New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

Agency overview
Jurisdiction	New Jersey
Headquarters	Trenton, New Jersey
Website	www.nj.gov/military/

The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is a governmental department of the state of New Jersey. It is composed of the New Jersey Army National Guard as well as the New Jersey Air National Guard. They are administered by the Adjutant General and staff which oversees the activities of the two. This includes the Disasters and Emergency Services Division and Veterans Affairs Division. The department is the official channel of communication between the federal government and the New Jersey state government on military matters.

The New Jersey State Guard, along with the New Jersey Army National Guard and the New Jersey Naval Militia, is also recognized as a component of the organized militia of New Jersey. ^[1] The State Guard was last active during World War II. The Naval Militia was last active from 1999 to 2002.

In case of a state or national emergency, there is a joint federal-state program put in place for the Governor and the President respectively. This program keeps military organizations equipped, trained, and ready to counter such situations. They also cooperate with and manage state and federal agencies in order to provide services for discharged veterans and their families.

In March 2025, a new legislation was created to break up the Departments of Military and Veterans Affairs into two departments, the Department of Military Affairs, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. ^[2]

Partnerships

In 2024, The NJ DMAVA has a partnership with the Unite Us platform ^[3] to modernize the way Veterans receive assistance for benefits, mental health, housing, employment and education programs. ^[4] It also has partnerships with Bringing Veterans Home, ^[5] SaveNJVets ^[6] and NJ Vet2Vet. ^[7] The NJ DMAVA provides assistance to Veterans and theirs families through its regional Veterans Service Officers free of charge. ^[8]

Leadership

Since 2024, the Commissioner of the NJ DMAVA is Brig. Gen. Yvonne L. Mays. ^[9] Commanding officer is Maj. Gen. Lisa J. Hou ^[10] and Director of the Division of Veterans Services is Ester Chucaralao. ^[11]

References

1. "NJ Rev Stat § 38A:1-3 (2013)". Justia Law. justia.com. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
2. Livio, Susan K. (March 24, 2025). "N.J. veterans to get dedicated department after pandemic deaths". nj. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
3. "Unite NJ Veterans". www.nj.gov. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
4. "Welcome to Unite NJ Veterans". www.nj.gov. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
5. "Bringing Veterans Home". bvh.dca.nj.gov. Archived from the original on June 24, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
6. "SaveNJVets". www.nj.gov. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
7. "NJ Vet2Vet". NJ Vet2Vet. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
8. "New Jersey Military and Veterans Benefits". myarmybenefits.us.army.mil. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
9. "Character Development: Brig. Gen. Yvonne L. Mays (Integrity)". Valley Forge Military College – The Military College of Pennsylvania. March 7, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
10. Flanagan, Brenda. Consultants to map out reform of NJ Military and Veteran Affairs | Video | NJ Spotlight News . Retrieved September 10, 2025– via www.njspotlightnews.org.
11. Dauphinee, Andrew (May 13, 2025). "Unforgotten Valor: How the NJ Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Supports NJ's Veterans - Program Recap". New Jersey State Library. Retrieved September 10, 2025.