The Township of Nutley made history this week by becoming the first municipality in the country to enter into the Association of the United States Navy (AUSN) Municipal Government Partnership/Shared Services Pilot Program.

Orchestrated by Nutley Veteran Affairs Department Commissioner John V. Kelly III along with AUSN Lieutenant Commander (and former Nutley Commissioner) Steven Rogers, this partnership will give Nutley’s active reservists and retired members of the US Navy, Marines and Coast Guard access to resources, programs and services in the areas including, but not limited to, administrative, health, social, financial and spiritual guidance. In return, Nutley will provide AUSN with resources they can refer back to Township residents. AUSN and the Township will also work together at certain military and veterans’ events throughout the year to promote the services offered. 

“This partnership creates added value for our Navy veterans, not only for those coming out of the service, but also those graduating high school just entering the service,” stated Kelly. “This program will allow us to better track our veterans and help cue them into the resources available to them as they return home. Anything we can do to help our veterans is always a plus.” 

“Commissioner Kelly is taking the Veterans Affairs Department into the future,” commented Rogers. “He is preparing to meet the needs of Navy, Marine and Coast Guard veterans and their families. This partnership falls in line with what the Chief of Naval Operations wants to see in regard to the US Navy reaching out to communities like Nutley to provide for their veterans. Nutley is the first municipality, not just in the state, but the entire country to take part in this pilot program. Hats off to Commissioner Kelly for taking this step.”

Daniel Jacoby, director of the Township of Nutley Veteran Affairs, commended both Kelly and Rogers for their work on behalf of Nutley veterans. 

“Commissioner Rogers started the Veterans Affairs Department and Commissioner Kelly expanded on it once he took office. Now, together, the prior and current commissioners are taking what they started and moving it forward into the future.” 

For more information about the Veterans Affairs Department, contact Daniel Jacoby at 973-284-4951, ext. 2428.