Tucker & Assembly Delegation to Fly to Ft. Hood, Texas with National Guard to Greet Returning NJ Service Members

Mission is Part of DOD-sponsored Employer Support Program for Guard & Reserve Members

(TRENTON) - Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee Chair Cleopatra Tucker and an eight-member delegation of Assembly Democrats will fly with the New Jersey National Guard to Ft. Hood, Texas on Wednesday, Jan. 16, to greet New Jersey service members as they demobilize from around the globe.

"It's critically important that we show our support for the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve and gain a better understanding of their needs and the challenges they face," said Tucker (D-Essex). "Many of these men and women are juggling families and careers back home while simultaneously aiding our military in carrying out missions around the world. The gratitude we have for their sacrifices cannot be overstated."

Tucker will also be joined by Assembly Democrats Paul Moriarty, Gilbert "Whip" Wilson, Angel Fuentes, Wayne DeAngelo, Annette Quijano, Angelica Jimenez and Benjie Wimberly, as well as other local elected officials and executives from various New Jersey corporations as part of the New Jersey Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve "Boss Lift" to Ft Hood, Texas.

The New Jersey Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is a Department of Defense volunteer organization that provides free education, consultation, and if necessary, mediation for employers of Guard and Reserve employees. The mission of the ESGR is to gain and maintain support of all public and private employers for the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve through demonstrated employer commitment to employee military service in the interest of ensuring national security.

The lawmakers will arrive at McGuire Air Force Base Wednesday morning where they will board a KC-135R from the 108th Wing. While on the aircraft, the members may have the chance to view a refueling mission, which typically takes place at 25, 000 feet in the air.

Upon arriving in Ft. Hood they will be bussed to a processing facility for the in-bound demobilizing service members. They will then take part in a battle update brief, observe demobilization, and enjoy dinner at the dining facility with the service members from New Jersey who recently returned to the United States. They will depart the next morning for a return flight home.

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