WHO/WHAT:
Raymond Zawacki, Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs, New Jersey
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, will present state military
awards to more than 40 veterans from Essex, Passaic, Union, Morris and
Sussex County. Veterans will be honored at the mall for service in World
War II, Korea, Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm, and Operations Iraqi
and Enduring Freedom.
WHERE:
Livingston
Mall, 112 Eisenhower Parkway, Livingston, N.J. 07039
WHEN:
Tuesday,
April 17 at 10:30 a.m.
THE
STORY: The N.J. Distinguished Service Medal (NJ DSM) was originally
issued in 1858 for those who distinguished themselves in the New Jersey
Militia, but was used infrequently until re-authorized by Governor Kean
in 1988. The NJ DSM was then authorized for that purpose. It is New
Jersey's highest military award. Since its re-authorization in 1988,
more than 30,000 medals have been awarded to combat veterans from New
Jersey.
In order to be eligible for the Distinguished Service
Medal you must meet all the following criteria: currently be a resident
of New Jersey, have been a resident of New Jersey at the time you entered
into military service, have been honorably discharged, have proof of
having served in combat while on active duty during wartime. The DSM
can be awarded posthumously to the next-of-kin of a veteran who meets
the criteria.
Anyone interested in applying for the New Jersey
Distinguished Service Medal should call 1-800-624-0508, Press 7, to
request an application.
For additional information visit:
www.nj.gov/military/veterans/awards/distinguished_service/index.html
Photos of event will be available on Facebook: New
Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
Veterans
invited to Livingston Mall Ceremony
Rank
|
First
Name |
MI
|
Last
Name |
Suffix
|
Branch
|
War
|
City
|
County
|
Sergeant
|
Amel
|
A.
|
Almanzar
|
|
Army
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
Elizabeth
|
Union
|
Private
First Class |
Cornelius
|
P.
|
Breure
|
|
Army
|
World
War II |
Clifton
|
Passaic
|
Corporal
|
Jimmie
|
S.
|
Brooks
|
|
Army
|
Vietnam
War |
East
Orange |
Essex
|
Technician
Fifth Class |
Arthur
|
T.
|
Busby
|
|
Army
|
World
War II |
Newark
|
Essex
|
Specialist
|
Agustin
|
C.
|
Cabrera
|
|
Army
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
Palisades
Park |
Passaic
|
Specialist
|
Jaquise
|
A.
|
Cline
|
|
Army
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
Paterson
|
Passaic
|
Yeoman
Third Class |
Luis
|
A.
|
Colon
|
|
Navy
|
Vietnam
War |
Paterson
|
Passaic
|
Specialist
Five |
Robert
|
L.
|
Cusick
|
|
Army
|
Vietnam
War |
Wayne
|
Passaic
|
Lance
Corporal |
George
|
M.
|
Dennison
|
|
USMC
|
Vietnam
War |
Paterson
|
Passaic
|
Specialist
Four |
Gregory
|
W.
|
Dove
|
|
Army
|
Vietnam
War |
Newark
|
Essex
|
Petty
Officer Second Class |
Tishon
|
M.
|
Duncan
|
|
Navy
|
Enduring
Freedom |
Paterson
|
Passaic
|
Sergeant
|
Eric
|
M.
|
Ferguson
|
|
Army
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
Newark
|
Essex
|
Corporal
|
Rodney
|
B.
|
Garland
|
|
Army
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
Orange
|
Essex
|
Sergeant
|
Brad
|
A.
|
Gaskins
|
|
Army
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
Newark
|
Essex
|
Sergeant
|
Sherwin
|
S.
|
Granger
|
|
Army
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
East
Orange |
Essex
|
Sergeant
|
Jasper
|
L.
|
Green
|
|
Army
|
Korean
War |
Paterson
|
Passaic
|
Technical
Sergeant |
James
|
R.
|
Grosso
|
|
Army
|
World
War II |
Millburn
|
Essex
|
Lieutenant
Commander |
Jill
|
P.
|
Hebron
|
|
Navy
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
Bloomfield
|
Essex
|
Lance
Corporal |
Robert
|
R.
|
Hill
|
|
USMC
|
Desert
Storm |
East
Orange |
Essex
|
Captain
|
Henry
|
R.
|
Kane
|
|
Air
Force |
Vietnam
War |
Belleville
|
Essex
|
Lance
Corporal |
Thaddeus
|
|
Kennedy
|
|
USMC
|
Vietnam
War |
Hillside
|
Union
|
Lance
Corporal |
Edward
|
A.
|
Keymetian
|
|
USMC
|
Vietnam
War |
Lincoln
Park |
Morris
|
First
Lieutenant |
Rong
|
|
Liu
|
|
USMC
|
Enduring
Freedom |
Westfield
|
Union
|
Lance
Corporal |
George
|
A.
|
Lovenguth
|
|
USMC
|
Vietnam
War |
West
Orange |
Essex
|
Seaman
First Class |
Stephen
|
M.
|
Macko
|
|
Navy
|
World
War II |
Ogdensburg
|
Sussex
|
Staff
Sergeant |
Edward
|
M.
|
Matera
|
|
Army
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
East
Hanover |
Morris
|
Sergeant
|
Christopher
|
M.
|
Mazurek
|
|
USMC
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
Landing
|
Morris
|
Technician
Fifth Class |
James
|
J.
|
Minnella
|
|
Army
|
World
War II |
Little
Falls |
Passaic
|
Sergeant
|
William
|
R.
|
Monroe
|
|
Army
|
World
War II |
East
Orange |
Essex
|
Specialist
|
Nicholas
|
|
Pietropaolo
|
|
Army
|
Vietnam
War |
Belleville
|
Essex
|
Corporal
|
Elvis
|
|
Reynoso
|
|
USMC
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
Passaic
|
Passaic
|
Specialist
|
Rick
|
|
Ruggiero
|
|
Army
|
Enduring
Freedom |
Pompton
Lakes |
Passaic
|
Staff
Sergeant |
Brian
|
J.
|
Seminerio
|
|
Air
Force |
Enduring
Freedom |
Pompton
Lakes |
Passaic
|
Sergeant
|
William
|
J.
|
Sepiol
|
|
Army
|
Vietnam
War |
Layton
|
Sussex
|
Sergeant
|
Eric
|
G.
|
Storms
|
|
USMC
|
Vietnam
War |
Hawthorne
|
Passaic
|
Specialist
|
Gabriel
|
|
Suarez
|
|
Army
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
Paterson
|
Passaic
|
Petty
Officer Third Class |
Judith
|
|
Velez
|
|
Navy
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
Belleville
|
Essex
|
Private
First Class |
George
|
F.
|
Waas
|
Jr.
|
Army
|
World
War II |
West
Orange |
Essex
|
Gunners
Mate Third Class |
William
|
N.
|
Washer
|
|
Navy
|
World
War II |
Ogdensburg
|
Sussex
|
Lieutenant
Colonel |
Richard
|
A.
|
Wasserman
|
|
Army
|
Iraqi
Freedom |
South
Orange |
Essex
|
Airman
Basic |
Robert
|
C.
|
Wille
|
Jr.
|
Air
Force |
Vietnam
War |
Nutley
|
Essex
|
Coxswain
|
Vito
|
J.
|
Zappulla
|
|
Navy
|
World
War II |
Bloomfield
|
Essex
|
