Bill Text: NY J02894 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Honoring Bill Schaaf upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the Four Chaplains Brotherhood Award
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2020-02-27 - ADOPTED [J02894 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-J02894-Introduced.html
Senate Resolution No. 2894
BY: Senator BRESLIN
HONORING Bill Schaaf upon the occasion of his
designation as recipient of the Four Chaplains
Brotherhood Award by the Jewish War Veterans of the
United States of America, Albany Post No. 105 on
February 23, 2020
WHEREAS, Individuals who give of their time and energy and serve the
best interests of their communities are an asset beyond remuneration and
cannot be sufficiently extolled; and
WHEREAS, Bill Schaaf has given not only of his time and energy but
also of his competence, intelligence and leadership and, consequently,
has been designated for special recognition; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Bill Schaaf
of Troy, New York, upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of
the Four Chaplains Brotherhood Award by the Jewish War Veterans of the
United States of America, Albany Post No. 105, to be celebrated at its
55th Annual Memorial Service and Brotherhood Award Program on Sunday,
February 23, 2020, at the First Reformed Church, in Schenectady, New
York; and
WHEREAS, The Four Chaplains gave their lives in the sinking of the
troopship Dorchester on February 3, 1943; the Brotherhood Award honors
residents of the Capital District whose services and devotion in the
practice of brotherhood are deserving of recognition; and
WHEREAS, This prestigious honor exists to promote the cause of
"unity without uniformity" by encouraging good will and cooperation
among all people; its vision is to impart the principles of selfless
service to humanity without regard to race, creed, ethnicity or
religion; and
WHEREAS, For more than 13 years, Bill Schaaf has supported the
veteran community in his role as a Patriot Guard Rider, Ride Captain,
Senior Ride Captain and Assistant State Captain; since 2016, he has
served as State Captain and President of the Patriot Guard Riders Board
of Directors; and
WHEREAS, His personal efforts and devotion to others go above and
beyond the spirit of volunteerism; he has truly touched the lives of
thousands of veterans and veteran families; and
WHEREAS, Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Bill Schaaf served
his country as a member of the United States Army from 1968 to 1971,
leaving service with the esteemed rank of Sergeant; currently, he is
employed as a licensed insurance broker; and
WHEREAS, In 2009, three years after he joined the Patriot Guard
Riders, Bill Schaaf was the lead coordinator for Patriot Guard honors
for the three-day escort of remains of an unknown Civil War Union
soldier brought home to New York from the Antietam Battlefield for
interment at the Saratoga National Cemetery; and
WHEREAS, In a similar role of that same year, Bill Schaaf became the
state coordinator for the Patriot Guard Veterans Recovery Program,
creating and managing a program that works with New York funeral
directors to identify unclaimed cremated remains of veterans to ensure
they receive military honors and interment; and
WHEREAS, Under Bill Schaaf's direction, more than 200 unclaimed
veterans have received their final honors and interment at Bath National
Cemetery or Saratoga National Cemetery; and
WHEREAS, His efforts to give back to service members, veterans and
military families led to his personal participation in hundreds of
veteran funeral honors, including coordination and leadership in the
participation of Patriot Guard honors for 12 area service men and women
killed in action in our nation's current overseas conflicts; and
WHEREAS, Statewide, Bill Schaaf oversees and provides direction for
a ridership of more than 4,500 members, ensuring that honors for
veterans and military families are available in every corner and
community in New York State; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his time with the Patriot Guard, Bill Schaaf
extended his reach to other groups, reestablishing the local Capital
Region Patriot Flight chapter of the Honor Flight network in 2014,
leading two flights that year to bring WWII veterans to their memorial
in Washington, DC; and
WHEREAS, In 2015, Bill Schaaf organized a statewide ride for more
than 200 riders and three Capital Region veterans of the Battle of Iwo
Jima to Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the
Unknowns in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World
War II; permissions have been received that will enable another trip to
Arlington for the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII in August of this
year; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, Bill Schaaf led statewide Patriot Guard Rider
fund raising efforts raising $25,000 to fully fund a 2016 Springtime
Leatherstocking Honor Flight to Washington DC; again, he worked with
leadership staff at the Leatherstocking chapter to bring Honor Flights
back to his native Buffalo in 2016, bringing 100 veterans of WWII and
the Korean War to DC, reviving a Buffalo-Niagara chapter that continues
to this day; and
WHEREAS, Not satisfied with all he has done, Bill Schaaf is
currently working with local volunteers to form a new charitable
organization to address Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among our
veterans; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an
individual for the benefit of others which Bill Schaaf has displayed
throughout his life; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the vitality and well-being of their community and its citizens,
and have shown a long and sustained commitment to humanitarianism, have
certainly earned the recognition and applause of all the citizens of
this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Bill Schaaf upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of
the Four Chaplains Brotherhood Award by the Jewish War Veterans of the
United States of America, Albany Post No. 105 on February 23, 2020; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Bill Schaaf.
