Honoring those who serve
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- March
- 20
Today, County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef presented eight Rocklanders with medals for their service in the war on terror. There are more men and women worthy of such recognition, and support from the county, but the local government needs to know who they are to honor and support them.
Rockland’s Veterans Service Director Jerry Donnellan has been trying to get information from the state Department of Veterans Affairs to forward him contact information for newly discharged veterans in Rockland. New York state veterans leaders have declined to turn over such information, citing federal privacy laws. That’s certainly a disconnect. It seems so logical that if we want to offer veterans as many opportunities for support and benefits, we’d want to ensure a local connection. It’s another offer of assistance. It seems, considering what we ask of people in military service, all levels of government should be prepared to offer support.
“War is beyond my reach; the veterans aren’t. But I can’t help them if I can’t identify them,” Donnellan wrote in a letter to the editor earlier this month.
So, if you know someone who has returned from a tour of duty to Iraq or Afghanistan, mention that the county Office of Veterans Affairs can help them out, whenever they need it. (Click on this link or call the office at 638-5244.)
This entry was posted
on Thursday, March 20th, 2008 at 1:14 pm by Nancy Cutler.
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