Greetings!

We hope you had a great month! June was filled with great conversations around the community and important chances to celebrate military service including Women Veterans Recognition Day, the anniversary of D-Day, and a ceremony for this year’s nominees to our nation’s military service academies. In Congress, Congressman Kim remains focused on ways we can turn our words of appreciation into concrete action that delivers for military families’ needs.

In the midst of it all, we also took time this June to recognize Father’s Day, Juneteenth, Pride Month, and Gun Violence Awareness Month, and hope you could as well! As always, we hope you find the following updates and resources helpful!

Remembering D-Day

On June 6th, we commemorated the 80th anniversary of D-Day to remember our servicemembers and those across the Allied forces who defended freedom against tyranny on the Normandy beaches. Let us all continue to uplift and honor their service and sacrifice for generations to come so their courage is never forgotten.

Congressman Kim Opposes Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act Due to House Republicans' Partisan Policies

This month, Congressman Kim released the following statement after voting against the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025 in opposition to partisan policies added on the House Floor by House Republicans.

“The National Defense Authorization Act has a decades long history of bipartisanship where both parties worked to find common ground to protect our country. In that spirit, I supported the bipartisan bill when it came up for a vote at our committee even though I had concerns over a number of provisions. Today, I cannot support the harmful and partisan changes made by Republicans that have been brought up on the House Floor. Our servicemembers deserve better than using this important bill to play political games. I will work to make sure the final bill focuses on strengthening our defense and standing up for military families, not scoring political points and pushing an extremist agenda.”

Promoting a strong national defense and taking care of our servicemembers are bipartisan issues. Congressman Kim had previously urged his colleagues to leave partisan politics out of the bill and deliver a National Defense Authorization Act that focuses on the wellbeing of our servicemembers.

As the Ranking Member on the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee, the Congressman will continue working to deliver an NDAA that strengthens national defense and supports military families, rather than advancing partisan agendas. Learn more about the previous, bipartisan version of the NDAA that Congressman Kim helped advance out of committee to provide a historic pay raise for troops, secure jobs in New Jersey, and bolster U.S. global strength.

Celebrating Students on their Military Service

It is a distinct honor to help nominate incredible students to attend our nation’s prestigious military service academies. This month, we were proud to bring families together to celebrate their choice to serve our nation in uniform and their courage and commitment to our country.

Thank You to our Men and Women in Uniform

On June 12th recognized Women Veterans Recognition Day and on June 14th, celebrated the United States Army’s 249th birthday! We love taking these special opportunities to show our gratitude and honor our servicemembers and veterans for their selfless service and courage fighting for our freedoms and defending our nation.

Shining the Spotlight on those who Served

This June, we shared our June Service Spotlight, Roy Plummer. His own service spans from his time in uniform as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. army to various leadership roles to be there for his local community. But his focus on military service goes much further into years spent telling the stories of men and women who served our nation. He wants to make sure people’s stories of service get told, and we were proud to help share his.

Standing with LGBTQ+ Servicemembers

This week, President Biden pardoned thousands of LGBTQ+ servicemembers who were wrongly convicted and forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We applaud President Biden for taking such an important step toward justice and for standing with our LGBTQ+ servicemembers. Addressing mistakes of our past is essential to building a safe and more inclusive future.

We Have Flags!

Earlier this month, we joined in celebrating Flag Day, honoring the enduring symbol of our nation's democracy—the American flag. The flag is a special part of our nation’s history and often a unique gift to honor someone. Our office can help our neighbors in New Jersey’s 3rd District purchase a flag that has flown over the U.S. Capitol. For more information on how to order your own flag through our office, visit kim.house.gov/services/flags.

ICYMI: Online Passport Renewal Pilot Program

We are excited that a trial service to allow Americans to renew their passports online is up and running. But remember you can always renew in-person or by mail, and if you're having any trouble, reach out to our office to see if we can help!

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 June 23rd, JBMDL celebrated 100 years of the U.S. Air Force aerial refueling with flyover events. Aircraft including KC-135, KC-46, and C-17 flew from JBMDL in New Jersey, and were visible across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

On June 28th, JBMDL officials released the 2022 Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs) for McGuire, Dix, and Lakehurst water systems. These reports summarize annual water testing results to ensure safety standards are met.

Upcoming Local Events

The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are helping host various events in July around our local community, including:

July 1st at 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM - TAPS Hamilton Township Area Care Group In-Person at Mission BBQ in Hamilton Township.
July 3rd at 1:30 PM - Free Legal Advice for Veterans hosted virtually by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
July 4th at 3:30 PM - Virtual Creative Writing Workshop for Military, Veterans, Caregivers and Spouses hosted virtually with poet & author Laura Van Prooyen.
July 9th at 2:00 PM - VA Benefits and Services Workshop hosted virtually by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
July 15th - July 16th - Grant Writing Workshop Lawrenceville hosted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, at 151 Eggert Crossing Road, Lawrence, NJ 08648.
July 25th at 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM - Veterans Outreach Campaign at the Columbus Farmers Market. DMAVA will have a VSO present to assist any veteran.

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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