Assemblywoman awards service medals to veterans, promotes benefit access

by NewJerseyHills.com

State Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, R-Morris, honored military veterans and helped connect them with available resources during an event Thursday, Sept. 4, at the County College of Morris in Randolph, awarding state service medals to two dozen veterans while promoting access to state benefits.

The Republican lawmaker from Morris County organized the ceremony in partnership with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMAVA) and the college's Veterans Resource Center, emphasizing her commitment to supporting veterans and their families throughout New Jersey.

"I look at this event as a small token of gratitude for the immense sacrifice and service of our veterans," Dunn said. "It's about ensuring we are supporting our heroes and their families who call New Jersey home and building bridges between veterans and available benefits."

Dunn, who serves on the New Jersey Military Skills Council, has been actively working to make the state more military-friendly through her "Welcome Home Veterans Act." The legislation addresses unique challenges veterans face when transitioning to civilian life.

The first bill under the act (A4733/S3595) would require the Motor Vehicle Commission to provide information about veteran benefits when issuing or renewing driver's licenses and identification cards that include veteran designations. The measure aims to ensure veterans are aware of services available to them.

"In Trenton, I will always stand with our veterans — working across the aisle to strengthen benefits, expand access to services, and ensure DMAVA has the resources it needs," Dunn said.

The assemblywoman's advocacy for veterans stems from personal experience. Her father served as a Vietnam veteran, and those experiences shaped her appreciation for military service.

"There are no words, no medals, and no ceremony that will ever be enough to repay what veterans have given to this nation," Dunn said. "My father fought at Khe Sanh and his stories instilled in me a lifelong appreciation for those who wear the uniform."

Dunn noted that her commitment to veterans' issues has become even more personal recently, with her son entering the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

The event was supported by DMAVA's veterans outreach campaign and the Veterans Resource Center at County College of Morris, reflecting ongoing efforts to ensure veterans can access the benefits and services they've earned through their military service.