Updated 05/23/2020 – Update on Department Activities | Department of New Jersey Marine Corps League

Update on Department Activities

05/23/2020

Good Morning Marines,

Upon recent word from Governor Phil Murphy, “up to 25 people can now gather for Memorial Day Weekend Activities”

With this new word being passed, I am lifting restrictions on the Department of NJ, Marine Corps League at the discretion of the Detachment Commandants. Please make sure you are following the State Guidelines for Social Distancing, make sure events are outside and if required have masks on, or available when needed. I will also ask you use discretion when posting photos of events and make sure we are not only in compliance with uniform regulations but also State Mandates.

Please remember what this weekend is all about. Our Brothers and Sisters who paid the Ultimate Sacrifice for our Freedoms.

Semper Fidelis,

Joseph DeAngelo Jr.
Commandant, Department of New Jersey
Marine Corps League
Worthy Pack Leader, New Jersey Pack
Military Order of the Devil Dogs
Marine for Life National Committee
National Training Committee
National Legislative Committee

05/06/2020

Marines and Associates,

As I always start out, I hope this finds you well and safe during this continued pandemic. Please pray for our deceased members and their families who have fallen to this horrible virus.

I have been speaking with the Executive Boards of both the Department of NJ and the NJ Pack at length and after reviewing all the information coming in about the State of New Jersey concerning what needs to be accomplished prior to us opening back up and all of the uncertainty it holds, I have decided to CANCEL the 2020 Department of NJ Convention. This obviously includes the NJ Pack Grand Growl that would be held at the same time.

This was not an easy decision on my end, but I feel it is the right decision given the current situation we are in.

Tony Modzelewski has cancelled the Hotel and all the reservations that went along with the convention so if you made the reservation through the League it has already been done for you. If you made reservations on your own, please make sure to cancel your room. If you provided funds to the Department for your room, Tony will be sending out refund checks.

The Department 50/50 is still going on and we will be doing a Facebook Live drawing on 11 July 2020 as that is the scheduled drawing date. If your Detachment still has not sold your tickets, please do so and get the monies and stubs to Mike Apricena prior to 1 July 2020 so we can coordinate the drawing.

So, because of this there are some things that must happen at later dates. I want to give you an outline of what I am planning for both the Department and the Pack.

As stated, the 50/50 will be drawn on 11 July 2020 via Facebook Live.

The Department of NJ Leadership School is still scheduled on 3 October 2020 at Sea Girt. All Students have been contacted.

We will be holding our next Department Meeting on 4 October 2020 at Sea Girt starting at 0830 and going until approximately 1630. For all intents and purposes this will be our Convention, so I ask all Detachments and Districts to send Representatives. The Department will be providing lunch that day. We will have our normal meeting to include Awards and Recognitions in the AM and after lunch will be holding Nominations, Elections and Installation of Department Officers. This will be in accordance with the 2020 Emergency Plan for Elections and Installations for Departments as approved by the National Board of Trustees on 1 April 2020.

We will be holding our next NJ Pack Growl on 17 October 2020 starting at 0830 at the Freehold Elks in Freehold NJ. This will be an extended Growl so please bring your gear. We will be holding Initiations of all Pups moving up to Devil Dogs and all Devil Dogs that received Special Dispensation to be initiated to the degree of Pedigree Devil Dogs. I will be barking with our Mad Dog to go over the details. All newly Advanced Devil Dogs will have a date of 11 July 2020 as the date of Advancement so they are eligible to move up to PDD if they so choose to in Springfield, Il. in 2021.

As for the Department Marine of the Year and New Jersey Pack Dog of the Year, I am recommending we perform this selection process via email as we did for the Northeast Division Marine of the Year. As such I will be reaching out to those committee members accordingly.

I still only have 3 Nominations for Department MOY and 2 Nominations for Pack DOY. Please mail them into me ASAP in accordance with the Department and Pack Bylaws.

If anyone has any questions please feel free to contact me via email, phone, or text.

Please stay safe and healthy and if you need anything from me or my staff please do not hesitate to call.

Semper Fidelis,

05/04/2020

Good Afternoon Marines,

I just want to start off by saying that I hope everyone is healthy and well. I wanted to give a brief update on the Department.

I have been in contact with some of our Detachments and there are some fatalities due to the COVID-19 outbreak.. Please keep all of our Departed Members and their Families in your prayers.

It is imperative that during this Pandemic we are checking in on our Members and Friends. Even the strongest willed individual can suffer during these trying times. If anyone needs assistance remember we have the resources to help. Vets4Warriors is a great resource (855/838-8255) and the Veterans Crisis Line (800/273-8255 press 1) is also there for us if needed. Sometimes it is just having someone on the other line to talk to.

Now down to business. I have conversed with both the Executive Board of the Department and the Pack and we are extending all cancellations of events for the month of May, this includes the Department meeting and Pack Growl that was scheduled May 31, 2020. As we get closer to June we will reconvign and decide if this needs to be extended. Please know that just because Governor Murphy lifts some of the bans on the State does not mean we are back in business. We will probably not be eligible until Phase 3 of their plans from what I have seen. I also am concerned for our membership and do not want to put anyone in harms way just to get together.

We have done a nice job conducting Department Business during our Bi-Monthly Zoom Meetings. Our next one will be on May 16, 2020. The Executive Board will meet at 1000 and the District and Assistant District Vice Commandants will meet at 1100. Anyone from the Department can join in at the 1100 meeting. I will send the invites out next week with any links and passwords needed. Please download Zoom on your computer or phone prior to the meeting so you will have an account (which is easy and free).

We are locked in for next years Department Convention which will be at the Crown Plaza in Princeton NJ June 17-20,2021. This is the weekend following the Law Enforcement Dinner that many of our members attend.

Speaking of the Department Convention, we have still not cancelled this years convention. There has been no movement on reservations. Tony has spoken with the Hotel and if we do cancel there will be no penalties for this year. Everything will be moved to next year. If you still have a reservation in June please move it to the July dates so you do not get charged the 1 night fee.

The National Convention in Daytona Beach has not been cancelled as of today but there should be a decision shortly. The National BOT are constantly speaking and will come up with a decision soon. I will pass the word when I get it.

I would also like to Congratulate our Chief of Staff, Brian Gillespie on being awarded the 2019-2020 Northeast Division Marine of the Year. Well deserved my friend. I am hoping we can get together soon so we can present this Prestigious Award.

In Closing, everyone please stay safe and healthy and as always if you need anything from me or my staff do not hesitate to reach out.

Semper Fidelis,

04/14/2020

Marines,

First and foremost I hope everyone is doing well, please check on each other to make sure everyone is being taken care of.
If you need any assistance from the Department please let me know.

If you have not registered for the Department Convention which is being held July 9-12 2020 please click the link and register for your room.

https://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/plainsboro/ttnpl/hoteldetail?fromRedirect=true&qSrt=sBR&qIta=99801505&icdv=99801505&qSlH=TTNPL&qGrpCd=COR&setPMCookies=true&qSHBrC=CP&qDest=900%20Scudders%20Mill%20Road,%20Plainsboro,%20NJ,%20US&srb_u=1

If you already have registered, but registered for June please call the Hotel at 1-609-936-4200 and change the dates accordingly. It must be changed by the individual as per the hotel.

There is a change in Guest Speakers for this year’s banquet. We have the Honor of having SgtMaj Eddie Neas Sr. (retired) as our guest speaker.

I have attached the Emergency Elections Guidelines for Detachments as per the National BOT.

During this new normal I would suggest reviewing them and if you need assistance do not hesitate to call. The Department had its first Teleconference Installation this past week and it went very well. Thank you PDC Doug Rattazzi for doing this installation.

I do not know how long this is going to go on and what type of restrictions will take place once things start to change. Because of this we as a Department must continue to adjust during these hard times.

Please stay home if you can and continue Social Distancing Guidelines as this Pandemic continues.

If you need anything from me or my staff please reach out.

Remember “This too shall pass”

Stay safe and healthy.

Semper Fi,

04/07/2020

Over this past weekend I had meetings with both the Executive Board and District Vice/Asst District Vice Commandants for the Department of NJ.

The following is a summary of the Meetings:

Let me start off with I hope everyone is doing ok. Please check on your Marines and members to make sure they do not need anything. It is important during these trying times that our membership knows we are there for them.

The next Department meeting is going to be May 31, 2020 at the Freehold Elks. The address is 73 East Main Street Freehold NJ 07728. The Growl will be held at 1000 and Department Meeting at 1200. If for some reason this needs to be cancelled I will be sending out a follow up email.
Next year’s Department Meetings are scheduled for:

10/4/20, 11/15/20, 1/17/21, 3/21/21, 5/16/21.

These meetings will all be at our normal meeting place at the National Guard Training Center Sea Girt New Jersey. All Growls for the NJ Pack will commence at 0930 and the Department Meeting will commence at 1100.

The Department Leadership School is cancelled for the month of May and will be rescheduled on 10/3/20. All students have been notified.

Department YPF is cancelled and we are not sure if it will be rescheduled at this time.

The Department Convention has been moved to July 9-12, 2020:

If you have already reserved your room you will need to contact the hotel and change the dates. Unfortunately, the Hotel can not switch it without approval.

Registration forms are on the Department website. Please fill them out and get them sent in.

Our Guest Speaker for the Banquet is SgtMaj Canley, MOH Recipient.

If for some reason we can not hold the Department Convention in July we will cancel the Convention entirely and have our Department Nominations, Elections and Installation at the October 4, 220 Staff meeting as in Accordance with the 2020 Emergency Plan for Elections and Installations Department.

Our priority currently is Delinquents. You should have received an email by now on what needs to be done to tackle this issue. We as a Department cannot sit back and hope members pay. We need to take charge. If we do nothing another 250 members drop in September. Please think about that. We will never be able to make that up no matter how much recruiting we do. These are trying times and we should do things to distract ourselves, what better way than to contact our Marines and see how they are doing along with getting renewals.

I received most of your reports for May. I think the June report will be easier but will still needed. Please do what you can to help out one another. I have sent word for anyone with issues to please contact me and I will get the word out to Marines in the area.

The WW2 Battle in the Pacific Commemorative Dinner is rescheduled for July 25, 2020. The dress will be formal, Evening Mess, Red Blazer or comparable civilian attire.

Any Detachments that have already had their elections and are awaiting Installations can have this done thru Video conferencing. We are requiring all Elected Officers be present on the call. The District Vice Commandants can install the Appointed officers when meeting resume in the future.

Banking information for all Detachments are being requested by National. Please email me routing numbers and account numbers to Detachment accounts. I am compiling them on an excel sheet and sending them to National. I want everyone to know if you have ever sent the Department payment which you all have I already have these numbers as they are on your checks. I just want you to send them to me as an acknowledgement that we are doing this. Please know that if Detachments do not share this information, they will not receive payments from National for PLM’s or any other funds from National.

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. Again if you need anything from me or my staff please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Joseph DeAngelo Jr.

Commandant, Department of New Jersey
Marine Corps League
Worthy Pack Leader, New Jersey Pack
Military Order of the Devil Dogs
Marine for Life National Committee
National Legislative Committee
National Training Committee

03/30/2020

Good Evening Marines,

After discussing with the Department of NJ Executive Board we have decided in accordance with the President’s decision to extend Social distancing for the month of April we are cancelling any and all Department of NJ Meetings, New Jersey Pack Growls, Fundraising, Training and Events for the month of April. I would recommend all of our Detachments and Pounds do the same.

I am attempting to secure the Freehold Elks for our Department meeting and Pack Growl on May 17, 2020 as the following week is Memorial Day weekend and I am sure anything we attempt to hold is going to conflict with events if they are still happening. I will confirm this in the next few days and will pass on the final decision then.

This Saturday we will be having our first Video Teleconference with Zoom for the Department Executive Board. This is a test run to see how things work. Barb will be sending out the link to the Board along with simple instructions on what to do. I have used this in the past and it is quite simple. You can use your computer or Phone.

The reason I say test run is if for some reason we can not have a Department meeting in May, I am considering having the Department meeting via Zoom. The meeting can host up to 100 participants and I can control the meeting from my computer. Again, only if this is needed.

If anyone needs anything please reach out to me or my staff for assistance.

Let me finish by saying this.

Please check on your fellow Marines and members to see if they need any assistance. If not, please stay home unless you absolutely have to go out. If you do, please use precaution, use sanitizer when out and make sure you are washing your hands.

Stay safe, Stay Healthy and Semper Fi,

Joseph DeAngelo Jr.

03/15/2020

Marines,

After discussing with the Department Board of Trustees we have decided due to the National Health Emergency that Effective Immediately all Department of New Jersey, Marine Corps League and New Jersey Pack, Military Order of the Devil Dog activities to Installations, Fundraisers, Training and such has been suspended for a minimum of 30 days pending a reevaluation of the current pandemic.

I would recommend all Detachment and Pounds within the Department and Pack follow suit for the health and welfare of our Members and Families.

If your Detachment’s Installation falls within this time frame please email Sr. Vice Commandant Cleary with the next suitable date for Installation.

Please take every precaution to protect yourself and your families. Make sure we have a plan in place to contact all of our older members and especially those with medical conditions and make sure they are taken care of.

If you need anything from the Department please do not hesitate to contact us.

Semper Fi,

Joseph DeAngelo Jr.

Updated 05/23/2020 – Update on Department Activities

Update on Department Activities

05/23/2020

05/06/2020

05/04/2020

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04/07/2020

03/30/2020

03/15/2020

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