Greetings!

We hope you have had a terrific month! Congressman Kim began and ended the month putting our servicemembers first and prioritizing our veterans. In early March, the Congressman introduced his first bill of the 118th Congress to ease servicemembers and military families’ everyday costs and addresses a top concern for military families: accessing childcare. With meetings and hearings throughout the month about supporting our armed forces, Congressman Kim had a busy March.

As always, we hope you find the following updates and resources helpful!

Congressman Kim Introduces Legislation to Expand Servicemembers’ Access to Affordable Childcare

At the start of March, Congressman Kim introduced his first bill of the 118th Congress, the Military Child Care Transparency and Expansion Act to deliver greater transparency and access to childcare for servicemembers and their families. At Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and around the country, we hear that finding and affording childcare is routinely servicemembers’ and their family’s top concern.

Congressman Kim’s bill would build on the success of the Child Care in Your Home in-home fee assistance pilot program and help more servicemembers and their families by offsetting the cost of in-home childcare, reducing everyday expenses especially for military families in areas with high childcare demand and low availability.

Read more about the legislation here.

ICYMI: Congressman Kim Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Credit Monitoring for All Servicemembers

Congressman Kim was also proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to ensure every servicemember has access to credit monitoring services. Continuing his work on behalf of our National Guard and Reserve servicemembers, the Servicemember Credit Monitoring Enhancement Act would make sure members of the Guard and Reserve have access to the same financial resources and information that active duty military use.

Read more about the legislation here. For all servicemembers' risk and their families’ sacrifices, Congressman Kim is committed to working on the House Armed Services Committee and as Ranking Member of the Military Personnel Subcommittee to ensure we do better on our promise to have their backs.

Congressman Kim Helps Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Combat-Disabled Veterans’ Benefits

This week, Congressman Kim introduced the Purple Heart Freedom to Work Act with Representative Austin Scott to ensure combat-disabled veterans are not penalized for re-entering the workforce. Currently, combat-disabled veterans risk losing access to their Social Security Disability Insurance benefits if they earn above a certain income per month. The legislation would stand-up for our veterans, increase this income-cap, and support their active participation in the workforce.

Congressman Kim on the Purple Heart Freedom to Work Act 

“Too many veterans face barriers accessing the benefits they deserve. We must do better on our promise to have our servicemembers’ backs and do more to support their continued success after they return home. I am proud to help introduce bipartisan legislation that would promote combat-disabled veterans’ participation and success in the workforce without them having to worry about losing their Social Security disability benefits. With an increased income threshold, they would be able to more freely pursue the careers and the well-rounded lives they want in our communities.”

Congressman Kim Meets with New Jersey’s VFW

This month, Congressman Kim welcomed the New Jersey Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) to Washington to speak about their shared efforts working on behalf of New Jersey veterans’ needs and the work ahead.

In 2022, Congressman Kim was named NJ VFW’s Legislator of the Year. Congressman Kim is proud of the success last Congress to expand veterans’ healthcare benefits and is committed to building off of this work. 

Congressman Kim’s First Military Personnel Hearing as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee

This week, Congressman Kim participated in the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee hearing. As Ranking Member, Congressman Kim is focused on issues we hear about directly from servicemembers and their families. From mental health services to combating childcare shortages, he wants to find common ground and combat these challenges.

Watch his opening remarks at the committee hearing here.

Congressman Kim Focuses on What’s Next in Meeting Servicemembers’ Needs and Putting our People First at Subcommittee Hearings

Congressman Kim is focused on doing better on our promise for having servicemembers’ backs. From mental healthcare to Basic Needs Allowance eligibility, as Ranking Member of the subcommittee the Congressman wants to move forward and take further action to meet their needs and their families’ needs.

At a Military Personnel Subcommittee hearing this month, Ranking Member Kim spoke about how diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives support the growth and success of our armed forces. In his opening statement, he urged to not look at how these initiatives have worked hand in hand to building an effective and formidable military.

In conversation with the hearing’s witnesses, Ranking Member Kim looked at the larger context of servicemembers’ performance and training and confirmed with the panel that DEI initiatives do not have a negative impact on other training opportunities, performance, or military readiness.

Meet Derrick Ownings, Veteran and our March Service Spotlight!

We were proud to highlight Derrick Owings at our March Service Spotlight. After serving in the military and teaching high school, Derrick continued to serve our community through the Arts Guild New Jersey. We are grateful for his passion for the arts and sharing their beauty in our Burlington community.

Read his full spotlight here!

Additional Support Opportunities

The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program allows the VA to provide resources toward community-based suicide prevention efforts to meet the needs of veterans and their families through outreach, suicide prevention services, and connection to VA and community resources. Applications are due May 19th. Learn more about eligibility and the program here.

The New Jersey Defense Manufacturing Community Consortium, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, offers training to veterans, soon-to-be-veterans, and their family members to build skills helpful in the workforce and manufacturing careers. The program by the NJMEP works alongside the DOD partners to build a strong community of New Jersey manufacturers that can support the DOD supply chain. Learn more about the available coursework and classes online!

 

Do you have a copy of your DD-214?

 

If you do not have a copy of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), you should request a copy from the National Archives and Records Administration since it can take up to 6-12 months to receive. DD-214s are necessary to apply for many of the benefits you are eligible for as a veteran. If you don’t have your DD-214, medical treatment can be delayed for a long time. If you have questions about this, you can contact our office here.

DMAVA Newsletter

 

The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs’ newsletter provides information to Servicemembers, Veterans, Employees, Families, Caregivers, Community Partners and those inspired to support our collective mission. You can sign-up for DMAVA’s mailing lists on their website.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) Update

 

On March 13th, JBMDL announced that it will host its first air and space open house in five years. The 2023 Power in the Pines Air and Space Open House will be on May 20th and 21st. Themed “On the Wings of Community,” the airshow is free and open to the public.

On March 8th and 9th, the 205th Air Mobility Wing conducted a “White Stag” annual training exercise at JBMDL. White Stag serves as a training opportunity for the 305th AMW to prepare for Air Mobility Command’s largest exercise, Mobility Guardian 2023, later this year.

Upcoming Local Events

 

The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is hosting various events throughout April, including: 

• April 1st at 11 AM - The 514th Air Mobility Wing Reserves “Lunch & Learn”/Veterans Resource Briefing JBMDL. A VSO will be present to help or assist any veteran.
• April 15th at 12 PM - Vet2Vet Monthly Support Group Meeting at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Museum Holmdel. A VSO will be present to help or assist any veteran.
• April 16th at 10 AM - Veterans Resources Forum at Woody’s Roadside Tavern in Farmingdale. A VSO will be present to help or assist any veteran.
• April 18th at 8:30 AM - 99th Regional Support Command Reserve Component Health Fair at JBMDL. A VSO will be present to help or assist any veteran.
• April 20th at 9 AM - DMAVA Veterans Outreach Campaign at the Columbus Farmers Market. A VSO will be present to help or assist any veteran.
• April 22nd at 8 AM - Military Retiree Appreciation Day at the Timmerman Conference Center at Fort Dix. A VSO will be present to help or assist any veteran.
• On April 27th at 9 AM - Veterans Service Officer Training Seminar at the Regional Training Institute Building. DMAVA’s VSO State Supervisors will conduct the training.

Do You Know Someone Else Who Would Find These Updates Helpful?

If so, please encourage them to sign up here. Please don’t hesitate to be in touch if we can be of assistance to you.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you every day!

 

The Office of Congressman Andy Kim

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