“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.