Hudson County Community College Partners with the New Jersey Army National Guard for the ‘Educate the Educator’ Program
May 17, 2016
May 17, 2016, Jersey City, NJ – As part of a partnership with the New Jersey Army National Guard, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) administrators, faculty and staff will travel to-and-from Fort Dix in Lakehurst, NJ via a UH-60 A/L Black Hawk helicopter. Their journey will begin with a departure from Liberty State Park on Tuesday, May 24 at 9 a.m.
The HCCC group will spend four hours at Fort Dix as part of the “Educate the Educator” program, which provides a tour and information on the New Jersey Army National Guard and how possible future soldiers can benefit from being part of the Guard. Those benefits include free college tuition, additional income, cash bonuses, eligibility for the Montgomery GI education and training bill, student loan repayment, and leadership training. Additional benefits include low-cost dental benefits and life insurance, VHA/VA assistance for qualified home buyers, retirement benefits, commissary and post-exchange privileges, access to the Federal Credit Union, and more.
“We are obviously excited about riding the Black Hawk, and about learning more about the New Jersey Army National Guard,” said HCCC President Glen Gabert, Ph.D. He noted that the New Jersey Army National Guard provides a unique opportunity for students to attend college full-time and serve our country. “This program allows HCCC students to attend regularly scheduled courses and receive up to 16 credits per semester tuition free,” Dr. Gabert said. Hudson County Community College presently has about 100 students who are part of the New Jersey Army National Guard.
The UH-60 A/L Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine utility helicopter that entered service in 1979. Its mission is to provide air assault, general support, aeromedical evacuation, command and control, and special operations support to combat, stability and support operations. As the primary division-level transport helicopter, the UH-60 Black Hawk provides dramatic improvements in troop capacity and cargo-lift capability. With a crew of three, the helicopter can lift an entire 11-man, fully equipped infantry squad in most weather conditions.