09/13/2026
This Sunday marks the 134th anniversary of the New Jersey National Guard’s Military Review, a tradition deeply tied to the history of the National Guard Training Center at Sea Girt. The site, first leased in 1885 and later purchased by the state, was established as a summer training ground for drilling, marksmanship, and annual encampments. For decades, it also served as the summer residence of the Governor of New Jersey, who would oversee the culmination of training by reviewing the troops.
While governors had been present at summer training in prior years, the first observed “Governor’s Day” review was held in 1892, when Governor Leon Abbett reviewed the 2nd Brigade. In the years that followed, Governor’s Day became both a military and political high point of the summer season. Beyond the traditional pass in review, governors and adjutants general presented awards, observed veteran reenactments, and hosted grand banquets in nearby restaurants and hotels.
The tradition was suspended in 1941 when the camp was federalized as a U.S. Army Signal Corps training site during World War II. Forty years later, in 1981, the ceremony was revived in the form of an “Awards Ceremony.” The following year it returned under the title “The Governor’s First Annual Military Review and Awards Ceremony.”
Today, the Military Review continues this legacy. While the name has evolved, its purpose remains much the same: a time for the Governor to review the state’s military forces, recognize the achievements of Guardsmen and veterans, and bring together the National Guard and the public in a shared celebration of service.
This iteration will also be the first under our new governor, Gov. Rebecca Michelle "Mikie" Sherrill, as well the first under our new department, the NJ Dept. of Military Affairs.
