Members of N.J. (Naval) militia sue over being mothballed

NorthJersey.com ^ | Wednesday, December 28, 2005 | JUSTO BAUTISTA

[Demeroma]

(snip)

Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, the Guard's adjutant general, ordered the naval militia to stand down in 2002 while state officials, concerned about training, liability and funding issues, reviewed its status.

Jordan and fellow militia members John Jedrejczyk and Mark Tegeder, along with former member Louis Ianniello, counterattacked this month.

They fired a legal salvo at state officials, accusing them in a civil rights complaint of military branch discrimination.

"We're doing this for the other members," said Jordan, 47, of Jackson, a certified firearms instructor. "We hope to get this moving again in the right direction. We've been totally disregarded."

The discrimination complaint is the first of its kind in the country, said E. Frank Doty, the attorney representing the militia members.

(snip)

[Demeroma]

It seems that the members of the New Jersey's only maritime state military force are up in arms after being in limbo for 3 years.

[jjm2111]

I didn't know that NJ has a 'Naval Militia' and I'm in the Navy Reserve (or Naval Reserve; or whatever their calling it this year).

[tcrlaf]

Is it a Naval Auxilliary? Like Civil Air Patrol?

[Demeroma]

Former governor Whitman restarted the New Jersey Naval Militia Joint Command (NJNMJC) which contains the NJ State Guard as well as the NJ Naval Militia. The NJNMJC provided aid during the Bound Brook, NJ flooding after Hurricane Floyd and also responded to the 9/11 attacks by ferrying federal agents to ground zero with thier small boats. The NJNMJC provided waterborne support and security to the US Navy, US Coast Guard and NJ State Police. They also provided picket boat patrols at a naval base and a nuclear power plant. All this before being unceremoniously put out to pasture under Governor McGreevey.

For more information on the NJ Naval Militia, see the following:

http://www.nj.gov/military/naval/

http://www.njnavy.org/

http://njnmjc.blogharbor.com/blog

[Demeroma]

The NJ Naval Militia is part of New Jersey's organized militia, which includes the NJ Army National Guard and the NJ Air Guard. The members include drilling naval reservists, US Coast Guard reservists and retired military members.

[Demeroma]

Here's a better explanation of what the NJNMJC is and what problems they have been experiencing since 2002.

http://njnmjc.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2005/4/24/614359.html

[neverdem]

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