARNG Soldiers from the 44th Infantry man-made disaster. Brigade Combat Team, as well as seven Airmen from the 108th Wing I meet regularly, not just with our Veterans Healthcare and 177th Fighter Wing, were assigned to the Home to assist the civilian team, but also across departmental functions. We have the staff in caring for the residents during the COVID-19 crisis. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley) recommended level of PPE, with up to 10 weeks worth in stock and we have the proper staffing to ensure our residents We acted quickly to bring in reinforcements. After receive the best care possible. Governor Murphy’s direct appeal to the VA, Federal Veterans We have improved existing policies and procedures, Administration clinical staff joined the fight along with contracted a long-term care facility subject matter expert, and dozens of New Jersey’s Citizen Soldiers and Airmen who called a New Jersey National Guard infectious disease nurse to stepped in to help our keep our veterans safe, in good spirits, active duty to assist with our efforts. and to even simply keep them company as they were isolated The homes conduct regularly scheduled COVID tests of from friends and family. the staff and residents every week. My team and I also supported the U.S. Department of We initiated searches for permanent administrators for Veterans Affairs Assessment Teams deployed to Menlo Park, Menlo Park and Paramus; a process that I am pleased to report Paramus, and Vineland. is complete. My team and I undertook a painstaking effort to 2 NJDMAVA FY 22 Part of that outreach is the newly approved New Jersey Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) Medal. This medal honors the selfless service of those New Jerseyans who have served our great nation since the terrible events of September 11, 2001. find individuals that would treat our veterans with the respect is aggressively working to keep our residents and workforce and care that they deserve. We hired new administrators, safe from COVID-19. including an award-winning CEO at our Menlo Park home. Now, I would like to address other parts of DMAVA’s budget. Our new administrators have hit the ground running in the The $25,000 placed in last year’s budget is retained to fight against COVID-19, and have worked vigorously to ensure assist counties with the interment of Indigent Veterans. This that our residents and staff are protected. This month, we will valued program allows counties to request up to $1,250 for bring on-board a permanent Director of Veterans Healthcare burial costs. Services, who possesses a clinical background. In addition, all three volunteer Veterans Home Advisory Boards now have their full complement of members and are meeting regularly to provide feedback to Department leadership. I know that in the past, some residents have felt disconnected from department leadership, which is why I have made it a priority to speak to our resident leaders often and to ensure that they are heard. Speaking to residents directly allows me to understand their perspectives and inform my decisions. We partnered with the Department of Health to ensure that the overwhelming number of our residents are now fully vaccinated at all three facilities.