New Jersey’s Heartland is proud to honor Bruce Land of Vineland, as its November 2022 Heartland Hero. The former New Jersey Assemblyman, whose military service during the Vietnam War garnered him two Bronze Stars, continues to be an advocate for veterans throughout the region.

Land, a Cumberland County native, who was assigned to the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam soon after being drafted in 1969, is a retired captain in the New Jersey Department of Corrections. As a New Jersey Assemblyman, representing New Jersey’s 1st District from 2016-2020, Land’s committee assignments included Homeland Security & State Preparedness and Military & Veterans’ Affairs, among others.

During his tenure in the Assembly, Land helped write several bills to support military veterans. Even before he entered politics, however, Land was an advocate for veterans, including as a member of the Cumberland County Veterans Commission, on which he still serves. During this time of year, the Commission supports such initiatives as Project Thanksgiving, a nonprofit that provides monetary and food donations to veteran’s groups and food banks in Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.

Land says his proudest achievement as a New Jersey Assemblyman was helping to craft the “Code Blue” law, which requires all counties in the state to have a plan in place to shelter homeless persons during severe weather conditions.

Born and raised in Millville, Land has lived with his wife Bonnie in Vineland for 45 years.