Governor Cuomo (and his allies in the Democratic Assembly) again has made it perfectly clear he is against the VEA. He vetoed it in 2014, he vetoed it in 2015, he negotiated against it in 2016 after promising to reform the current law, and now he has prevented its presence in the 2016 budget. He has experienced no significant backlash to his actions against VEA, there is no possibility of overriding his vetoes, and has cloaked himself in the false guise of fiscal responsibility. He will be the governor for at least the next 3 years.
II Our way Forward: Senator Larkin and Assemblywoman Paulin will push (with our assistance) VEA through all the various committees and votes necessary to pass the bill in the legislative branch.
S7160 : Apr 01, 2016 referred to finance, Apr 11 2016 1st Report Cal. 591
Following that time, Governor Cuomo will veto, sign or negotiate the VEA.
III Respond to falsities concerning the bill.
A. When and where it is falsely described as a bill for 'peacetime service' (for example in the April 1 2016 Times Union article, here) respond vigorously. Remind the author the majority of veterans who will be newly eligible for the existing military service credit buyback program are wartime veterans of the current Gulf War Era. Not peacetime at all. Further remind the author that combat veterans of Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Somalia (Blackhawk Down) are currently excluded from the existing buyback program and under the new bill will be eligible. Not peacetime either.
B. When and where it is falsely described as a free benefit, respond vigorously. Veterans want the opportunity to PURCHASE military service credit as part of the current and well-established BUYBACK program. Our service in defense of the United States (and New York State) should not disadvantage us vis a vis our non-serving peers in the New York State retirement system.
C. When and where it is falsely described as a large and expensive new program respond vigorously. It is a modest reform of a current program . Note that the original intent of the law is for all wartime veterans to be included and yet some wartime veterans of the Gulf War Era are now excluded (and all of these veterans, of course, aided in the war effort). Those who served in active combat in Somalia and Afghanistan are among those excluded. Further, the contributions of peacetime soldiers (including Cold War soldiers) should be honored.
D. Educate yourself. Get to know these three slides intimately so you can explain the glaring inequities in the current military service credit buyback system.
