GAMC Veterans Day Announcement

“As we join together to honor the service of our U.S. military veterans, we are reminded of their patriotism, courage and determination. These men and women answered the call to protect this nation and uphold the principles of liberty, freedom, and equality that we hold dear.

“Nearly 900,000 veterans call New York home. While we will never be able to repay their sacrifice, this administration is committed to ensuring our U.S. military members and their families have full access to employment opportunities, high-quality education, healthcare and affordable housing.

“The exemplary men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces are heroes. They have persevered through great hardship, and they have made our country safer and stronger as a result. Today, and every day, let us express our gratitude and recommit ourselves to honoring our veterans through not just words, but actions.”

Since taking office, Governor Cuomo has made strengthening services for veterans, active service members and their families a top priority. From holding the state’s first Summit on Veterans and Military Families to launching a ‘Strike Force’ partnership with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to help alleviate the federal government’s backlog of benefit claims, the Governor has spearheaded a number of programs and reforms to support U.S. military service members across New York.

Just in this past year, we have:

  • Launched a new New York State Veterans mobile app that connects veterans and their families to jobs, housing, healthcare and education;
  • Helped New York veterans and their families obtain more than $80 million in VA benefits;
  • Exempted more than 485,000 veterans from local property taxes;
  • Certified more businesses as Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses, bringing the total number of companies to more than 260 with $28 million in state contracts awarded; and
  • Recognized 44,000 veterans with a special ‘veterans’ designation on their driver’s license or non-driver’s ID card.

GAMC Announces Veterans Nursing Home Initiative

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a new pilot program to help connect veterans in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities with benefits, programs, and services earned as a result of their military service. For the first time in its 70-year history, the New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs will hire Veterans Benefits Advisors to exclusively assist Veterans in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, including the Veterans Homes operated by the New York State Department of Health and the State University of New York.

“Our veterans answered the call to serve our nation and we owe it to them to ensure they have access to the resources that they are rightfully able to obtain,” said Governor Cuomo. “This new initiative will help ensure that when a new veteran patient enters a nursing home, they are better able have their needs addressed and their quality of life improved.”

While the Division of Veteran’s Affairs has over 40 accredited Veterans Benefits Advisors covering 70 offices across the state, this new pilot program will, for the first time, hire several new ones that will be dispatched directly to skilled nursing facilities and provide enhanced outreach to Veterans where they live. This provides a much-needed centralized point of contact for nursing home administrators when they encounter a Veteran or a Veteran’s family member who needs assistance with applying for federal and state Veteran’s benefits.

The Veterans Benefits Advisors, all of whom will obtain accreditation to represent Veterans and their family members before the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, will advocate free of charge for these veterans in claims and appeals for disability compensation, non-service-connected pension, and other benefits, programs, and services that can bring life-changing aid to a Veteran and their family. During the last calendar year alone, existing Veterans Benefits Advisors successfully obtained more than $75 million in new and recurring VA benefits for veterans and their family members throughout New York State.

New York State Division of Veteran’s Affairs Executive Director Eric Hesse said, “We appreciate Governor Cuomo’s new initiative to reach out to our Veterans in nursing homes across the State. Our goal in the DVA is to ensure no Veteran is left behind and this takes this and our ‘Have you served?’ campaign to the next level. We in New York State have an aging Veterans population and it is our responsibility to ensure they are all receiving the benefits, programs, and services they have earned.”

The New York State Department of Health operates State Veterans Homes in the communities of Batavia, Montrose, Oxford, and St. Albans. SUNY operates a State Veterans Home on the campus of SUNY Stony Brook. Veterans with a VA disability compensation rating of 70 percent or higher receive skilled nursing care from these facilities free of charge. All other Veterans and their spouses can receive skilled nursing care from these homes at a cost significantly lower than the price of most private facilities, as long as the Veteran received an honorable discharge from the military and either entered military service from New York State or is a resident of New York State today. ​

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, “New York’s Veterans have risked everything to protect the freedoms that we enjoy. We have an obligation to make sure they are benefitting from the assistance, services, and programs that have been established for them.”

SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher said, “Since the Long Island State Veteran’s Home opened its doors on SUNY’s Stony Brook University campus in 1991, we have proudly provided medical care to thousands who served our country. Establishing a more seamless connection between veterans and the benefits he or she has earned is certain to help alleviate what can be a tremendous burden to veterans and their families.”

In 2015, the Division conducted over 300 outreach events across New York — more than twice the number of outreach events that it conducted during the previous year. This year, the Division is on pace to conduct even more than last year, including its 11-11 Community Conversations across every region of the State. Each Community Conversation featured a town hall meeting facilitated by two or more members of the Division’s executive staff in which members of the public posed questions and recommended ideas about improving services for Veterans, service members, and their families in New York. Some ideas proposed at these Community Conversations produced new initiatives that the Division and other state agencies implemented during the past calendar year, including communications-based improvements such as the New York State Veterans App.

GAMC Announces Improved NYS Veterans’ Mobile App

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a number of new high-tech features to the New York State Veterans’ App that will improve access to state programs and services for veterans and their families. In February 2016, New York launched a free mobile app to help the state’s 834,000 veterans, along with their family members, to conveniently connect with valuable services and programs in their local communities.

“These new features will help make it easier and more convenient for New York veterans to learn about and access the resources available to them in the Empire State,” Governor Cuomo said. “These brave New Yorkers answered the call and helped defend the values that this state and nation were founded upon and this administration is committed to doing everything it can to honor their service and help ensure they get access to the benefits for which they are entitled.”

By incorporating geo-fencing, or the ability to create a digital boundary, alerts can be sent to people regarding events and resources within a specific region. Additionally, the push notifications will now also provide interactive links that users can simply tap and be directed to the proper websites containing information about updates in healthcare, housing, education, employment claims and benefits.

Eric J. Hesse, the Director of New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs said, “We appreciate the support of the Governor and the Office of Information Technology Services in our continued development of the NYS Veterans’ App. As we continue to push for additional awareness and usage of the NYS Veterans’ App we thought it important to be able to reach targeted veteran populations, which is what these new features will accomplish.”

Integrating geo-fencing into the app’s update allows veterans and their families to access personalized resources based on their current locations and with this upgrade, these individuals have access to up-to-the-minute information about temporary and permanent programs. The enhanced mobile app will retain all of its original features, including providing information related to Federal and State Veterans’ Benefits programs and the ability to alert veterans and their families about changing decisions and policies of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Division of Veterans’ Affairs was able to alert specific New York veterans to healthcare changes and provide the link to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs webpage regarding information about these changes. Additionally, with the “Near Me” feature on the mobile app, veterans and family members are able to find the nearest Division of Veterans’ Affairs office and schedule an appointment with a Veterans Benefits Advisor to help them file a claim.

This system permits veterans and their family members to instantly discover new developments regarding the resources available to them and their loved ones. The new New York State Veterans App provides an important medium for delivering information and access to services for veterans throughout New York State. It is a vital tool for reaching out to all New York State veterans and their family members.

The New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs worked collaboratively with ITS to enhance the mobile app, which won the “Best Mobile/Wireless Project” from the Center for Digital Government in 2016. To access the New York State Veterans App, follow the links below:

For iOS Devices

For Android Devices

To explore more of New York State’s official mobile apps, visit www.ny.gov/mobileapps.

About the Division of Veterans’ Affairs
New York State’s Division of Veterans’ Affairs assists veterans and their family members the rest of the way. For 70 years, the Division has connected generations of veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and their families and dependents to multiple economic, medical, and social benefits and services earned as a result of military service. The Division maintains 68 field offices to assist veterans and their families at the local level throughout every region in New York. In calendar year 2015 alone, the Division’s accredited Veterans Benefits Advisors successfully prepared, presented, and prosecuted approximately $75 million worth of claims and appeals for monetary benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for New York State’s Veterans and their family members. At all times, the Division strives to provide high-quality support, advice, and advocacy for the men and women who served our Nation and State.

GAMC Announce Branch Specific License Plates

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that new service branch-specific license plates are available for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Marines. The new custom plates, made available for the first time in New York, join a number of others offered in the Veteran and Military series, including the Purple Heart Recipient, Vietnam Veteran and War on Terror Veteran license plates. In celebration of Veterans Day, the more than 770,000 veterans who call New York home will now be able to represent their branch of service on their license plates.

“New York is proud of the hundreds of thousands of honorable men and women who have fought to protect the freedom and values this state and nation were founded upon,” Governor Cuomo said. “With the launch of these new license plates, veterans can celebrate the unbreakable bonds formed with fellow service members, as we acknowledge their remarkable courage and service to our country.”

The branch specific plates are the newest offering in the Military and Veteran series of license plates. In order to purchase a custom plate, New Yorkers are required to validate their military service with a copy of their discharge papers (DD-214 or equivalent documentation) and mail a copy with a completed application, found here.

New York State has a long history of veterans distinguishing themselves through military service, dating back to the American Revolution in 1775 through the present day. New York was the first state to officially name its state militia the National Guard in 1862, and in 1903, the Dick Act required all states to follow suit and also call their militia the National Guard. Decades later, Congress changed a law barring women from serving in the Guard, and just two days after the law passed, the first woman to join the National Guard was a member of the New York National Guard’s 106th Tactical Hospital in 1956.

The launch of these new plates supports the Governor’s commitment to create opportunities to honor and acknowledge men and women of service. The license plates offer New York veterans the opportunity to proudly display their branch of service and celebrate their dedication to protecting New York State. To learn more about these and other military plates that are currently offered, visit the Department of Motor Vehicles website.

“With the launch of these new license plates, veterans can celebrate the unbreakable bonds formed with fellow service members, as we acknowledge their remarkable courage and service to our country.”

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

NYS Division of Veterans’ Affairs Director Eric J. Hesse said, “We are thrilled to have the branches of service license plates available to all those who have served. Though we all work and serve the same cause, each of us holds a special pride for the branch we served and now New Yorkers can display that pride for all to see.”
 
DMV Executive Deputy Commissioner Terri Egan said, “DMV is proud to offer the new service branch plates to Veterans across New York State. We encourage New Yorkers to view the new plate designs that celebrate and honor those who have served in the United States Armed Forces.”

Assemblyman Michael DenDekker, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs said, “‎Our veterans and their families have sacrificed, and continue to sacrifice, so much to protect our freedom. I applaud Governor Cuomo for adding these license plates as an option for men and women to proudly display their service, as we honor all of our veterans today, and every day, in New York State.”

Vietnam Veterans of America New York State Council President Ned Foote said, “The Division of Veterans’ Affairs worked expediently to ensure that the Veterans of New York can display the pride they have in their branch of service through these license plates. I look forward to seeing the continuing progress made by Governor Cuomo and the Division in helping New York Veterans.”

As part of New York’s commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the United States’ participation in World War I, an exhibit is currently displayed at the State Capitol to highlight New Yorkers participation in the war. The exhibit is on display in the historic War Room of the Capitol in Albany through November 2018 – the centennial of the signing of the Armistice that ended the fighting in World War I. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information about visiting the New York State Capitol, visit: www.ogs.ny.gov/esp/ct/tours/Capitol.asp.

To learn more about the brave men and women of New York who served during World War I, visit the New York State WWI Centennial Commission at www.ny.gov/WWI. The website contains links to oral histories, information on New York troops and Medal of Honor awardees, and a statewide calendar with more than 50 WWI events and exhibits across the state.

New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs
New York State’s Division of Veterans’ Affairs advocates on behalf of New York’s Veterans and their families, as individuals and as a group, to ensure they receive benefits granted by law for service in the United States Armed Forces. The Division maintains 50 field offices to assist Veterans and their families at the local level throughout every region in New York. At all times, the Division strives to provide high-quality support, advice, and advocacy for the men and women who served our Nation and State. For more information, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, visit our website‎ veterans.ny.gov, and call 1-888-VETS-NYS (1-888-838-7697) to schedule an appointment.