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Sussex County Clerk Offers Veteran ID Cards
Sussex County Clerk Offers Veteran ID Cards
Sussex County is grateful to the men and women who served and continue to serve our great nation through its armed forces. As a small token of our appreciation, County Clerk Jeff Parrott, in collaboration with Sheriff Michael Strada and Sen. Steven Oroho (R-24th), began offering our veterans a courtesy Veteran I.D. Card this past summer.
The card affords participating businesses in the county an opportunity to say "thank you" to our military veterans by extending them a special discount on various goods and services. To date the Clerk's Office has issued more than 750 area veterans a new ID card, and the list of merchants that have agreed to honor the card currently stands at 50, with new businesses signing up weekly. The list of participating merchants includes everything from restaurants and recreation to vision care and retail, but the one thing they have in common is their desire to give a little something back to the brave men and women who have given them so much. (Click here for a current list of merchants participating in the program.)
The veteran card program has been well received by all since its inception this past May, as evidenced by the many recent Letters to the Editor published in the New Jersey Herald and those received by the County Clerk. Veterans like Donald Tauber are happy with the card and the recognition it brings them. "I am very proud of my military service," wrote Tauber, "and the card is an honor to have." Jeff Donahue wrote "It's a win win for everyone. [The Clerk] asked if he could shake my hand and he thanked me for my four years of service to my country. The hair on my arm stood up. It took 41 years, but someone I had never met before was actually thanking me. Proud to be a veteran."
The new veteran ID card is the size of a standard credit card and fits neatly into one's wallet. It's a convenient way for veterans to show proof of their military status and eliminates the need to carry around valuable discharge papers.
Veterans who live in Sussex County can contact the Clerk's Office to schedule an appointment to come in and have their DD214 official discharge recorded and to have their photo taken for a Veteran ID card (973-579-0900). The entire process takes about 15 minutes. Veterans should note that the Clerk can only record ORIGINAL or CERTIFIED [with a raised seal] DD214 discharge papers; copies cannot be accepted. For those veterans who are unable to locate their original DD214, they may contact the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, MO for a CERTIFIED copy with a raised seal (314-801-0800). If there is any doubt regarding the DD214 in their possession, veterans should ask questions of the clerk's staff when they call for their appointment. Veterans also will be asked to present another form of identification (such as a driver license) to show they are a resident of the county.
A sincere "Thank You" to all of our veterans! Please know that your community appreciates your service. We encourage our local veterans to call The County Clerk's Office for an appointment and/or for more information about the card at 973-579-0900.