New Jersey Legionnaire to be recognized by AUSA

A longtime advocate for veterans in his home state of New Jersey will be recognized for his efforts by the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) this month.

Bob Looby, past commander of the American Legion Department of New Jersey, will receive the AUSA First Region Mary Roebling Award during the First Region spring meeting March 21-23 in Atlantic City, N.J.

“Admittedly, I was totally surprised (to receive this award),” said Looby, an Army veteran. “I’m far from being done with my homeless and now especially suicide efforts!”

Among Looby’s accomplishments are six National Homeless Veteran Outreach Awards from the Department of Veterans Affairs and National Coalition for Homeless Veterans; creation of KOVA (Keep Our Veterans Alive), the only statewide veterans suicide awareness program in New Jersey; and initiation and management of 75 homeless veteran stand downs and career and resource fairs.

The award is named for Mary G. Roebling. Twice married and widowed as a young woman, she later studied at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania — attending night classes because the university prohibited women from attending day classes. Roebling went on to become the first woman to lead a major financial institution as president of the Trenton Trust Company.