“When Retired Marine Corps Sergeant Albert Merrill of Cuba
contacted me earlier this year about potential legislation to honor AMVETS with
a distinctive license plate, I loved the idea, immediately drafted a bill and
brought it to my colleagues in the Senate,” said Senator Young. “The AMVETS is a service organization that
supports and assists the honorable men and women who are currently serving or
have served in the U.S. Armed Forces from World War II until now, including the
National Guard and Reserves. I am very
pleased that our work to get this bill passed and signed into law was
successful. Our outstanding servicemen
and women are most deserving of this honor and recognition.”
Albert Merrill, AMVETS Member of Post #1 in Cuba, NY, AMVETS
Department of New York Vice Chaplain and AMVETS VAVS Deputy Representative at
Bath VA said, “Our motto is ‘Veterans helping veterans.’ We assist our veterans as well as the larger
community in many different ways. We
support the Boy Scouts organization and ROTC, among many others. Our volunteers work with homeless veterans
and donate over 250,000 hours yearly at VA hospitals. One of the AMVETS’ national programs that is
close to our hearts is the ‘22 a Day,’ which is the number of veterans who die
by suicide each day. We believe one is
too many. Sadly, more veterans die by
suicide than in combat. We are happy
that Senator Young was able to get AMVETS a distinctive New York State license
plate the way other veterans organizations have. I’d like to offer a prayer…God bless our
troops, veterans and all Americans worldwide.
God bless our nation. Amen.”
The new law has now taken effect. It will make it possible for the members of
AMVETS to proudly display their association with this noble organization.
According to the new law, any member of AMVETS residing in
the state can request a license plate bearing the term “American Veteran,”
“AMVET" or “AMVETS.” This
distinguished plate will be issued in the same manner as other numbered license
plates through the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles with the regular
registration fee and a one-time service charge of ten dollars.
With more than 250,000 current members, AMVETS is the
largest and oldest veterans’ service organization of veterans serving
veterans. Membership is open to and
supports any and all veterans in any branch of the US Armed Forces, those
currently serving and their families.
Through its leadership, advocacy and services, the organization works to
ensure all veterans who served honorably receive the benefits they have
earned.
AMVETS began with eighteen WWII veterans representing nine
different veterans’ organizations, who met in Kansas City on December 10,
1944. Three years later, President Harry
Truman signed Public Law 216, making AMVETS the first WWII veterans’
organization to be chartered by Congress.
The organization’s achievements are many and include:
building the bell tower at Arlington National Cemetery; building the Harry S.
Truman Library, Herbert Hoover Library, John F. Kennedy Library, Dwight D.
Eisenhower Library, and the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge; donating
$100,000 in 1986 to help restore the Statue of Liberty, $15,000 to engrave the
names of 1,177 service members resting in a watery grave at the USS Arizona
Memorial at Pearl Harbor; supporting the desegregation of the Armed Forces in
1948; lobbying for the creation of the National Department of Veterans’
Affairs; calling for a national program of Americanism for grades K-12; and
participating in anti-drug and alcohol programs, to name a few.
Famous former AMVETS include President John F. Kennedy and
soldier, double amputee and two-time Oscar winner Harold Russell.
