MORRIS PLAINS — Veterans, service providers, and dignitaries from across northern New Jersey gathered this week to celebrate our military service members at the first-ever Morris County Veteran Appreciation Day, held at VFW Post 3401 in Morris Plains Borough.
The Morris County Commissioners and Morris County Veterans Services Office participated in the event organized by Welcome Home Veterans of New Jersey, Catholic Charities Diocese of Paterson, NJ SOS Veteran Stakeholders Group, VFW 3401, American Legion Post 59 of Morristown, and the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Portofino’s Restaurant of Morristown catered a delicious buffet.
Among the attendees was 100-year-old World War II veteran Sydney Levit, who served with the 17th Airborne Division during the Battle of the Bulge. Levit’s unit had suffered significant losses during the Normandy invasion, where over 4,400 Allied troops perished on D-Day. But his unit moved on and, during the Allied advance into Germany, played a crucial role in capturing high-ranking Nazi official Franz von Papen, who had helped Adolph Hitler rise to power.
This past June, Levit returned to France for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, where French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Joseph Biden awarded him the Legion of Honor.
“Morris County owes a debt of gratitude to our veterans, and today is just a small token of our appreciation for their service,” said Commissioner Stephen Shaw, whose father, Robert Kent Shaw, served in the Korean War. “It wasn’t until after my father passed away that I discovered the extent of his military service. Two years ago, he was posthumously awarded a distinguished service medal, which inspired me to learn more about the sacrifices he made in Korea.”
Commissioner Shaw also highlighted the Morris County Veterans Compendium, an ongoing project led by the County’s Office of Planning and Preservation to compile a comprehensive database of veterans from Morris County dating back to the Revolutionary War. The database documents veterans’ stories and backgrounds and outlines historical battle sites, encampments, and gravesites of local veterans.
In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of the War in Afghanistan on Oct. 7, 2026, local servicemembers are invited to share their stories by emailing Morris County Cultural and Historic Resources Specialist Jan Williams at jwilliams@co.morris.nj.us.
Morris County Commissioner Director Christine Myers, Commissioners John Krickus and Thomas Mastrangelo, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, N.J. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Commissioner Vincent Solomeno, and Mark Regan, Chief of Staff for Senator Anthony M. Bucco, also expressed their gratitude to the veterans at the event.
“Morris County wants to be there for our veterans. Not just on days like today but every day. Part of veteran support is ensuring that they are employed after their selfless service to our country,” said Commissioner Krickus, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. “That’s why we need to bring engineering and manufacturing jobs back to the United States and why workforce development boot camps at County College of Morris (CCM)—which are free for veterans—are so important.”
The CCM boot camps mentioned by the commissioner are part of the New Jersey Defense Manufacturing Community Consortium, a training program launched in 2023 through a partnership between the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP) and CCM. Congresswoman Sherrill helped secure a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, awarded to NJMEP by the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, to educate and train veterans and their families for careers in manufacturing at no cost. The program will be available for five years and aims to assist 1,200 participants.
Morris County has expanded support for veterans by doubling the space allocated for the Veterans Services Office last year and hiring a fourth veterans service officer over the summer. The office provides various services, including mental health support, shelter placement, transportation, meal assistance, counseling, and legal services. For more information, veterans can visit the Morris County Veterans Services Office website or call (97) 285-6866.
A new federal Veterans Center Community Access Point (CAP) opened this May at the Morris County Veterans Services Office. VA counselors from the Bloomfield Vet Center are available weekly by appointment to provide services. Veterans interested in these services should call (973) 748-0980 to schedule an appointment.
