New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

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Leadership

The Adjutant General

Colonel Jemal J. Beale

Brigadier General Jemal J. Beale was sworn in as The Adjutant General of New Jersey on April 2, 2018. Brigadier General Beale commands the more than 8,400 Soldiers and Airmen of the New Jersey National Guard. He directs, controls, and manages the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in the execution of federal and state missions. In addition, he manages all state veterans’ programs, commissions and facilities in New Jersey.

A combat Veteran of Afghanistan, his previous assignments include Director, Plans, Operations, Training & Safety, Director, Logistics, Commander, Recruiting & Retention Battalion, and Commander, Border Police Mentor Team (OEF). Brigadier General Beale began his military career in 1987 as an enlisted Soldier and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1990 after completing the Early Commissioning Program at Seton Hall University.

He has served throughout the continental United States, Afghanistan, Albania, Germany, and Italy.

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The Deputy Adjutant General

Dr. Lisa Hou

Dr. Lisa J. Hou, D.O., a physician and a New Jersey Army National Guard veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, is the Assistant Commissioner for Operations, serving in the position of Deputy Adjutant General (DAG) for New Jersey.

She is the principal advisor to The Adjutant General on all matters concerning military readiness, mobilizations, homeland security, defense support to civil authorities, human resources, logistics, training, and financial management.

The duties include the supervision and management of the Department’s 3,200 full-time State and Federal employees, and more than 30 armories and associated properties.

In addition to her role as assistant commissioner, Dr. Hou holds the rank of Colonel and serves in the New Jersey Army National Guard.

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The Deputy Commissioner of Veterans Affairs

Dr. Mark A. Piterski

Dr. Mark A. Piterski, Ph. D., CDFM, is the Assistant Commissioner for Veterans, serving in the position of Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs (DCVA).

In this capacity, he administers two Divisions that serve the more than 300,000 Veterans in New Jersey.

The Division of Veterans Healthcare Services, oversees the operations of the state's three long-term care veterans' homes and respite care program.

The Division of Veterans Services, oversees the Veterans Service Offices, other state entitlement programs and services, veteran's preference determinations, veteran's status determinations, and the blind and catastrophic veteran pension entitlements.

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