NJ's last National Guard troops in Iraq come home

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsNEW JERSEY (WABC) -- It was an emotional day in New Jersey for some local members of the military and their families who returned home.

They were the last New Jersey National Guard troops to leave Iraq.

Tiny babies seeing Daddy again, big hugs that don't want to end, and kisses that don't end, this was welcome home.

"I love him. I miss him," said one mother.

One mom was over the moon to have her baby son home safe.

"(How old are you, baby boy?) Uh, 29 and 275 pounds, big baby boy!" the National Guardsman joked.

For Rachel, 24, and staff Sgt. Jeff Stich, 25, it's been a tough 6 months as a young family. Baby Kylee is now almost one.

"It's amazing to have him home," said Rachel Stich, Jeff's wife.

"We were supposed to be home in February so this is a blessing in itself," Sgt. Stich said.

He says it was historic and surreal driving out of Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Rogers, from Manahawkin, begs us not to forget those who are not here.

"There's still a war in Afghanistan, please don't forget those who are not here, okay?" said Staff Sgt. Justin Rogers, now home from Iraq.

For now, Master Sgt. George Sikaffy who's served 22 years says to honor our patriots by appreciating everything, family, freedom, even food.

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NJ Guard chief seen touching female aide quits

  By BETH DeFALCOTRENTON, N.J. -- The longtime commander of New Jersey's National Guard is resigning after being caught having a physical relationship with a woman who works for him, government officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Maj. Gen. Glenn Rieth, who is married, and the aide were caught in his office last month touching each other, officials familiar with the matter said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter.

Rieth, a prominent member of Republican Gov. Chris Christie's Cabinet and a childhood friend, will retire effective Dec. 15, the governor said.

"This is obviously a difficult time for his family, and General Rieth did the right thing by stepping down to address this as a personal matter," Christie said.

Rieth, 54, has commanded the National Guard for nearly a decade.

He was appointed by Democratic Gov. James McGreevey, who had his own sex scandal involving a male Cabinet member.

According to officials, Rieth reported the incident with his aide to the governor early last month and said it was being reported to the Army. He offered his resignation less than two weeks later, one of the officials said.

The woman also is married and lives just a few miles away from the Rieth and his wife; the couples knew each other socially.

As the commander of the state National Guard, Rieth leads more than 9,000 soldiers and airmen. He also oversees the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and all state veterans' programs, commissions and facilities in New Jersey. Rieth's wife, Linda Rieth, has long played a prominent role at National Guard functions.

Glenn Rieth had a blemish-free record and was well-respected - a reason he was kept on by four governors.

Christie was especially close to Rieth because they were raised in Livingston, just outside Newark, and their families knew each other - something Christie made a point of noting in January 2010, when he announced that he was keeping Rieth in the position.

"I thank General Rieth for dedicating his career to his state and country, including nearly 10 years as New Jersey's adjutant general," Christie said.

Before being appointed as adjutant general of New Jersey in 2002, Rieth was the director of the State Army Aviation Office for the New Jersey Army National Guard. He attended The Citadel-Military College of South Carolina and has been in the military since 1980.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Get more New Jersey News »

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NJ police: Ex-inmate was lover of guard he killed

  Eyewitness NewsNEWARK -- Authorities say a New Jersey corrections officer was having an affair with the former convict who killed her at a barbecue in Newark early Tuesday before killing himself.

Thirty-seven-year-old Katrina Owens lived in Monmouth Junction with her three children and her husband, who is a sergeant in the state Corrections Department.

Acting Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio tells the Star-Ledger that Owens was having an affair with the man who killed her, 21-year-old Allen Barron.

As a juvenile, he was an inmate New Jersey Training School in Jamesburg when she was a guard there.

After the shooting early Tuesday, he drove away in Owens' truck, then killed himself in Richmond.

Owens was one of three people killed in separate shootings in a 45-minute span in Newark early Tuesday.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Get more New Jersey News »

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Coast Guard: Missing NJ boat case is possible hoax

  By JOSH LEDERMANSANDY HOOK, N.J. -- The U.S. Coast Guard launched an investigation Tuesday into a possible hoax after a 10-hour search turned up no sign of four boaters who sent distress calls saying they were abandoning ship.

Boats, planes and helicopters were dispatched before sunrise in a rescue operation that joined together military, state and local agencies and cost the Coast Guard almost $88,000. The rescue was called off in the afternoon after a search of a 600-square-mile area failed to turn up a boat, debris or the sailors.

Authorities are searching for whoever made two false distress calls - a federal felony - and are offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to arrest and prosecution.

The first call came in shortly after 3 a.m. Tuesday on an emergency radio channel. Claiming to be aboard a 33-foot white sailboat named Courtney Lynn, the callers said their vessel was taking on water. Less than an hour later, those aboard radioed that the boat was 90 percent submerged, and that they were transferring to a small gray dinghy.

No further transmissions were received from the callers, who said they didn't have a hand-held radio or flares to communicate with rescuers from the dinghy. The Coast Guard did not have information about boat registration or owners.

A Coast Guard boat searched for five hours, while local police agencies searched from land. A Coast Guard airplane was dispatched from Massachusetts and flew three rescue flights over the search area, while both the Coast Guard and New Jersey State Police searched by helicopter.

"The weather conditions were ideal for finding a 33-foot vessel, even if it were sinking," said Chief Warrant Officer Troy Loining, who commands the Coast Guard's Sandy Hook Station.

The initial distress call placed the boat to the east of a naval station and a few miles from Sandy Hook Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean between New York City and northeastern New Jersey.

The crew later corrected their position to say they were west of the naval station. Coast Guard direction-finding equipment was used to determine the signal likely came from a few miles away near Highlands, N.J., south of Sandy Hook.

With all search options exhausted and no evidence of anyone in distress, the rescue was suspended around 1:40 p.m. and an investigation launched. Making false distress calls is a felony that can result in up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, according to the Coast Guard.

"False distress calls waste taxpayer dollars, put Coast Guard and other first responders at unnecessary risk and can interfere with the Coast Guard's ability to respond to those in actual distress at sea," said Coast Guard spokesman Charles Rowe.

Officials urged anyone with information to contact the Coast Guard anonymously at 646-872-5774.

Sandy Hook Station has responded to calls in the past that have turned out to be hoaxes, Loining said, but other distress calls have turned into legitimate rescues. In May 2010, the Coast Guard rescued two people by helicopter from a capsizing boat near Sandy Hook.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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