Edward J. Chrystal, Jr. will receive the 2019 Irishman of the Year award.
Irishman of the Year at the Friendly Son’s of St. Patrick, Union County NJ Annual Irish Heritage Dinner on March 12, 2020.
Edward will be accompanied by the following gentlemen as honored guests and award recipients:
Community Service Awards:
Brian Bonner,
Edward Sully,
Edward Thornton
Military Service Award:
Ken Hagemann
About Mr.Edward J. Chrystal, Jr.
Brigadier General Edward John Chrystal Jr. currently serves as the Land Component Commander, New Jersey Army National Guard and is responsible for the welfare, training and readiness of over 5000 soldiers. Ed enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1985 and received his commission through Seton Hall University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He has commanded at all levels to include platoon, company, battalion and brigade. Ed was actively engaged in the planning and execution of National Guard response operations to Hurricanes Maria, Irma, Harvey, Sandy, Irene, Katrina and Floyd.
A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Ed’s military awards include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal and the Basic Paratrooper Badge.
Ed served over twenty-five years as a Trooper with the New Jersey State Police. A member of the 112th NJSP Class, he retired at the rank of Lieutenant in 2014. Ed served in various positions throughout the NJSP to include patrol of the NJ Turnpike, SWAT / SCUBA (T.E.A.M.S.), Firearms Instructor, Emergency Management and Critical Infrastructure Security. Ed was detailed along with his NJSP T.E.A.M.S. unit to New York City on September 11, 2001 to assist in response and recovery efforts at Ground Zero, where they remained for many days. A certified instructor, Ed served in many State Police Academy supervisory roles including Physical Training, In-Service Instruction and Executive Training.
Upon his retirement from the NJSP, Ed went to work full time within the NJ Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Initially he served as the Director of Veterans Healthcare services overseeing three memorial veteran homes throughout the state. He was later assigned as the Deputy Adjutant General where he was the principal advisor to The Adjutant General on all matters concerning military readiness, mobilizations, homeland security, defense support to civil authorities, human resources, logistics, training, and financial management. Ed currently serves as the Superintendent of Veterans Haven North, a transitional home for homeless veterans in Glen Gardner, NJ.
From 2003 through 2010, Ed served as an Adjunct Professor for Seton Hall University preparing and providing instruction for classes in education and human resources at the Graduate level. He was named to the Board of Governors at Union County College in 2018 and has subsequently been serving on the Board of Trustees at UCC since 2019.
Ed earned his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Master of Arts in Education from Seton Hall University. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College.
Besides being an officer in the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick, Ed is an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars post 12173 and American Legion post 209. He has been recognized for his efforts in the community. Most recently, Ed has been awarded the 2020 UNICO Americanism Award and the 2016 Union County Human Relations Commission Unity Award. Brigadier General Chrystal has had the honor of being the Grand Marshall for Memorial Day Parades in Scotch Plains in 2010 and in Springfield in 2017. This year he has been honored with the distinction of being the Grand Marshal for the Township of Union Memorial Day Parade.
Ed was born in Newark, NJ. He is proud of his Irish Heritage that he traces back to Counties Cork, Sligo and Kerry. A lifetime resident of Union County, Ed was raised in Union and Springfield. He lives with his wife, Georgette, and two of their three children, Madeline and Eddie, in Scotch Plains. His oldest daughter, Theresa, lives in Maryland.