In its first year, Military Matters covered a wide range of stories about the military men and women who serve here in the Garden State. Many of the stories describe how military activities impact the New Jersey economy or suggest how the business community can support those in uniform.
Here is a look at some of the important, fascinating, and fun stories that appeared on the pages of Military Matter during its first year.
Fighting Wildfires – June 19, 2024
Military Matters profiled the firefighters at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst who help local communities combat wildfires everywhere in the state, most especially in the Pinelands which border the Joint Base.
Blowing Stuff Up – June 19, 2024
Military Matters joined the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst for a demonstration of how to combat and disarm explosives in hostile arenas around the world. The EOD group also travels around the Garden State – answering dozens of calls each month – to safely extract explosives and other weapons found buried in the ground or stored in people’s homes.
The Lady of the River – July 3, 2024
It was quite a sight – the Battleship New Jersey churning up the Delaware River in June. The most decorated battleship in U.S. Navy history was saluted by thousands on both sides of the river as it returned from a Philadelphia drydock to its home on the Camden Waterfront following months of refurbishment.
Restoring Hope – October 9, 2024
The Cathedral of the Air is a non-denominational institution located just outside the Lakehurst entrance to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. It was built in the 1930’s as a place for reflection, prayer and hope for service members serving at the base – especially before they headed off to war. After years of neglect and disrepair, the cathedral is undergoing a restoration under the eye of Captain James Howell, the Commanding Officer of the Lakehurst Naval Station and the Deputy Commander of the Joint Base.
Pedal for the Medal – October 23, 2024
The first-ever Warriors Bike Tour took place on October 19. Hosted by the Military Support Alliance of New Jersey and sponsored by HeroConnect, a nonprofit health care service for veterans operated jointly by Deborah Heart and Lung Center and Cooper University Health Care, the event raised funds for programs to help improve the health and quality of life for active duty and veterans and their families.
Dogs of War … Dogs of Peace – November 20, 2024
Military Matters looked at the dual role dogs play in military life – as highly trained security “assets” and as therapeutic options for military members with mental health issues.
Remembering an Iconic New Jerseyan – December 4, 2024
On November 9 in New York Harbor, the U.S. Navy commissioned a new destroyer named the USS Basilone in honor of John Basilone, the iconic World War II Medal of Honor recipient and resident of Raritan. This is the second destroyer named after Basilone. The first was in 1949.
Here Comes Santa Claus – December 18, 2024
The holiday spirit is no better embodied than by the hundreds of military and civilian volunteers in and around Colorado Springs and Peterson Space Force Base who, each year, track Santa’s Christmas Eve sleigh ride around the world and answer phone calls from children asking about his progress. The volunteers handle more than 400,000 calls on Christmas Eve and millions more track Santa’s flight on their electronic devices.
Long Overdue Recognition – January 2, 2025
In December, U.S. Representative Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01) presented 99-year-old World War II veteran Gilbert Klein with five medals and two awards to honor his service. Klein served in the Navy from 1944 to 1946. The Navy determined Klein was eligible for these medals after a review of his service record.
A Yankee Comes to Holmdel – February 12, 2025
New York Yankee manager Aaron Boone was one of a number of VIPs and celebrities to visit the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Museum in 2024 to help raise awareness and funds for the only museum of its kind in the nation dedicated to the men and women who fought the Vietnam War.
No One Left Behind No Matter Where – April 9, 2025
Military Matters took an in-depth look at the extraordinary efforts of the defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency’s (DPAA) efforts to leave no fallen American military personnel behind anywhere in the world. DPAA teams scour the most distant and challenging places on earth from scorching deserts and unforgiving jungles to the bottom of sea floors to find the remains of American heroes from World War II forward.
Memorial to A Hero – May 7, 2025
Army Private Allen H. Katz’s name was added to the Memorial Wall at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Museum in Holmdel on April 27. The wall includes the names of every New Jersey service member killed in the Vietnam War. Katz was born in Paterson; his name was inadvertently left off the wall when it was thought at the time of his death that his home was in California which is where his family had moved.
