Mayors, community leaders pledge support to service members

By Ms. Audra Calloway (AMC)May 5, 2009

Mayors, community leaders pledge support to service members
PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - (from left) Picatinny Garrison Commander Lt. Col. John P. Stack signs the Army Community Covenant while United Way of Morris County Representative Michelle Roers DiNapoli and Picatinny Army Community Service Director Tammy M... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - Morris County community leaders joined military representatives from Picatinny, the New Jersey National Guard and other military services to pledge their support to uniformed personnel and their families by signing the Army Community Covenant at the Morris County League of Municipalities meeting in Morris Plains April 15.

The covenant recognizes the special bond that exists between area military, their families and the community surrounding Picatinny.

In all, 20 Morris County mayors, or their representatives, and 12 other military and community leaders signed the covenant, pledging their support to troops.

"Tonight we're here to give a little bit back," said Mayor William Chegwidden of Wharton, who presided over the meeting. "It's because of these (military) families that we live today the way we live."

Chegwidden began the meeting by telling stories about two New Jersey politicians, Richard Stockton and Abraham Clark, who signed the Declaration of Independence. Chegwidden said that though both were harassed because of their beliefs, they never gave up their ideals of a new America.

"These are the signers who signed to put us where we are today. These are examples I wanted to use because these examples of commitment and virtue have not gone out of style in the American military - it's still there," he said.

According to Chegwidden, the covenant signing shows Morris County supports its citizen Soldiers who fight for liberty, and defend the nation and constitution.

"You can't put a price-tag on what these people do for us," he said of Soldiers. "When they sign those (enlistment) papers they're signing a great cause - just like those signers signed 230 years ago."

Following Chegwidden's speech, Col. Jorge Martinez of the New Jersey Army National Guard, on behalf of New Jersey Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, thanked community leaders for their support of service members and their families.

"You're continued support for our service men and women ... in work and in deed, you currently have set the standard for the rest of the state," he said.

Right now, New Jersey has approximately 3,000 deployed National Guard members, set to return in the next couple of months. Additionally, he said 300 Soldiers will soon deploy in the coming weeks.

For each service member deployed in theater there are family members left behind, Martinez said, and they continuously worry about their loved ones as they take care of daily challenges.

Because most National Guard and Reserve Soldiers are not centrally located on an installation, Martinez said they rely on organizations across the region to help Soldiers address various needs.

Col. Russell J. Hrdy, Picatinny's acting senior commander, agreed that support is necessary, saying metaphorically there's only one thing that can bring a Soldier down - if something happens at home.

Hrdy said he experienced this while he was deployed and his family lost heat at their home.

"There wasn't a thing I could do about it, and I was distracted for about a week until that situation got resolved," he said.

Fortunately he said his family had a good support structure. "The majority of Soldiers who are Reserve and National Guard don't have as good a support structure and that's why they need you to provide that support. Anything you can do for them is greatly appreciated, deserved and needed."

During the meeting, United Way of Morris County representative Michelle Roers DiNapoli also spoke of how United Way members are reaching out to service members and their families.

"We believe every one of us has the responsibility, which is really a great opportunity, to help our military families cope with deployment," she said, stating that military families also need help when preparing for deployments and when the military members return from deployments.

Roers DiNapoli said the United Way has programs such as the 211 resource hotline and the Project Frontline Morris, a donation-based program that provides support services to military families.

As she ended the speech, Roers DiNapoli encouraged the mayors to find ways to assist and reach out to military families.

"I hope that many of you can do whatever you can, big or small, in your community to carry on the true meaning and spirit of us singing the community covenant today," she said.

Other singers included representatives from the Morris County Freeholders, the United Way of Morris County, Morris County Chamber of Commerce, Family Services of Morris County and the VFW district 10.

Related Links:

Picatinny Arsenal Web site

The Voice - Picatinny's installation newspaper