Current DMVA Highlights

1. THE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS HONORS CLOSE TO 6000 VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES DURING 2002.
   
   
2. HQ 50^TH PSB IS CONNELLY COMPETITION RUNNER-UP.
   
   
3. G4 TRANSPORTERS ARE ON THE MOVE.
   
   
4. UNIT TRAINING EQUIPMENT SITE (UTES) AND DEFENSE RE-UTILIZATION MATERIAL OFFICE (DRMO) TEAM UP FOR A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT.
   
   
5. RCAS NETWORK IMPROVEMENT.
   
   
6. 50^th BRIGADE SELECTS NOMINEES FOR 2002 SOLDIER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION.
   
   
7. VETERANS HAVEN WINS McKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS ASSISTANCE COMPETITION GRANT.
   
   
8. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AND VIETNAM SERVICE MEDALS PRESENTATION CEREMONIES ARE SCHEDULED.
   
   
9. ARMORY HAPPENINGS - CHECK TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT AN ARMORY NEAR YOU.
   
   
10. THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY.

1. THE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS HONORS CLOSE TO 6000 VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES DURING 2002. Congratulations to Veterans Benefits Bureau Chief Robert L. Wimberly and his dedicated staff for awarding 5960 New Jersey military service medals to veterans and their families during 2002. This group was responsible for planning, organizing, hosting the ceremonies, and presenting or mailing the following New Jersey medals: 3563 Distinguished Service Medals, 388 Meritorious Service Medals, and 2009 Vietnam Service Medals. DMVA is proud to honor those who faithfully served our great state and nation through this ongoing program.
   
   
2. HQ 50^TH PSB IS CONNELLY COMPETITION RUNNER-UP. It's official!! The HQ 50^th PSB is the National Guard Bureau's first runner-up in the 2003 Philip A. Connelly Outstanding Food Service Competition. The PSB, under the Command of LTC Rand Danielson, has been a tough competitor for the past three years, and has finally gained the recognition it so richly deserves. Congratulations to the entire Food Service team.
   
   
3. G4 TRANSPORTERS ARE ON THE MOVE. The G4 Transportation Section, HQ STARC, established a new first this week in loading equipment for the 1-150^th General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB) for Operation New Horizons. The unit will be sending personnel for six rotations for annual training in Honduras and then redeploying to New Jersey. This was the culmination of key staff work between the G3, G3-Air, and G4 over the past six months. This is the first time NJ units have deployed their equipment via ship since Operation Desert Storm.
   
   
4. UNIT TRAINING EQUIPMENT SITE (UTES) AND DEFENSE RE-UTILIZATION MATERIAL OFFICE (DRMO) TEAM UP FOR A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT. Recently, SGT Thomas Russo from the G4 office and 1SG Ralph Chiarvallo and crew from UTES, moved eight M-60 tanks on their way to their final resting place (we used to use them for artificial reefs). The tanks, which were transferred to DRMO, were recently moved from our UTES at Fort Dix to the Morrisville Rail Yard. Extreme cold weather and icy rain further hampered this normally difficult mission. The mission was successfully accomplished on time and without any injuries. All soldiers are commended for a job well done.
   
   
5. RCAS NETWORK IMPROVEMENT. Recently the outside network connection for the Reserve Component Automation System (RCAS) in New Jersey was doubled in size. All computers on the RCAS network in New Jersey go out from Ft. Dix to National Guard Bureau (NGB) in Arlington, Virginia. From there they are connected to the Nonsecure Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET or .mil) and from there to the public Internet. All of these connections are secured by electronic firewalls to protect the network from hostile intrusions. Our new 3 megabit connection to NGB will provide improved connectivity to the world outside of New Jersey for the Army Guard network users and allow new applications to run on the network.
   
   
6. 50^th BRIGADE SELECTS NOMINEES FOR 2002 SOLDIER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION. A selection board was convened on 18 December 2002, at Fort Dix, New Jersey, for the purpose of selecting the 50^th Brigade's nominees for the Soldier of the Year competition.
   
   

Enlisted Soldier (PV1- CPL)
SPC Quron Wynn	2-113
SPC David Engelhardt	3-112
SPC Adam Khoudja	5-117
CPL Michael Traenkner	1-114
Non-Commissioned Officer (SGT-SFC)
SFC Edmundo Rios	2-113
SGT Frank Carvill	3-112
SSG Ronald Ambrose	5-117
SSG Angel Rosario	2-102
SSG John Coulter	1-114
SSG Steven Katkics	HHC

CPL Michael Traenkner and SSG Steven Katkicks were selected to represent the 50^th Brigade at the State Appearance Board on 11 January 2003. This board will select the soldiers who will represent New Jersey at the First Army competition, Camp Rowland, Connecticut, 5-6 April 2003. All of the nominees are outstanding members of the Brigade whose units proudly chose them.




7. VETERANS HAVEN WINS McKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS ASSISTANCE COMPETITION GRANT. In a letter dated December 27, 2002, Roy Bernardi, the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, notified DMVA that Veterans Haven was selected for a McKiney Vento Grant. The $354,313.00 grant is designed to help homeless veterans move to self-sufficiency and permanent housing.
   
   
   
8. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AND VIETNAM SERVICE MEDALS PRESENTATION CEREMONIES ARE SCHEDULED. 
   
   

14 Jan - 1100 hrs.	Vietnam Service Medal	Bordentown Armory
16 Jan - 1100 hrs.	Distinguished Service/ Meritorious Service Medal	Woodstown Armory




9. ARMORY HAPPENINGS - CHECK TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT AN ARMORY NEAR YOU.



16-19 Jan	Tool Show	Cherry Hill Armory
18-19 Jan	Dog Show	Vineland Armory
16-20 Jan	Home Design & Landscape Show	Morristown Armory
23-24 Jan	Antique Show	Morristown Armory
23-26 Jan	Tool Show	Lawrenceville Armory
25 Jan	Medieval Festival	Westfield Armory
28 Jan - 2 Feb	Tool Show	Mount Holly




10. THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY as the NFL playoffs begin.