Asbury Veteran: Jeff Gural

     Jeff was born in Philadelphia in 1962.  The family moved to Palmyra, NJ in 1965 where he attended public schools and graduated from PHS in 1980.

     Jeff arrived at Parris Island, South Carolina in September, 1980 for Marine Corps Boot Camp, graduated in December and went to Millington, Tennessee to “A” School to become a Jet Mechanic.  In March, 1981 he went to Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station in North Carolina for “On the Job Training”, then to Yuma Marine Corps Air Station where he was assigned to an A-4 Skyhawk Squadron.  While there Jeff was converted from a Jet Mechanic to a Plane Captain (Crew Chief) on the Flight Line.

     Once finished with Active Duty, Jeff became a Marine Reservist at the Naval Air Station in Willow Grove, PA … also an A-4 Squadron.  He left the Marine Corps in 1988 as a Corporal.

     In 1991 Jeff married Patricia Perkins and they now have two daughters, Olivia   and Elizabeth.  The family lives in Cinnaminson where the girls attend Cinnaminson Public Schools.

Jeff worked for the Palmyra Police Department from 1984-94, leaving there as a Detective.  In March, 1999 he joined the Evesham Police Department as a Patrolman.  He became a Detective in 1999, Sergeant in 2000, Detective Sergeant in 2001, Lieutenant in 2003 and Captain in 2004.  Currently he is a Captain and the Operations Commander.  Evesham PD is an 85 member Agency in Burlington County.

In 1996 Jeff entered the US Air Force Reserve and was stationed at McGuire Air Force Base in Burlington County.  He worked there on the flight line for a C-141 Squadron and became a Sergeant.  He left the AF Reserve in 1998 as he now had a very young family.

After another long break in service Jeff joined the Army National Guard in 2006.  He attended a four month US Army School in Arizona to be trained as a Military Intelligence Analyst.  Upon completion he returned to his unit at Woodbury, NJ as a National Guardsman.

In July, 2008 Jeff was deployed to Iraq as Active Duty Army and was sent to Camp Liberty, Baghdad.  Liberty is a small base attached to Camp Victory at Baghdad International Airport.  His mission was the Non Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Intelligence shop for a Company sized Infantry unit.  They traveled most days from base into the city of Baghdad.  Some of the areas he visited were the Central Criminal Court of Iraq, Rusafa Prison, Taji Prison (Taji had the best US chow hall in the country!) and other Government buildings throughout the city and region.

Jeff’s unit was “D” Col, 1-114^th INF, 11^th MP Bg, 4^th ID

He was demobilized at the end of June 2009.  Since then he has gone back to work at the Evesham Police Department.

“The worst thing about being deployed was missing my wife Trish, my 11year old daughter Olivia and 13 year old daughter Elizabeth.

The best thing about being deployed was coming home with everyone we left with.”

Jeff has an AAS degree from Cochise County College, Arizona in Intelligence Operations and a BS degree in Administration of Justice from Thomas Edison State College.