VETERANS NEWSLETTER
1st Quarter 2017
Volume 40
A message from James J. Tedesco III , Bergen County Executive
Highlights
County Executive
3
VA Initiative
9
Felician University
12
Veterans Project
14
Making-It-Home
14
Tracers
15
IRS for Veterans
17
Free Legal Clinic
20
Veterans are an important part of Bergen County and
always will be. Those who have served our country have gone on
to make incredible contributions in business, medicine, government,
law enforcement, the arts, the media and every other industry in
all of our 70 municipalities. Your commitment and dedication to
community and public service speaks volumes about who you are
which is why we were so proud to have been certified as having
ended homelessness among veterans in Bergen County last year
through the “Mayor’s Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness”
– a remarkable nationwide initiative to help the brave soldiers,
sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and reservists that are homeless find
permanent homes. This accomplishment is proof positive of our commitment to help our
Veterans and their families when they return from their service.
Since becoming County Executive in January 2015, we have implemented
numerous successful initiatives to help veterans receive the job training, education, health
care and social services they need to lead happier, healthier lives, and we are
committed to brainstorming more new ways to continue helping our veterans. You are
the reason why we enjoy the many freedoms we have today and that is why we will
never stop working for you and your families while you serve and after you
serve. Please feel free to call our Division of Veterans Services at 201-336-6325
should you ever need assistance.
Thank you for your service. You are appreciated.
James J. Tedesco III
County Executive
BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS
Tracy Silna Zur
Chairwoman
Thomas J. Sullivan, Jr.
Vice Chairman
Dr. Joan M. Voss
Chair Pro Tempore
Mary J. Amoroso
David L. Ganz
Germaine M. Ortiz
Steven A. Tanelli
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Jane C. Linter
Director
DIVISION OF VETERANS SERVICES
A.J. Luna
Director
Susan Krause
Editor/Secretary
One Bergen County Plaza, 2nd Floor
Hackensack, NJ 07601
(201) 336-6325  Fax (201) 336-6327
[email protected]
From the desk of the Director of Veterans Services ~ A.J. Luna
I want to wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year! We
are just coming off a great year. The Division has assisted with jobs,
referrals for disability claims, donated items to assist with everyday life,
and other services to improve our veterans’ quality of life. The Division
hosts a Stakeholder meetings every quarter to learn about service
providers in the community. Sometimes veterans need to be made
aware of what is out there for them but have an advocate that can assist them.
We had a phenomenal year with donations, we had many people and
organizations give to our vets in need. We were able to take care of almost 200
veterans and their families. We received clothing donations from the Bergen County
Volunteer Center, Christmas gifts from Samsung Electronics in Ridgefield Park, and a
huge food drive from Apollo Management in NYC.
We received plenty of positive feedback from the work we did to end
homelessness among veterans. We partnered with over 40
services providers that offer services in homeless prevention,
mental health, employment opportunities, and other services to
improve the lives of veterans who are struggling. If you know of
any veteran that need services, have them call 201-336-6325 or
e-mail us at [email protected].
United We Stand
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
TRANSPORTATION FOR VETERANS
Bergen County
Division of Community Transportation
201-368-5955
Call to learn more about the various
transportation options available to our veterans.
The Division of Veterans Services was established in 1977 to provide resident veterans and their dependents with information and assistance in obtaining earned entitlements from federal, state, and local governments, as well as any that are available from the private sector.
Through a quarterly newsletter and direct client contact, the division provides Bergen’s veterans organizations and their auxiliaries and individual
residents with up-to-date benefit information.
Daily activities include:

Directing requests for VA compensation

Supply information on pensions, home loans

Information on burial and Memorial benefits

Education and Training programs availability

Lost military separation papers

Forms for military medals and records
TRACERS WANTS TO END HOMELESSNESS FOR VETERANS IN BERGEN COUNTY BY HELPING
HOMELESS VETERANS AND VETERANS IN DANGER OF BECOMING HOMELESS, AND GIVING
A HAND UP TO HOMELESS VETS, NOT A HANDOUT. WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN DO IT.
Bergen County Military Service Medal
Bergen County offers a service medal to all
county residents, currently living or who died in
the county, who have been honorably discharged
from the U.S. military. The Bergen County
Military Service Medal will also be awarded
posthumously to county residents.
Hire a Vet Program
Phone: 201-336-6326
The division maintains a list of
available employment opportunities, and
regularly calls on industry and
organizations seeking employment
opportunities for veterans. Staff
attempts to match the veteran
with employer needs.
Bergen County Clerk's Office
The Honorable John S. Hogan ~ Bergen County Clerk
To obtain a Veteran's Honorary
Service card, Veterans must fill
out an application, and present a
copy of their Separation Papers
from Active Duty (DD-214
Form) or the WSAGO 53-55,
NAVPERS 553 or NAVMC 790,
along
with
valid
photo
identification. Veterans can also
verify with our office if their
service records are already on
file with the county. There is no
charge for filing military service
records or for the issuance of the
card.
Copies of Honorable
Discharges form DD-214 that
have been filed with the Bergen
County Clerk are available upon
request to Veterans of their
immediate family. Veterans who
are residents of Bergen County
may apply for a Veterans Peddler
License. There is no fee, but you
need a copy of your DD-214. A
Veteran Peddlers License is
issued by the County Clerk's
office in the county where the
Veteran currently resides. The
license allows the holder to hawk
or sell goods or merchandise
within the State of New Jersey
without the need to apply for any
additional peddler’s license. For
more information contact the
Bergen County Clerk’s Office at
201-336-7000 or via e-mail:
[email protected].
BERGEN COUNTY VETERANS NEWSLETTER ~ 1st QUARTER 2017 ~ VOLUME 40
BERGEN COUNTY EXECUTIVE JAMES TEDESCO
JOINS WHITE HOUSE SUMMIT
County Executive James Tedesco joined a summit after
homelessness among veterans virtually eliminated.
After Bergen County reduced the number of homeless
veterans to what the federal government calls “functional
zero” -- meaning everyone they know about has shelter - County Executive James Tedesco joined in a White
House summit Monday to share ideas with other
officials from around the country on how to build on that
success.
Photo Source: Nasa.com
"For us, it meant having somebody from our veterans
affairs department at the homeless shelter every day," Tedesco said in a phone interview after he
received congratulations from first lady Michelle Obama. "If a veteran comes in, somebody could
hook them up right there in the shelter with temporary housing and work toward permanent
housing or health services if they need it."
Tedesco said he also approached apartment building owners and developers to stress the
importance of setting aside units for veterans.
"I'd tell them helping people who served their country not only helps the individual, it helps the
country," Tedesco said. "When you talk to them that way, they were most responsive."
The summit included a review of the progress made since Obama and Jill Biden, the wife of the
vice president, issued a "mayors challenge" in 2014 to end veteran homelessness. Tedesco said he
agreed to take the challenge in 2015, and by August of this year the Department of Housing and
Urban Development had certified that the county found shelter for all the homeless veterans it
knew about.
Tedesco said between 140 and 150 homeless veterans were placed in homes. The initiative made
federal Section 8 housing assistance vouchers – which set rent paid to a fixed percentage of a
resident’s income – more available for veterans. It also fostered partnerships with nonprofit
groups and the Department of Veterans Affairs to coordinate support services.
“When veterans fall on hard times and find themselves without a home, they deserve more than
just hand-wringing and kind words, they deserve real help that gets them back on their feet,”
Obama said in welcoming officials from state, county and municipal governments that met the
challenge.. “It is absolutely possible to solve this problem once and for all.”
Bergen was the only county to get hit "functional zero." In addition to Bergen County, Obama
said 34 other communities and three states – Connecticut, Delaware and Virginia – also met the
goal. But she and other officials noted that the possibility that another veteran may fall on hard
times and be out on the street tomorrow means that successful efforts have to be maintained.
The challenge called for providing room in a shelter immediately after a homeless veteran is
identified; transitional housing within 30 days; and permanent housing within 90 days. The White
House said that overall veteran homelessness has dropped by 36 percent since 2010.
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BERGEN COUNTY VETERANS NEWSLETTER ~ 1st QUARTER 2017 ~ VOLUME 40
Tedesco said outreach is important to make sure veterans know about programs that might be
available to them. One man who benefited from the program who spoke at the White House said
he always thought of veterans benefits being mainly for health care and since he wasn't sick, he
didn't think his military service would be a factor when he became homeless.
"There are lot of service members facing mental health challenges, issues that just find home not
resolve," Tedesco said. "That's why we partner with the VA and case workers to make sure they
not only have a roof over their head, they're going to a job, getting a paycheck and going to
doctors and taking their medication and things. So it's full-circle support."
(Source: Herb Jackson, www.northjersey.com )
FORMER MARINE AND ASTRONAUT, U.S. SEN. JOHN
GLENN OF OHIO HAS DIED AT 95
By: Seth Borenstein, The Associated Press,
December 8, 2016
WASHINGTON — Marine aviator John Glenn,
whose 1962 flight as the first U.S. astronaut to orbit
the Earth made him an all-American hero and
propelled him to a long career in the U.S. Senate,
died Thursday. The last survivor of the original
Mercury 7 astronauts was 95.
(Photo Source: Nasa.gov)
Glenn died at the James Cancer Hospital in
Columbus, where he was hospitalized for more than
a week, said Hank Wilson, communications director
for the John Glenn School of Public Affairs.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus praised Glenn as “an American hero” and a pioneer of space flight
who dedicated his life to his country.
“But to those of us in the Navy and Marine Corps family, he will remain a shipmate – a Marine
Aviator who flew nearly 150 combat missions in World War II and the Korean War,” Mabus said
in a statement on Thursday. “His orbit around the Earth inspired a generation, and gave us the
confidence needed to meet President John F. Kennedy's challenge to put a man on the moon.
“John Glenn's legacy will live on in all the men and women who dedicate their lives to public
service and exploring the unknown. The Navy and Marine Corps mourn the passing of a legend,
with gratitude for his sacrifices.”
As a Marine aviator, Glenn was equaled by few and surpassed by none. He received the
Distinguished Flying Cross six times for his bravery in World War II, the Korean War, making
the first supersonic flight across the US and then for his famous Friendship Seven mission.
“We are saddened by the news that one of Marine Corps Aviation's legendary trailblazers and an
American hero has passed away,” the Marine Corps said in a statement. “Col. John Glenn Jr. led
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BERGEN COUNTY VETERANS NEWSLETTER ~ 1st QUARTER 2017 ~ VOLUME 40
a monumental life from his time serving as a fighter pilot in WWII and the Korean War to
becoming the first American to orbit the Earth and fifth person in space. He is an inspiration to
us and our fellow Marines. Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Col.
Glenn. He will be missed. Semper Fi.”
John Herschel Glenn Jr. had two major career paths that often intersected: flying and politics, and
he soared in both of them.
Before he gained fame orbiting the world, he was a fighter pilot in two wars, and as a test pilot,
he set a transcontinental speed record. He later served 24 years in the Senate from Ohio. A rare
setback was a failed 1984 run for the Democratic presidential nomination.
His long political career enabled him to return to space in the shuttle Discovery at age 77 in 1998,
a cosmic victory lap that he relished and turned into a teachable moment about growing old. He
holds the record for the oldest person in space.
More than anything, John Glenn was the ultimate and uniquely American space hero: a combat
veteran with an easy smile, a strong marriage of 70 years and nerves of steel. Schools, a space
center and the Columbus, Ohio, airport were named after him. So were children.
The Soviet Union leaped ahead in space exploration by putting the Sputnik 1 satellite in orbit in
1957, and then launched the first man in space, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, in a 108-minute orbital
flight on April 12, 1961. After a two suborbital flights by Alan Shepard Jr. and Gus Grissom, it
was up to Glenn to be the first American to orbit the Earth.
"Godspeed, John Glenn," fellow astronaut Scott Carpenter radioed just before Glenn thundered
off a Cape Canaveral launch pad, now a National Historic Landmark, to a place America had
never been. At the time of that Feb. 20, 1962, flight, Glenn was 40 years old.
With the all-business phrase, "Roger, the clock is operating, we're underway," Glenn radioed to
Earth as he started his 4 hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds in space. Years later, he explained he
said that because he didn't feel like he had lifted off and it was the only way he knew he had
launched.
During the flight, Glenn uttered a phrase that he would repeat frequently throughout life: "Zero G,
and I feel fine."
"It still seems so vivid to me," Glenn said in a 2012 interview with The Associated Press on the
50th anniversary of the flight. "I still can sort of pseudo feel some of those same sensations I had
back in those days during launch and all."
Glenn said he was often asked if he was afraid, and he replied, "If you are talking about fear that
overcomes what you are supposed to do, no. You've trained very hard for those flights."
Glenn's ride in the cramped Friendship 7 capsule had its scary moments, however. Sensors
showed his heat shield was loose after three orbits, and Mission Control worried he might burn up
during re-entry when temperatures reached 3,000 degrees. But the heat shield held.
Even before then, Glenn flew in dangerous skies. He was a fighter pilot in World War II and
Korea who flew low, got his plane riddled with bullets, flew with baseball great Ted Williams
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BERGEN COUNTY VETERANS NEWSLETTER ~ 1st QUARTER 2017 ~ VOLUME 40
and earned macho nicknames during 149 combat missions. And as a test pilot he broke aviation
records.
The green-eyed, telegenic Marine even won $25,000 on the game show "Name That Tune" with a
10-year-old partner. And that was before April 6, 1959, when his life changed by being selected
as one of the Mercury 7 astronauts and instantly started attracting more than his share of the
spotlight.
Glenn in later years regaled crowds with stories of NASA's testing of would-be astronauts, from
psychological tests — come with 20 answers to the open ended question "I am" — to surviving
spinning that pushed 16 times normal gravity against his body, popping blood vessels.
But it wasn't nearly as bad as coming to Cape Canaveral to see the first unmanned rocket test.
"We're watching this thing go up and up and up ... and all at once it blew up right over us, and
that was our introduction to the Atlas," Glenn said in 2011. "We looked at each other and wanted
to have a meeting with the engineers in the morning."
In 1959, Glenn wrote in Life magazine: "Space travel is at the frontier of my profession. It is
going to be accomplished, and I want to be in on it. There is also an element of simple duty
involved. I am convinced that I have something to give this project."
That sense of duty was instilled at an early age. Glenn was born July 18, 1921, in Cambridge,
Ohio, and grew up in New Concord, Ohio, with the nickname "Bud." He joined the town band as
a trumpeter at age 10 and accompanied his father one Memorial Day in an echoing version of
"Taps." In his 1999 memoir, Glenn wrote "that feeling sums up my childhood. It formed my
beliefs and my sense of responsibility. Everything that came after that just came naturally."
His love of flight was lifelong; John Glenn Sr. spoke of the many summer evenings he arrived
home to find his son running around the yard with outstretched arms, pretending he was piloting a
plane. Last June, at a ceremony renaming the Columbus airport for him, Glenn recalled imploring
his parents to take him to that airport to look at planes whenever they passed through the city: "It
was something I was fascinated with." He piloted his own private plane until age 90.
Glenn's goal of becoming a commercial pilot was changed by World War II. He left Muskingum
College to join the Naval Air Corps and soon after, the Marines.
He became a successful fighter pilot who ran 59 hazardous missions, often as a volunteer or as
the requested backup of assigned pilots. A war later, in Korea, he earned the nickname "MiGMad Marine" (or "Old Magnet A — ," which he sometimes paraphrased as "Old Magnet Tail.")
"I was the one who went in low and got them," Glenn said, explaining that he often landed with
huge holes in the side of his aircraft because he didn't like to shoot from high altitudes.
Glenn's public life began when he broke the transcontinental airspeed record, bursting from Los
Angeles to New York City in 3 hours, 23 minutes and 8 seconds. With his Crusader averaging
725 mph, the 1957 flight proved the jet could endure stress when pushed to maximum speeds
over long distances.
In New York, he got a hero's welcome — his first tickertape parade. He got another after his
flight on Friendship 7.
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BERGEN COUNTY VETERANS NEWSLETTER ~ 1st QUARTER 2017 ~ VOLUME 40
That mission also introduced Glenn to politics. He addressed a joint session of Congress, and
dined at the White House. He became friends with President Kennedy and ally and friend of his
brother, Robert. The Kennedys urged him to enter politics, and after a difficult few starts he did.
Glenn spent 24 years in the U.S. Senate, representing Ohio longer than any other senator in the
state's history. He announced his impending retirement in 1997, 35 years to the day after he
became the first American in orbit, saying "there is still no cure for the common birthday."
Glenn's returned to space in a long-awaited second flight in 1998 aboard the space shuttle
Discovery. He got to move around aboard the shuttle for far longer — nine days compared with
just under five hours in 1962 — as well as sleep and experiment with bubbles in weightlessness.
In a news conference from space, Glenn said "to look out at this kind of creation out here and not
believe in God is to me impossible."
NASA tailored a series of geriatric-reaction experiments to create a scientific purpose for Glenn's
mission, but there was more to it than that: a revival of the excitement of the earliest days of the
space race, a public relations bonanza and the gift of a lifetime.
"America owed John Glenn a second flight," NASA Administrator Dan Goldin said.
Glenn would later write that when he mentioned the idea of going back into space to his wife,
Annie, she responded: "Over my dead body." Glenn and his crewmates flew 3.6 million miles,
compared with 75,000 miles aboard Friendship 7.
Shortly before he ran for the 1984 Democratic presidential nomination, a new generation was
introduced to astronaut Glenn with the film adaptation of Tom Wolfe's book "The Right Stuff."
He was portrayed as the ultimate straight arrow amid a group of hard-partying astronauts. Glenn
said in 2011: "I don't think any of us cared for the movie 'The Right Stuff'; I know I didn't."
Glenn was unable to capitalize on the publicity, though, and his poorly organized campaign was
short-lived. He dropped out of the race with his campaign $2.5 million in the red — a debt that
lingered even after he retired from the Senate in 1999.
He later joked that except for going into debt, humiliating his family and gaining 16 pounds,
running for president was a good experience.
Glenn generally steered clear of campaigns after that, saying he didn't want to mix politics with
his second space flight. He sat out the Senate race to succeed him — he was hundreds of miles
above Earth on Election Day — and largely was quiet in the 2000 presidential race.
He first ran for the Senate in 1964 but left the race when he suffered a concussion after slipping in
the bathroom and hit his head on the tub.
He tried again in 1970 but was defeated in the primary by Howard Metzenbaum, who later lost
the general election to Robert Taft Jr. It was the start of a complex relationship with Metzenbaum,
whom he later joined in the Senate.
For the next four years, Glenn devoted his attention to business and investments that made him a
multimillionaire. He had joined the board of Royal Crown Cola after the aborted 1964 campaign,
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BERGEN COUNTY VETERANS NEWSLETTER ~ 1st QUARTER 2017 ~ VOLUME 40
and was president of Royal Crown International from 1967 to 1969. In the early 1970s, he
remained with Royal Crown and invested in a chain of Holiday Inns.
In 1974, Glenn ran against Metzenbaum in what turned into a bitter primary and won the election.
He eventually made peace with Metzenbaum, who won election to the Senate in 1976.
Glenn set a record in 1980 by winning re-election with a 1.6-million vote margin. He became an
expert on nuclear weaponry and was the Senate's most dogged advocate of non-proliferation. He
was the leading supporter of the B-1 bomber when many in Congress doubted the need for it. As
chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee, he turned a microscope on waste and fraud in
the federal bureaucracy.
Glenn said the lowest point of his life was 1990, when he and four other senators came under
scrutiny for their connections to Charles Keating, the notorious financier who eventually served
prison time for his role in the costly savings and loan failure of the 1980s. The Senate Ethics
Committee cleared Glenn of serious wrongdoing but said he "exercised poor judgment."
The episode was the only brush with scandal in his long public career and didn't diminish his
popularity in Ohio. Glenn joked that the only astronaut he was envious of was his fellow Ohioan:
Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. "I've been very fortunate to have a lot of great
experiences in my life and I'm thankful for them," he said in 2012.
In 1943, Glenn married his childhood sweetheart, Anna Margaret Castor. They met when they
were toddlers, and when she had mumps as a teenager he came to her house, cut a hole in her
bedroom window screen, and passed her a radio to keep her company, a friend recounted.
"I don't remember the first time I told Annie I loved her, or the first time she told me," Glenn
would write in his memoir. "It was just something we both knew." He bought her a diamond
engagement ring in 1942 for $125. It's never been replaced.
They had two children, Carolyn and John David.
He and his wife, Annie, split their later years between Washington and Columbus. Both served as
trustees at their alma mater, Muskingum College. Glenn spent time promoting the John Glenn
School of Public Affairs at Ohio State University, which also houses an archive of his private
papers and photographs.
(Source: www.militarytimes.com)
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BERGEN COUNTY VETERANS NEWSLETTER ~ 1st QUARTER 2017 ~ VOLUME 40
VETERANS AFFAIRS CENTER FOR INNOVATION
Pay For Success: Incentivizing sustainable Veteran Employment
The VA has developed a new initiative to create sustainable
employment opportunities for Veterans with a VA serviceconnected disability of PTSD.
Transitioning from military service to civilian life can be an
uncertain time for Veterans. Separated from a military life
and the structure and rigor of their service, Veterans can feel
adrift as they shape their post-military life. Well-suited,
consistent and sustained employment can be hard to find. We
have heard of Veterans who are rapidly hired but then soon find themselves back where
they had started a year or even months earlier because the job was not a good fit, properly
aligned with their skills and goals. The transition from military to civilian life is unique to
each Veteran and their circumstances. Regular and supportive employment can provide a
necessary enabler for building a “new normal” outside of the military and provide the
stability to tackle mental, physical and social challenges.
However, for Veterans returning home with complex PTSD symptoms, sustainable
employment can be hard to maintain, and the lack of employment can have compounding
consequences for their PTSD symptoms. It can become a taxing cycle. Given these
challenges that some Veterans face, VA has developed a new initiative to create
sustainable employment opportunities for Veterans with a VA service-connected
disability of PTSD. This new pilot will bridge the gap and provide the support and
resources needed to assist Veterans in their goal of achieving meaningful and sustained
employment.
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are the longest combat operations since Vietnam. The
length and nature of these conflicts create many stressors that face Veterans who have
served, increasing the chances of having PTSD or other mental health problems. Initial
research on OEF/OIF Veterans suggest that between 10% and 18% of OEF/OIF troops
are likely to have PTSD (in varying severity) after they return. Though the recent overall
Veteran unemployment rate is considered to be low, the unemployment rate for OIF/OEF
Veterans with PTSD is believed to be considerably higher. Among 18–24 year olds, the
unemployment rate is nearly four points higher among those who have served (16.2%)
than those who have not (12.5%). Our most recent generation of Veterans — some as
young as 21- and 22-years old — who grapple with severe PTSD are most likely to be
unemployed, and their employment status can adversely affect their PTSD.
If unemployment is one of biggest predictors for PTSD symptom severity, then
employment is one of the biggest protectors.
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Unemployment for Veterans with PTSD has been reported to be one of the biggest
predictors for symptom severity. Sustained and meaningful employment for Veterans
with PTSD provides personal and financial stability. While in service, Veterans had
clearly defined roles and responsibilities; their identity was influenced by what they did,
who they served with, their uniforms and traditions. Returning home, many of the
structures that helped shape their identity, and sense of purpose, may no longer exist.
This feeling of losing identity and sense of worth can stress and compound symptoms of
PTSD, resulting in increased depression and anxiety. Employment can serve to empower
and ground Veterans, enabling them to start redefining their identity and purpose outside
of military service. Similarly, employment can provide financial stability, through a
regular paycheck and benefits, that both reduce the stressor of bills and financial
planning, and enable a healthier home life and marriages in many cases. “It’s a sad story
that unfortunately has played out many times. Veteran returns home with PTSD and is
unable to find work. The financial and personal stress takes a toll on this Veteran and
their family, leading to divorce and separation that further compound symptoms of PTSD
and hinder recovery,” recounts a clinician who regularly treats recently returned
Veterans.
If unemployment is one of biggest predictors for PTSD symptom severity, then
employment is one of the biggest protectors. “I’ve definitely written a prescription for
employment before,” Dr. Tapia, Medical Director at the Polytrauma Network site in San
Antonio, recalls. “Sometimes, you see a young Veteran, and you just tell them, when you
have the right job, you’ll be surprised at how much it can help.” Employment for
Veterans with PTSD can be transformative and give them the stability they need to
receive the care they need and the structure to enable a healthy transition from service.
Today, we’re taking another step to help Veterans with a service-connected disability of
PTSD secure meaningful and sustained employment. The VA Center for Innovation
(VACI) and VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment teams are partnering with
the Corporation for National Community Service (CNCS) to launch the Veterans
Employment Pay for Success (VEPFS) Program.
Pay for Success (PFS) is a simple but compelling idea. Instead of paying upfront for a
social service that may or may not achieve the desired results, the government only pays
once an intervention produces specific, measurable, and positive outcomes, generating
true positive impact in communities across the country. Traditionally, contracts or grants
are based on the volume of services delivered, such as the number of students taught in a
job training program. An outcome is a longer-term, and hopefully positive, change in
people’s lives, like the number of people who find a job. Pay for Success programs are
different because the payout occurs only after a rigorous evaluation determines that the
pre-agreed-upon outcomes have been achieved due to the intervention. We are paying for
what works. We pay for success.
Using this innovative approach, the Veteran Employment Pay for Success program will
pay for tangible positive outcomes for Veterans seeking employment. The outcomes
payments will only be issued when improved employment outcomes for Veterans are
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achieved due to the intervention. Pay for Success incentivizes positive impact — and
ensures that taxpayer dollars are used for programs that work. Together, we are taking
another step forward today to help unemployed Veterans experiencing PTSD to secure
sustainable and meaningful employment.
(Source: www.medium.com )
VETS FACE SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES, BUT ARE LESS
LIKELY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THEM
By: Leo Shane III, Military Times, November 10, 2016
Veterans are more likely to contract cancer, battle heart
disease and face substance abuse problems than their
civilian peers, but are also less likely to see problems with their overall health, according
to a new study released today.
The report, from UnitedHealth Group and the Military Officers Association of America,
presents a warning for civilian doctors that they may need to dig deeper into veterans’
medical files to make sure health problems aren’t being overlooked.
“The study shows us that the general population is going to be more forthcoming with
symptoms and problems than those who have served,” said Dr. Richard Migliori, chief
medical officer for UnitedHealth Group. “So they have to be more persistent with those
patients.”
The survey, based on phone interviews with 400,000 veterans and civilians, found that 57
percent of male veterans and 56 percent of female veterans described their overall health
as very good or excellent. Only 51 percent of civilians in both groups reported the same.
Researchers also found that veterans were more likely to be physically active than their
civilian peers and more likely to have some type of health insurance.
But they also saw that those positives may be obscuring more serious health threats.
Veterans under 40 were more often than their peers to get insufficient sleep (50 percent to
36 percent) of pick up smoking (26 to 21).
And more veterans suffer from heart disease (5.5 percent to 3.4 percent) and cancer (11
to 10) than their civilian peers.
“This is an important study, because it gives another tool in the tool kit to understand the
veterans’ population,” said René Campos, head of MOAA’s Veterans-Wounded Warrior
Health Care programs. “Military and veterans’ health systems aren’t going to see all of
these individuals. This helps start dialogue.”
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The report comes as Republican lawmakers push for expanded medical appointment
options outside Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, a solution that could ease wait
times for veterans but also introduce them to physicians with little experience treating
their population.
Migliori said he sees the report as an important effort to bridge the civilian-military
divide, giving those physicians a better roadmap to follow as they see new veteran
patients.
“I’ve been impressed by the resilience of this population, and their effort not to been seen
as complaining about their problems,” he said. “But doctors need to be on their toes.”
(Source: Leo Shane, www.militarytimes.com )
FELICIAN UNIVERSITY WINS MILITARY-FRIENDLY
STATUS
LODI — What once was just a room a table and some chairs has been transformed into a
home away from home for military veterans at Felician University. The university just
received Military Friendly status for the sixth year due to its
dedication in transiting veterans from military to student life.
The university held the official grand opening of its renovated
Veterans Center on the Lodi campus in Obal Hall. The
transformation was made with financial support from The Home
Depot Foundation and assistance from the Student Veterans of
America. The upgrades also will help the university's designation
of maintaining a Military Friendly status.
Pictured from left to right, Jorge Soriano (President of Veterans
Club), Yolanda Denson (Store Manager at Home Depot Paramus),
Anne M. Prisco Ph.D. (President of FU).
(Photo: courtesy of Felician
The new space features amenities of a home, including an ADAcompliant bathroom and kitchen with a refrigerator and
microwave, a relaxation area with a 65-inch Samsung television, two couches and a love seat, a
gaming area with an Xbox, a study area to plug in laptops and a conference table to hold
meetings, said Associate Director of Enrollment Management and Military Enrollment Diane
Sedlmeir. The previous lounge was only one-third the size. “It’s all the amenities from a beautiful
home,” Sedlmeir said.
University)
Along with the new upgrades, communication and resources are available for any veteran looking
for a support system, temporary housing, mental help or anything else that may be needed.
Veterans will have access to a key-code to access the locked door. The remake was made possible
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by a $10,000 grant from The Home Depot Foundation. The university was one of the winners out
of 8,000 applicants, according to Sedlmeir.
Felician currently has 43 undergraduate and 19 graduate veterans enrolled in its academic
programs. Last semester, 20 veterans graduated.
The university has been named a Military Friendly School for 2017, the sixth consecutive year it
has been cited. The honor was given out by G.I. Jobs magazine for the school’s commitment to
providing a supportive environment for veterans and their families.
The distinction puts Felician University in the top 15 percent of all colleges nationwide in being
military-friendly, according to Sedlmeir. “That’s huge and we’re very proud of that,” she said.
As a Military Friendly institution, Felician offers dedicated financial benefits to veterans and their
families and has created distinctively tailored programs to help them achieve their academic
goals. Veterans also receive priority registration and assistance they may need with classes.
While many schools have only one person dedicated to veteran services, Felician has an entire
department available to student veterans, plus a part-time employee to help them process tuition
benefits.
"Every new veteran that comes in, they see me first," Sedlmeir said. "If anything happens while
they're here, they come to me and I resolve the issues."
President of the Veterans club Jorge Soriano said he chose to attend Felician University because
of its Military Friendly status. “It made me feel welcome,” he said. “They help so much with
anything you need as a veteran.”
Along with the military support, he said the small-classroom atmosphere that a private university
offers helped him with the adjustment from military to student life.
Soriano, a computer science major, is expected to graduate next spring. He served in the Marine
Corps from 2010 to 2014. He said he used the new veterans center to study for finals. It will also
continue to be the place where the club holds its meetings.
“Last year, there were a couple of chairs and a table. It wasn’t that special,” Soriano said. “We
teamed up with the Student Veterans of America and received the money. [Sedlmeir] and I spent
the summer going to Home Depot and buying decorations for the center.”
Felician’s Veterans Club participates in charity work, 5K runs/walks, community events, veteranspecific internships, veteran job fairs, VA workshops, on-campus veteran events and a special
Veterans Day ceremony.
(Source: Kristie Cattafi, NorthJersey.com)
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FAIR LAWN RESCUE ORGANIZATION
CUTS COSTS OF COMPANION ANIMALS
FOR VETERANS
Veterans who qualify for a service dog can now turn to a Fair Lawn
rescuer.
Grateful Doggies owner Steve Quilliam has launched the
"Veterans Companion Project," which pairs soldiers with furry
friends at no cost. The program is an additional avenue to help
place dogs in homes, but can also do wonders for
soldiers and veterans battling post traumatic stress disorder,
depression and trust issues.
"The love of a dog can only help people," Quilliam said.
"Prescribed service dogs come at a very high cost and
qualifying is not all that easy."
The program comes with a starter package to include food,
A veteran with his Saint Bernard. Photo
Credit: Instagram @hoffmannj
preventative measures, dog training and a lifetime of support
from Quilliam and his staff.
All food and vetting will be covered by the organization for those who need the financial help.
"I believe anyone can benefit," Quilliam said.
(Source: Cecilia Levine, garfield.dailyvoice.com)
SPARE PARTS BECOME HOMES FOR NEEDY
IN TENAFLY….
TENAFLY, N.J. — Cynthia Massarsky of Tenafly had spent decades working at the intersection
of private companies and public organizations. She wanted something new — so she opened
"Making-It-Home." "I wanted to do something that was in my skill set and knowledge base and
that had to do with interior design," Massarsky said.
The nonprofit uses unwanted furniture left behind on moving trucks, in storage boxes or during
junk clean-outs and repurposes it for low-income housing residents. Some clients are veterans
who can barely afford housing and have very little money to furnish or decorate their homes.
Making-It-Home coordinates with the Bergen County Division of Veterans Services and local
police departments to deliver furniture to homes. Most recently, the Lyndhurst Police Department
helped move in a veteran named Steven. The experience stuck with the officers. "[Steven] was
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literally beaming," Lyndhurst Police Chief James O'Connor said. "My guys were overwhelmed
with emotion just to see how grateful Steven was for something a lot of people take for granted."
Occasionally, Veterans Services will find residents who require furniture. Much of the legwork,
though, is done by Making-It-Home and volunteers. "When we get the name and number,"
Massarsky said, "we check out not only what’s needed but take measurements and find out what
they’re interested in."
Making-It-Home services many towns in the county, including Bergenfield, Garfield, Fairview,
Hackensack, Cliffside Park and Lyndhurst.
"It’s a good example of what the community can do when everyone is on the same page and
wants to accomplish the same goal," said A.J. Luna, director of Bergen County Veterans
Services.
The organization recently hosted a breakfast to honor the volunteers of and contributors to
Making-It-Home. Hackensack Mayor John Labrosse commended the Norwood-based Westy
Storage Center for its contributions to Making-It-Home.
The nonprofit welcomes furniture donations and volunteers. Interested parties should write to
[email protected].
(Source: Arthur Agustyn, englewood.dailyvoice.com)
TRACERS: HELPING BERGEN COUNTY’S HOMELESS
VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR OVER 23 YEARS
Established in November 1993, “Tracers” has provided over clothing, McDonald’s & Shop Rite
gift certificates, shoes, VA canteen books, and other items essential to homeless veterans.
Whether the veteran needs bus tickets for job
interviews, transportation to social services
agencies or to employment obtained,
“Tracers” is there to assist. Because of your
donations, the lives of homeless veterans in
Bergen County are improving, one veteran at
a time.
If you or your organization would like to
make a donation, checks should be made
payable to “County of Bergen - Tracers” and
sent to “Tracers”, One Bergen County Plaza,
2nd Floor, Hackensack, NJ 07601-7076. $25
or $50 gift certificates, redeemable at stores in Hackensack such as Sears, Shop Rite, and Target
are also welcome. Gift certificates allow the veteran to purchase clothing, shoes, etc. in their
exact size, as well as male or female personal items required.
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$10.00 McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Dunkin Donuts or Burger King gift cards, which are available for
purchase at the counter, are greatly appreciated by our homeless job seekers. Packages of VA
One Dollar Canteen Books are also a welcomed donation and available at VAMC East Orange,
Third Floor PX.
Questions call the Division of Veterans Services at (201) 336-6325, weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m.
Among many programs, VA has created a national hotline for homeless veterans – 1-877-4243838 – which is staffed around the clock, seven days a week. Responders can help callers find
food, shelter, clothing, and other assistance for homeless veterans.
THANKS TO TRACERS BENEFACTORS
(PRIOR TO 1/10/1017)

Gold ($500 and above):
 Ford Drive 4 Ur Community
 Bergen County Police Chiefs Foundation
Thermco of Clifton NJ – Karen Giubardo, Administration
 VFW Auxiliary Post 277 Ridgefield Park
 American Legion Auxiliary Unit 170

Silver ($250 - $499):
 Thomas Lemond
 American Legion Post 53
 American Legion Post 128
 VFW Post 5084
Taejon Chapter 170 Korean Veterans
Bronze ($100 - $249):
 David & Joan Boesch
Boosters (Under or up to $99):
 VFW Post 6467 Ladies Auxiliary
 VFW Post 809 Auxiliary
RECENT DONATIONS DRIVES FOR TRACERS
Our veterans are thankful all year round for every item that they receive through the generosity of
all the organizations in Bergen County. Special thanks to all our supporters and most recently
those who conducted various clothing, household supplies, gift card drives, fund drives, holiday
gift drives and for giving of yourselves by answering the needs of those less fortunate.
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BERGEN COUNTY VETERANS NEWSLETTER ~ 1st QUARTER 2017 ~ VOLUME 40
VFW Auxiliary Post 277 Ridgefield Park – Joan Carlson
American Legion Auxiliary Post 365 Fairview – Cynthia Spadola
Reverend Stico, Parishioners of Our Lady of Grace Church & Union of the Catholic Apostolates
Bergen Volunteer Center & Debbie Emery Staff
All Wrapped Up – Holiday Project - Bergen Volunteer Center & Many Benefactors
Samsung of Ridgefield Park
Anthony Caramico, DDS
VFW Post 1049 Waldwick & Brian L. Finale
American Legion Post 21 Cresskill & Joe Cutolo
Danielle Schwartz & Park Ridge East Brook School
Oradell Girl Scouts and Supporters
Mahwah Lutheran Church Women’s Club
Cliffside Park Elks – Mary Reyes & Members & Ed Bale
Lincoln School - Ridgefield Park & Ms. Thiemann & Joan Carlson
VFW Post 277 Auxiliary - McDonald’s of Little Ferry & Joan Carlson
Cort Furniture of Hasbrouck Heights – Sharon McGill, Account Executive
American Legion Post 162 * Hillsdale*WoodCliff Lake*Old Tappan & - George DeRosa
Boots Up - Robin Wilkins-Toombs
Making- It- Home - Cynthia Massarsky
Fundraising Wrestling – Rick & Tom
TAX INFORMATION FOR VETERANS
The Internal Revenue Service is committed to providing
assistance to all Veterans. We work with community and
government partners to provide timely federal tax-related
information to Veterans about tax credits and benefits, free
tax preparation, financial education and asset-building
opportunities available to Veterans.
Our Approach
The Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication (SPEC) office within the Wage
& Investment Division has built a network of national and local partners. Organizations include
corporate, faith-based, nonprofit, educational, financial and government. With so many tax
benefits available today, taxes can serve as the starting point for a dream leading to stronger
financial security for many people.
Partnership with VA
IRS and US Department of Veterans Affairs entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in
2015. The primary focus of the MOU is to provide free tax preparation services to Veterans and
their families.
Partnering organizations prepare tax returns free for those whose incomes are low to moderate.
Also check out the partner Outreach Corner for links to newsletter articles, podcasts, widgets and
other electronic products to help reach out to customers with timely tax news they may need. If
you represent a Veteran organization that assists other Veterans, why not look further to see how
you can become involved?
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BERGEN COUNTY VETERANS NEWSLETTER ~ 1st QUARTER 2017 ~ VOLUME 40
Contact Information
If you are interested in partnering opportunities in your area, send an email to [email protected],
and let us help you get started making an impact in your community today!
Free Tax Preparation Services
Each year, millions of people have their taxes prepared for free by IRS certified volunteers. The
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs have helped
people for more than 40 years.
Here are some tips about VITA and TCE:
•
•
•
•
Trained and Certified. The IRS works with local community groups to train and certify
VITA and TCE volunteers.
VITA Program. For the most part, VITA offers free tax return preparation to people who
earn $54,000 or less in 2016.
TCE Program. TCE is mainly for people age 60 or older. The program focuses on tax
issues unique to seniors. AARP participates in the TCE program through AARP TaxAide.
Free E-file. VITA and TCE provide free electronic filing. E-filing is the safest, most
accurate way to file your tax return. If you combine e-file with direct deposit, you can get
your refund faster.
IRS Free File
Whether you draw a paycheck, are self-employed or own a small business, you can use all
available tax forms you need for free with IRS Free File. If you make $64,000 or less (in 2016),
you qualify for free brand-name software offered through a partnership between the IRS and
leading tax software providers. Some of these providers offer free federal and free state return
preparation and electronic filing. If you made more than $64,000, you can use Free File Fillable
Forms, electronic versions of IRS paper forms best for someone experienced in return
preparation.
Earned Income Tax Credit
Many Veterans are eligible for various tax credits including the Earned Income Tax Credit, a
refundable federal income tax credit for low- to moderate-income, working individuals and
families. To qualify, you must meet certain requirements and file a tax return, even if you do not
owe any tax or are not required to file.
Financial Education and Asset Building
Our partners recognize that financial education and asset building starts with ensuring individuals
and families receive all the benefits to which they are entitled. These include the Earned Income
Tax Credit and other tax credits, nutrition assistance, health insurance, heating/cooling allowance
support and other national and local benefit programs. Many SPEC partners have incorporated
financial education and asset building programs and services such as income support, debt and
credit counseling, financial education training, banking education, home ownership and small
business management into their free tax return preparation activities.
Special Tax Considerations
Veterans may be eligible to claim a federal tax refund based on:
•
An increase in the Veteran's percentage of disability from the Department of Veterans
Affairs (which may include a retroactive determination) or
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BERGEN COUNTY VETERANS NEWSLETTER ~ 1st QUARTER 2017 ~ VOLUME 40
•
The combat-disabled Veteran applying for, and being granted, Combat-Related Special
Compensation, after an award for Concurrent Retirement and Disability.
Special tax considerations for disabled Veterans occasionally result in a need for amended
returns.
VA Disability Benefits
Do not include disability benefits you receive from the VA in your gross income. In particular
some of the payments which are considered disability benefits include:
•
Disability compensation and pension payments for disabilities paid either to Veterans or
their families,
•
Grants for homes designed for wheelchair living,
•
Grants for motor vehicles for Veterans who lost their sight or the use of their limbs, or
•
Benefits under a dependent-care assistance program.
VA e-Benefits
VA has created an eBenefits portal where you can apply for many of these benefits online.
Veterans can apply for Veterans' Benefits Online (VONAPP), access VA Payment History, apply
for VA Home Loan Certificate of Eligibility, check on Compensation & Pension Status, and
more. Family members (spouses and dependents [ages 18+]) of Service members and Veterans
may register for a Basic (Level 1) DS Logon to access eBenefits. View TRICARE benefits,
explore eLearning opportunities, and request information from State VA offices online.
The VA publishes an annual benefits booklet, a comprehensive guide for Federal Benefits for
Veterans, Dependents and Survivors.
If you are a military retiree and receive your disability benefits from the VA, see IRS Publication
525 for more information .
Homeless Veterans
Veterans experience high rates of unemployment, poverty, and homelessness. The VA and other
organizations work together through neighborhood stand-downs to help Veterans who are
homeless. This collaborative effort provides a variety of services such as food, shelter, clothing,
health screenings, and benefits counseling.
Veteran Legal Services
Research shows that Veterans have a significant and too often unmet need for legal services.
Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless rank legal needs (e.g., regarding
eviction or foreclosure proceedings, child support issues and outstanding warrants or fines) as
some of their highest unmet needs. The website www.statesidelegal.org has:
1.
Legal information on various topics of interest to Veterans and
2.
A search engine that allows Veterans to find free legal help in their geographic area.
Federal Employment
If you are a Veteran and have a disability per the VA, you may qualify for internships or you
could be hired non-competitively for any federal position for which you qualify. The IRS
Veterans Employment Program Office is designed to provide quality training and work
experience to wounded warriors and Veterans by offering various non-paid internship
opportunities within the IRS as well as help Veterans who qualify for one or more of the three
special hiring authorities to become gainfully employed within the IRS.
Do you need alternate formats for IRS forms and publications?
The IRS is committed to making every document on its Web site accessible to everyone,
including Veterans and individuals with disabilities. If you need help accessing these products,
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BERGEN COUNTY VETERANS NEWSLETTER ~ 1st QUARTER 2017 ~ VOLUME 40
please visit our Accessible IRS Tax Products page. See also other forms and publications for
people with disabilities.
(Source: www.irs.gov )
VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE (VLJ)
TAKING CASES, CHANGING LIVES
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ), a civil legal services organization, introduces a new FREE
legal clinic in Newark for Veterans and Military Personnel.
In partnership with PSE&G, VLJ has established the Military Personnel/Veterans Legal
Assistance Project (MLAP) to provide pro bono legal counsel and limited scope representation
to both veterans and active duty military personnel. At the clinics, volunteer attorneys from
PSE&G, as well as those from McCarter & English LLP and Gibbons PC, will assist a range of
legal matters, including driver's license restoration, expungement of criminal records and child
support issues, among others. PSE&G is providing funding for this program.
Legal clinics will assist with NEW Jersey State:




Criminal Record Expungement
Driver’s License Restoration
Child Support Modification
For eligibility and intake information :
Please call VLJ at (973) 645-1955.
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“Serving Bergen County Veterans Since 1977”
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
DIVISION OF VETERANS SERVICES
One Bergen County Plaza, 2nd Floor
Hackensack, NJ 07601-7076
Phone: (201) 336-6325
Fax: (201) 336-6327
E-mail: [email protected]
www.co.bergen.nj.us/veterans
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