Prior to Thursday, not since 1981 had payouts covered under the Paraplegic and Hemiplegic Veterans' Allowance Program been bumped up in the state, and the delay had been even longer for blind veterans.
Thousands of New Jersey military veterans have received OTH discharges, many because of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, or "Don't Ask Don't Tell."
Not all veterans in New Jersey are aware of the benefits available to them. MyVA New Jersey Veteran and Community Collaborative Network is hosting their first ever public forum this Saturday in Middlesex County aimed at raising awareness of existing programs and services as well as providing help on how to access them.
As New Jersey honors its more than 350,000 veterans tomorrow, many of us are unaware of the wide range of injuries active duty soldiers are dealing with upon returning from combat.