Having served our country in the United States Army Reserve and now as member of the Assembly’s Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I know how important it is to support and recognize the men and women serving in our nation’s armed forces and New York’s nearly 900,000 veterans.^[1] They define what it means to be American, putting their lives on the line to protect our country and our freedoms. Many of these brave men and women also become leaders in their communities and support fellow veterans, as well as children and families in need, through veteran organizations.

American Veterans (AMVETS) is a veteran service organization that unites veterans from all walks of life for the betterment of our communities and supports them and their families. AMVETS is also the largest and oldest veterans service organization in the country, with more than 250,000 members.^[2] With the help of local AMVETS members in my hometown of Rotterdam, I was proud to author legislation in the New York State Assembly that has now been signed into law, creating a unique license plate specifically reserved for New York State veterans that are members of AMVETS. New York already offers custom license plates for professions, hobbies, causes and various service organizations, it’s only right that we have one for members of AMVETS that have served our country and continue to serve their communities.

From helping fellow veterans and service members access the benefits they’ve earned to awarding scholarships to students from military families and veterans furthering their education, AMVETS members are doing extraordinary work. It’s important that we not only acknowledge their sacrifices in service to our nation, but also acknowledge the good they continue to do. This is one of many ways we can recognize them for their commitment to our communities. Visible in our communities, these unique plates will not only display patriotism, honor and pride, they will also serve as another daily reminder to remember the brave men and women who serve our country – not just on holidays, but every day.

If you are a New York State veteran and a member of AMVETS, I’m here to help. If you have questions about this new law, I want to hear from you. Simply call me at (518) 382-2941, send me an e-mail at SantabarbaraA@nyassembly.gov or visit my website at http://nyassembly.gov/mem/Angelo-Santabarbara/.

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^[1] osc.state.ny.us/reports/other/veterans_11_2015.pdf

^[2] amvets.org/about