Thank you to the men and women who answered the call

By Art Gallagher

Since September 11, 2001, 1,000,000 American kids have answered the call.

Today, November 11, 2016 the mainstream media is focusing on a few kids who are protesting the outcome of the presidential election in their safe spaces.

I prefer to honor those 1,000,000 men and women who have sacrificed and experienced unimaginable horrors to protect our American way of life that gives those of us who are ridiculing the protesting kids from our own safe places the right to do so.

I recently had the privileged of beginning to get to know one of those young men, Staff Sergeant (Ret) Matthew O’Neil.  Matt is the eldest son of my friend Rick O’Neil, the Mayor-elect of Highlands.

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Soldier On: From homelessness to home ownership for military veterans

Between 50 and 100 Monmouth County homeless military veterans will have homes, security and futures to look forward to thanks to the tenacity of Freeholder Lillian Burry, Congressman Chris Smith and Soldier On, a non-profit organization committed to ending veteran homelessness.

Since 1994, Soldier On has been providing homeless veterans with transitional housing and supportive services. In 2010, Soldier On opened the first Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Community, a permanent housing cooperative that provides formerly homeless veterans with safe, sustainable, affordable housing – transitioning them from homelessness to home ownership. This housing model will be replicated nationally as Soldier On continues to change the end of the story for homeless veterans throughout the country.

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Freeholders Give Combat Wounded Vets Special Parking Privileges

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Gary Rich, Lillian Burry, Director Tom Arnone, Deputy Director Serena DiMaso and John Curly, commemorate the installation of a Wounded Warrior parking spot at the Hall of Records.

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders has followed the lead of Deputy Freeholder Director Serena DiMaso in making the lives of combat wounded war veterans a little easier.

Under a new program announced yesterday, the Freeholders are designating special parking spaces at county facilities for use by Purple Heart Medal recipients.

“We all recognize the tremendous sacrifices our military personnel have made to secure the freedoms we enjoy every day,” said DiMaso. “Regretfully, many of these men and women have returned home with physical and emotional injuries that will follow them the rest of their lives. A designated parking space is a simple way to say thank you.”

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Scharfenberger Honored By Vets

Township Committee Declares May Buddy Poppy Month

Middletown, NJ-Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger, PhD was honored last week by VFW Post 2179 for his ongoing and steadfast support of the military veterans of the Township.

Post Commander Will Purcell recognized Mayor Scharfenberger at the April Township Committee meeting. In attendance were veterans and members of the Ladies Auxiliary. They thanked the mayor for his continued support of and dedication to veterans. Purcell also thanked Mayor Scharfenberger for his attendance at all of their ceremonies and remembrances over the years.

“We are forever indebted to our veterans for their sacrifice, service and valor,” said Mayor Scharfenberger. “They are brave soldiers who put their lives on the line to defend our country and protect our way of life.”

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WWII Vet Gets His Medals

Bob Williams, grandson of Alfred Caponigro, Caponigro and Congressman Chris Smith

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Alfred Caponigro of Ocean Township would not accept the medals he earned in combat during World War II because of all of the other Americans who didn’t make it back, or who lost limbs and other injuries.  Caponigro lost his hearing in the war and was discharged with a 100 percent disability rating by the Navy.

On Tuesday Caponigro, 90, joined by his family and friends, accepted his medals from Congressman Chris Smith, 73 years after he earned them.

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Is it time for N.J. to establish courts only for veterans?

As New Jersey prepares to honor military veterans Wednesday, state officials are taking the first steps that could provide one thing many veterans say has been missing for them when they return home — justice in context of their service. A state task force looking at veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and their involvement in… Read the rest of this entry »

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Hanlon unveils Veterans discount program

Asbury Park-Monmouth County military veteran are receiving discounts from local businesses participating in a new program, “Honoring our Heroes” that was announced by County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon in Asbury Park yesterday.

“More than 33,000 veterans call Monmouth County home,” said Hanlon. “We want our Veterans to know that we appreciate their service, so my staff and I have created a Veterans Discount Guidebook that is available to every local veteran who has an Veterans ID card issued by the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office.”

The 20-page guidebook includes a listing of stores, restaurants and other businesses throughout Monmouth County who are committed to offering product and service discounts to Vets.  The business listing will also be published and updated on the County Clerk’s website.  The guidebook is currently available to Veterans and the County Clerk’s Office in Freehold and the County Connection on Rt 66 in Neptune.

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Vietnam Vets to be honored at Middletown Picnic Sunday, Sept 13

photo via facebook

Middletown Township is hosting a Welcome Home Picnic on Sunday, September 13th from 12:00pm to 5:00pm at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2179 to thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War.

The post is located at 460 Route 36 in the Port Monmouth section of Middletown. Admission is free. The picnic is hosted by the Middletown Veterans Affairs Committee. The event is rain or shine.

This special event is part of a nationwide commemoration of the 50^th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Middletown Township is a partner in the Defense Department’s Commemorative Partner Program. The program is designed to assist a grateful nation in thanking and honoring Vietnam veterans and their families. For more information about this nationwide commemoration visit www.vietnamwar50th.com.

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Veterans Name Congressman Chris Smith Legislator Of The Year

Congressman Chris Smith

The New Jersey State Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) has named Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ4) its 2015 Legislator of the Year.

VFW State Legislative Director William F. Thomson presented Smith with the award Monday in Hamilton, Mercer County. VFW State Commander Jack Kane announced the honor on June 19 at its annual convention in Wildwoods Convention Center in Wildwood, N.J.

“The men and women in uniform make tremendous, selfless sacrifices for our nation,and they must know that when they come home they will receive the care and assistance they earned,” said Smith, who chaired the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee from 2001-2005 and authored more than a dozen veterans’ laws. It is an honor for me to accept this award, but it is more of an honor to work for our veterans.”

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This Memorial Day, let’s also remember those who nearly made ‘the ultimate sacrifice’ | Di Ionno

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