The brave men and women who have selflessly risked their lives to protect our country — whether they did so in World War II, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or any time in between — deserve all the help we can provide them and their families. Assemblyman Koon wants our veterans to know about programs New York State offers to them.

Assemblyman Koon and his colleagues are developing the Military Enhanced Recognition, Incentive, and Tribute (MERIT) Plan to provide New York’s service men and women with a smooth peacetime transition, take care of their families, and boost morale.

The Assembly’s Merit Plan will make it easier for families to stay informed and connected to their loved ones – and help boost the morale of service men and women overseas by:

• providing families with an advocate at the Division of Military and Naval Affairs to answer questions and act as liaison with the federal Department of Defense;
• reducing the cost of communicating with family members through bulk telephone service rates, subsidized mailings, and teleconferencing; and
• allowing students to remain in the same school district if a parent in state military service is temporarily relocated due to active duty.

In the tragic event of a war casualty, the Assembly’s plan would supplement funeral costs for New Yorkers killed in combat.

The MERIT Plan contains measures to supplement current benefits and protect students called to duty who have to suspend their education — allowing them to retain credits, standings, or scholarships.

With all the sacrifices our service men and women make, the ability to earn a good living should not be one of them. When called to service, though, many soldiers leave behind good-paying jobs or businesses.

The Assembly is working on legislation that would help veterans transfer their military training and experience to civilian jobs and higher education, and would provide extensions for job-related licensing, certification, and continuing education requirements for those in active duty.

To address the many devastating health issues that often arise as a result of military combat, the Assembly is working to create a temporary state commission on the Persian Gulf War Syndrome, Hepatitis C, and other war-related illnesses. The Assembly is also working to establish a hotline to provide information on these illnesses and their treatment to veterans and health care providers.