Honor Women Veterans Day

19.5% of the United States Coast Guard and United States Reserve Forces are women; and WHEREAS, Women from New York who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States have made countless contributions and tremendous sacrifices; and WHEREAS, It is important to recognize the contributions of New York women veterans, and to educate the people of New York concerning the role of women in our military; and WHEREAS, Women serving in the military continue to demonstrate their professionalism, dedication, leadership, and skills, as well as the patriotism and love for their country as they mobilize in record numbers to support Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Inherent Resolve and the Global War on Terrorism; and WHEREAS, Today there are more than 2 million women veterans in the United States, representing 9.2 percent of the total veterans population; WHEREAS, Among the Armed Forces, there are over 66,000 women veterans in the State of New York; and WHEREAS, Over the past 16 years there have been over 650 women wounded and approximately 137 women lost their lives in the wars in Afghanistan, and Iraq; and WHEREAS, Women who have served this country in uniform, during wartime and peacetime service, have earned our respect and thanks; and WHEREAS, In 1998 the State of New York dedicated The New York State Women Veterans Memorial located in Albany, New York, to honor the 1.2 million women in military service over the past 200 years; and WHEREAS, In January 2013, an announcement was made by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta that the military would be lifting the policy against women in combat roles; and WHEREAS, The first woman to serve aboard a Navy fast-attack submarine reported to duty on the USS Minnesota in January 2015; and WHEREAS, The American Legion elected its first female national commander at their 99th National Convention in August 2017; Commander Denise Rohn served on active duty as a stock control and accounting specialist and repair parts specialist course instructor at Fort Lee, Virginia, where she was honorably discharge in 1976; and WHEREAS, The American Legion Department of New York elected US Navy veteran Rena M. Nessler at the 99th convention in Syracuse, New York in July 2017; Commander Nessler served from 1969 to 1972, and was honorably discharged as a yeoman third class; she is the first woman to hold the position of Commander of The American Legion Department of New York; and WHEREAS, Women Veterans Recognition Day is a living estuary to the courage of so many; from its broad base of shared concern and responsive endeavor, there yet emanates the current of valiant tradition and the irrepressible tide of freedom; and WHEREAS, Through its avowed commitment to those who have served in the cause of America's Freedom, Women Veterans Recognition Day does so unselfishly advance the spirit of the united purpose and shared concern which is the unalterable manifestation of our American experience; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to pay tribute to the bravery, patriotism and sacrifice made by women, both those still living and those who died in service of our great country; and most proudly commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the signing of the Women's Armed Forces Service Act of 1948, which later came to be known as Women Veterans Recognition Day; and to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim, Tuesday, June 12, 2018, as Women Veterans Recognition Day in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York, and Commander Rene M. Nessler, The American Legion Department of New York.