It takes a special type of person to commit to military service. Doing so means less time with one’s family, grueling training and for those who must endure combat, unparalleled danger. Veterans Day gives us a chance to reflect on the immense sacrifices our service men and women make on our behalf, and I am proud to be able to participate in the many ceremonies, parades and events happening in the 120th Assembly District celebrating and honoring our veterans.

One initiative I am particularly passionate about is Operation Green Light, which takes place in the days leading up to and through Veterans Day. In an effort to recognize the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans, buildings and homes across the country will light their porches green to symbolize hope, renewal and forward progress. It’s also a great way to remind veterans they are not alone as they reintegrate into civilian life. For more ways to get involved in this worthwhile initiative, visit here.

​Communities all around the state and nation will be celebrating our nation’s heroes in their own ways with events taking place in the coming days. The Oswego Veteran’s Council will host their annual Veterans Day ceremony at 10:45 a.m. at Oswego Veterans Memorial Park. Additionally, the Fulton Veterans Council is hosting a Veterans Day Ceremony on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. across from the Fulton Municipal Building in Veterans’ Park. Coffee and doughnuts will be served at City Hall beginning at 10 a.m. for those looking to get an early start in the festivities. 

Auburn will also be hosting an event at 11 a.m. on Veterans Day at Veterans Memorial Park, 170 Genesee St., featuring a flag raising, a guest speaker from the Auburn Police Department who served in the Army and Army Reserve and an award presentation.

On Monday, Weedsport’s Clark-Heck American Legion Post #568 and the Weedsport Central School District is hosting a USO show at 7 p.m. in the Weedsport High School gymnasium.

I would also like to take a moment to point out some of the efforts we have been working on here in the Assembly Minority Conference to help support our nation’s veterans. In recent years, we have sponsored several pieces of legislation and collaborated on projects like “Voices for Veterans” and the “‘No Surrender’ Veteran Initiative: Making PTSD a Priority.”

Among the legislation our members have proposed is a “green alert” system to protect at-risk veterans suffering from mental health challenges (A.4799, Manktelow), a program to make home ownership more affordable for service-related disabled veterans (A.7433, Hawley) and a loan program to make buying and rehabilitating homes easier for veterans (A.2338, Hawley).

There are lots of ways to celebrate Veterans Day, but one I think gets overlooked easily is to simply say “thank you” to those who have served. While many of us will never truly understand what goes into military service, one thing is clear: We owe more than we can ever repay to these brave men and women. This Veterans Day, I encourage you all to take a moment to let them know that.