| The Camden County Board of Commissioners and Veteran Affairs is hosting various events honoring veterans and those who have served. Padre Peter Molnar Veteran Appreciation Breakfast – Tuesday, November 11th @ 8 AM |Collingswood Ballroom, 315 White Horse Pike. Registration is required, Click Here.“A Place of Honor” NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Short Film & Panel Discussion – Thursday, November 13th @ 6 PM | Scottish Rite Auditorium. For more information, Click Here. |
Honor & Remembrance
Army veteran Jorge Otero-Barreto – nicknamed the “Puerto Rican Rambo” — received multiple Silver Stars, volunteered for five tours in Vietnam, engaged in more than 200 combat and aerial missions, and was wounded five times. He died Oct. 14 at age 87.
Otero-Barreto was a platoon sergeant in the 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne, serving from 1959 to 1970.
Later, he joined The American Legion and was post commander and service officer for many years at Vega Baja American Legion Post 14, about 30 miles west of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
In 2016, American Legion Magazine ran this profile of Otero-Barreto. He will be remembered as many things to many people: honorable warrior, community leader, veterans advocate.
“I want to be remembered as a good father,” he said during the interview, bowing his head and pausing. “A good grandpa. A good father. A good husband. I want them to remember me.”
By Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes
Robert Stillman Garcia may have gone missing in action during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, but his legacy of service held strong in his family during the eight decades it took for him to return home.
“I never thought this day would come,” said Navy Lt. Allison Ledesma, his great grand niece.
She knew Garcia primarily from the portrait of him that hung in her childhood living room alongside the telegram informing the family he was missing. Garcia was 23 and serving as storekeeper 3rd class on the USS California — his first duty assignment — when the Japanese attacked.
Continue reading “Family celebrates legacy of Texas sailor killed during Pearl Harbor attack”Military helicopters flying over Pennsauken and the greater Philadelphia area are part of large-scale, routine Department of Defense training exercises for upcoming events like the FIFA World Cup and the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026. These exercises, which involve troop and equipment movement, are not a response to any specific threat but are designed to ensure preparedness and coordinate with local first responders, according to sources like FOX 29 Philadelphia and 6abc Philadelphia.
The Camden County Board of Commissioners and Veteran Affairs is hosting various events honoring veterans and those who have served.
For more information, Click Here.
Celebrating the Services who secured 250 years of independence.
As Americans celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence – the Semiquincentennial – Philadelphia and New Jersey will be commemorating the founding of the military services that helped the United States gain and defend our independence for 250 years. This special week will include exciting events, including the parade of Navy ships and other vessels, a spectacular flyover by the Blue Angels, special museum exhibits, tours of modern and historic ships, and much more.
These celebrations will shine a spotlight on the birthplace of our nation, honor the Navy and Marine Corps, salute our military service members and veterans, and remind us what unites us all.
✭ Most events are free and open to the public unless noted ✭
All Homecoming 250 events are still scheduled to take place. If any changes arise, we’ll share updates right away. Thank you for your support!
Parade of Ships & Opening Ceremony
October 9, 2025
Time: 8 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Along the Delaware River and at the Navy Yard
Watch at multiple locations along the Delaware River as multiple Navy ships and Coast Guard vessels sail to their berths in Philadelphia and Camden County. Homecoming 250 will celebrate their arrival with it Opening Ceremony and the blessing of the fleet at the historic Navy Yard in Philadelphia. Watch parties are free and open to the public.
Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Elias Brown, from Reno, Nevada, left, and Aviation Electronics Technician Airman Adolfo Herrera, from Trenton, New Jersey, assemble a dolly aboard amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7), Jan. 29, 2025. Tripoli is an America-class amphibious assault ship homeported in San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kaleb
The Defence Base Act was enacted in 1941 and extended to worker’s compensation coverage under the LHWCA. The essence of this act was to provide benefits to civilian contractors working in the U.S. base in case of injury, death, or kidnapping in the course of their work for U.S. government agencies. It is mandatory for contractors to file for DBA coverage before they can begin operating overseas. However, in certain situations, contractors can file for a DBA waiver, thus eliminating the need for them to spend extra to get coverage. Join us in this article as we explain how the DBA waiver works.
Alt: Military Camp
The authority to issue a DBA waiver lies primarily with the U.S. Department of Labor, specifically the Secretary of Labor. However, the head of any U.S. agency can recommend a waiver for DBA coverage to the Department of Labor.
The Secretary of Labor can waive the application for a DBA with respect to any contract, work location, or class of employee. If you’re unsure whether your contract with the U.S. government allows you to apply for a DBA waiver for your employees, you can reach out to our Defence Base Act Law Firm for consultations.
The contractor must submit a written request to the U.S. Department of Labor for a DBA waiver. Note that the waiver only remains valid as long as alternative workers’ compensation is offered to the waived employee.
A waiver request can be made by submitting an original copy of the DBA waiver package to the Director, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C. 20210.
When a U.S. Agency or Department recommends a DBA waiver, it is granted under Section 1(e) of the Defense Base Act (42 USC 1651 (e)). Note that a complete DBA waiver package includes the following:
The DBA was enacted to protect and compensate employees working on U.S. bases abroad from trafficking, injuries, and even death. While contractors can apply for waivers, there are limitations to protecting the DBA’s integrity. Firstly, the DBA waiver does not apply to all types of government employees or contracts.
Also, a waiver request is typically approved on the basis that the local law provides sufficient workers’ compensation coverage and the agency agrees with the terms. Contractors cannot use the DBA waiver to circumvent the DBA provision and provide lesser benefits than those civilian employees covered under the act. Also, with the policy of the Department of Labor, waivers do not apply to legal residents and citizens of the U.S. or employees hired in the U.S.