Bill Text: NY K02322 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim June 12, 2024, as Women Veterans Recognition Day in the State of New York

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2024-05-30 - adopted [K02322 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-K02322-Introduced.html

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Assembly Resolution No. 2322

BY: M. of A. Rules (Hunter)

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        June 12, 2024, as Women Veterans Recognition Day  in
        the State of New York

  WHEREAS, Seventy-six years ago, on June 12, 1948, President Harry S.
Truman  signed  into  law  the  Women's Armed Services Act of 1948 (P.L.
625-80th Congress); this law ensured that women would have  a  permanent
place in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines; and

  WHEREAS, The late Senator Margaret Chase Smith from Maine authorized
the  legislation  that President Truman signed; the Act remains the most
significant legislation pertaining to women's military  service  and  is
the cornerstone for policies and regulations affecting women; and

  WHEREAS,  Women  have  always answered the call to duty, serving the
United States of America with integrity and respect; and

  WHEREAS, When the draft ended in 1973, women  represented  just  two
percent  of  the enlisted forces and eight percent of the officer corps;
today sixteen percent of the  enlisted  force  are  women  and  nineteen
percent of women are in the officer corps; and

  WHEREAS,  Women from New York who have served in the Armed Forces of
the United States  have  made  countless  contributions  and  tremendous
sacrifices; and

  WHEREAS,  It is important to recognize the contributions of New York
women veterans, and to educate the people of  New  York  concerning  the
role of women in our military; and

  WHEREAS, Women serving in the military continue to demonstrate their
professionalism,  dedication,  leadership,  and  skills,  as well as the
patriotism and love for their country as they mobilize in record numbers
to support Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom,  Operation
Iraqi  Freedom,  Operation  New Dawn, Operation Inherent Resolve and the
Global War on Terrorism; and

  WHEREAS, Today, there are more than two million  women  veterans  in
the  United  States,  representing  10  percent  of  the total veteran's
population; and

  WHEREAS, There are approximately 714,00 veterans in New York  state,
8.8 percent are women veterans; and

  WHEREAS,  Women  who  have  served  this  country in uniform, during
wartime and peacetime service, have earned our respect and thanks; and

  WHEREAS, In 1998, the State of New York dedicated The New York State
Women Veterans Memorial located in Albany, New York, to  honor  the  1.2
million women in military service over the past 200 years; and

  WHEREAS,  In  January  2013,  an  announcement  was  made by Defense
Secretary Leon Panetta that the military would  be  lifting  the  policy
against women in combat roles; and

  WHEREAS,  The  first  woman  to  serve  aboard  a  Navy  fast-attack
submarine reported to duty on the USS Minnesota in January of 2015; and

  WHEREAS, The American  Legion  elected  its  first  female  national
commander at their 99th National Convention in August of 2017; Commander
Denise  Rohn  served  on  active  duty as a stock control and accounting
specialist and repair parts specialist course instructor  at  Fort  Lee,
Virginia, where she was honorably discharged in 1976; and

  WHEREAS,  The American Legion Department of New York elected US Navy
veteran Rena M. Nessler at the 99th Convention in Syracuse, New York, in
July of 2017; Commander Nessler  served  from  1969  to  1972,  and  was
honorably  discharged as a yeoman third class; she is the first woman to
hold the position of Commander of The American Legion Department of  New
York; and

  WHEREAS,  Governor  Hochul  named  the  Reverend  Viviana DeCohen on
Tuesday, November 9, 2019, as the Commissioner of  the  New  York  State
Department of Veterans' Services; DeCohen is a veteran who served in the
United  States  Marine  Corps,  is  the former commissioner of the Mount
Vernon City Veterans' Service  Agency  and  associate  pastor  at  Mount
Vernon  Heights  Congregational  Church;  she  is  also  a member of the
American  Legion  Post  1038  in  Valhalla,  New  York,  Women   Marines
Association, and the Navy League; and

  WHEREAS, Women Veterans Recognition Day is a living testament to the
courage of so many; from its broad base of shared concern and responsive
endeavor,  there  yet  emanates the current of valiant tradition and the
irrepressible tide of freedom; and

  WHEREAS, Through its avowed commitment to those who have  served  in
the  cause  of America's Freedom, Women Veterans Recognition Day does so
unselfishly advance the spirit of the united purpose and shared  concern
which  is the unalterable manifestation of our American experience; now,
therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
pay tribute to the bravery, patriotism and sacrifice made by women, both
those  still  living and those who died in service of our great country;
and most proudly to commemorate the 76th Anniversary of the  signing  of
the  Women's  Armed  Forces  Service Act of 1948, which later came to be
known as Women Veterans Recognition Day;  and  to  memorialize  Governor
Kathy  Hochul  to  proclaim  Wednesday, June 12, 2024, as Women Veterans
Recognition Day in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED, That copies of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted  to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York; and Viviana  M.  DeCohen,  Commissioner  of  the  New  York  State
Department of Veterans' Services.