The New Jersey Lakes & Pines Chapter Mission is two fold: FIRST: Support active duty and retiree benefit programs for all members of the uniformed services, their families and survivors and to advocate for a strong national defense. SECOND: Generate local community support for active, former and retired military members and their families.

Membership in the New Jersey Lakes & Pines Chapter is open to any person who currently holds or has ever held a commission or warrant in any of the eight United States Uniformed Services: the US Army, US Navy, US Marine Corps, US Air Force, US Space Force, US Coast Guard, Public Health Service or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and their surviving spouses. Membership applications may be obtained by contacting our Membership Chair, Major Linda Delamar, USAF (Ret), at: lmdelamar@aol.net. The Chapter is located in Central New Jersey and currently meets monthly at 1200H in person on either the second Thursday or second Saturday between September and June. Our upcoming Spring 2024 meetings will be held as noted in the General Information Section below. Please contact Major James Badgley, USAF (Ret), Chapter Public Affairs Officer, at james.badgley63@yahoo.com for meeting information. PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR MONTHLY CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS.

We are active in the MOAA NJ State Council of Chapters. The Chapter annually awards the MOAA Medal for Military Leadership to outstanding cadets from both college ROTC and high school Junior ROTC Units within our eleven (11) county area of responsibility. The Chapter annually sponsors a luncheon in June to award several College Scholarships to outstanding graduating Junior ROTC senior cadets nominated from their respective high schools. We sponsor a Junior Officer of the Year (JOY) Awards Program annually in February recognizing outstanding company-grade officers from among all military service units stationed at JBMDL and other regional military installations.. This program enhances our continued Active Duty-Guard-Reserve recognition and membership recruiting efforts. Additionally, our Advocacy in Action legislative activities, as well as membership drive efforts, are included as part of the JBMDL "Retiree Appreciation Day" that is scheduled for May 4, 2024 on JBMDL.  Finally, the Chapter participates in various annual Memorial Day Ceremonies at Joint Base MDL, the Brigadier General Doyle State Veterans Cemetery and the Burlington County Veterans Memorial Park.

The New Jersey Lakes & Pines Chapter actively supports the National MOAA Advocacy in Action agenda through visits, telephone calls, e-mails, letters and cards to our Representatives and Senators in support of National MOAA legislative agenda items. SERVICE IN ACTION, our monthly Chapter newsletter, highlights individual national and state legislative agenda items and urges our membership to actively support these various efforts. Federal and state elected officials are invited periodically as guest speakers to various chapter forums. The Chapter is also active within the State of New Jersey through working with our District Legislators in supporting State legislation that benefits all service members, retirees and veterans.

Announcements of location and speaker for the next In-Person or Virtual CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS are made through SERVICE IN ACTION, our monthly Chapter newsletter; by email notices; and this website.

Our upcoming Chapter Membership luncheon meetings are scheduled as follows:

1. Saturday, 13 April 2024 at 1200H at Pudgy's Sport Pub on Joint Base MDL, NJ. Guest Speaker: Constance Cotton, SFC, USA (Ret), author: "On the Battlefield".

2. Thursday, 9 May 2024 at 1200H at Pudgy's Sport Pub on Joint Base MDL, NJ. Guest Speaker: TBA.

3. Saturday, 15 June 2024 at 1200H at Tommy B's Community Center on Joint Base MDL, NJ. Program: Lt Col Ray Flavion Memorial JROTC Scholarship Awards Luncheon, Guest Speaker: TBA.

We look forward to seeing you at all our upcoming Chapter gatherings.

Please have a safe and enjoyable Spring and Summer Season.

The New Jersey Lakes & Pines Chapter, an affiliate of MOAA, was chartered in 1962 and has a membership region covering eleven New Jersey counties: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Salem Counties. In-person meetings are currently held monthly from September through the following June. Our monthly newsletter, SERVICE IN ACTION, provides current highlights of local and national importance. The Chapter, with a current membership of 125, is an active chapter and the very proud recipient of twenty-one MOAA 5 Star Level of Excellence Awards and two Colonel Marvin J. Harris Communications Awards. The Chapter is very proud of advocacy in action successes at the national and state levels on behalf of all military beneficiaries, regardless of military rank or grade. At the national level, the Chapter is credited as a strong advocate in obtaining the Paid-up provision to the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP). At the state level, the Chapter is credited as the primary veterans' organization to advocate for and gain the change in New Jersey law that exempts military pensions and survivor benefit payments from state income taxes.