Grants up to 3 years service credit in the public retirement systems of the state for military service in hostilities from October 7, 2001 until the end of hostilities in Afghanistan

BILL NUMBER:S5139

Title of bill

An act to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to providing service credit to members of public retirement systems of the state for certain military service in hostilities in Afghanistan

Purpose

This bill would grant up to 3 years service credit in the public retirement systems of the state for military service in hostilities from October 7, 2001 until the end of hostilities in Afghanistan.

Summary of provisions

Section one of this bill amends subdivision 2 of section 1000 of the retirement and social security law, as added by chapter 548 of the laws of 2000, by adding a new paragraph (e). This paragraph grants individuals who participated in the hostilities in Afghanistan as part of the military forces of the United States, from the seventh day of October, two thousand one, to the end of such hostilities, as established by receipt of the armed forces expeditionary medal, the navy expeditionary medal or the marine corps expeditionary medal up to three years of service credit in the public retirement systems of the state.

Section two contains the effective date.

Existing law

Current law allows for 3 years service credit in the public retirement systems of the state be afforded to those individuals who have participated in hostilities as a part of the military forces of the United States in Panama, Lebanon, Grenada, and the theater of operations including Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations.

Justification

Under current law, a member of a public retirement system of the state shall be eligible for credit for military service upon application to such retirement system for a total not to exceed three years of service credit for three years of military duty. Those who have served in numerous military conflicts including but not limited to, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the Persian gulf have already been afforded these three years of service credit.

The United States first began military intervention in Afghanistan on October 7, 2001. Since the end of the surge of US troops in Afghanistan in 2011, the US has been cutting its troops level in the country. As of this January, the number of US troops has been reduced from a high of 100,000 in 2011 to 66,000 with the end of such hostilities projected to occur by the end of 2014. This conflict has raged on for over 11 years and, even though the end is in sight, has yet to be concluded. To date, 97 New Yorkers have lost their life due to this conflict with hundreds more wounded and serving.

This bill would reward those New Yorkers who have made the great sacrifice of serving in the Armed Services so honorably and courageously with up to three years of service credit. Past veterans have been rewarded with such service credit and it is only fair to offer the same service credit to these individuals who have fought so bravely for their state and nation. These individuals deserve the same treatment as past veterans and this is what this bill intends to accomplish.

Legislative history

This is a new bill.

Fiscal implications

See fiscal note attached to bill.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.