Assemblywoman Russell applauds governor for signing bill extending retirement benefits to all veterans

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) said she is pleased Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has signed legislation (A.9531, Paulin) she co-sponsored in the state Assembly to extend eligibility for additional credits in the state retirement system to all veterans.

The new law removes the existing date of service limitations and expands eligibility for the veteran's service credit to otherwise eligible veterans regardless of when they completed their military service.

Under the previous law, only those veterans who have served in specific military conflicts or during limited time frames are eligible to receive up to an additional three years of service credit in the pension system after completing five years of service in the state retirement system.

Other provisions of the current limitations have effectively excluded a significant number of female veterans from eligibility. As a result, there was a varied and inconsistent application of the benefit.

"I'm glad to see the Governor has finally signed this important legislation that recognizes the service our veterans have performed for our nation and our state. This long overdue legislation treats all veterans equally," Assemblywoman Russell said.

She said she has supported the legislation since it was first introduced in the state Assembly three years ago.

Assemblywoman Russell said the law limiting service credit to service in a specific country or conflict left out veterans who served in active combat or performed critical operations in other locations.

Military service credit had previously only been available to anyone who served during World War II (12/7/1941 to 12/31/1946), the Korean War (6/27/1950 to 1/31/1955) and the War in Vietnam (2/28/1961 to 5/7/1975).

The benefit was also extended to veterans that had received an expeditionary medal for service in the military conflicts in Lebanon (6/1/1983 to 12/1/1987), Grenada (10/23/1983 to 11/21/1983) and Panama (12/20/1989 to 1/31/1990).

Men and women who have served in the theater of operations in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea since Aug. 2, 1990 were eligible to buy back military service credit without receipt of an expeditionary medal.

But Assemblywoman Russell said troops that had participated in active combat in Somalia, Bosnia, Haiti, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Korean DMZ were previously not not eligible for the military service credit.

She pointed out military personnel aiding in any of those operations from other locations, such as Israel, Turkey and Germany, had also been ineligible to access this credit buyback. Veterans who served around the world in dangerous situations during the Cold War were also excluded.


"When our young men and women enlist in the military, they are expressing a willingness to accept the risks they will face when they answer the call to duty. All members of the armed forces have played and continue to play a critical role in our nation's defense, and all of our veterans have earned the opportunity to buy back the military service credit," she said.