LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring the Vietnam Veterans Of America, Queens
Chapter No. 32 upon the occasion of its 30th Anniversary, to be cele-
brated on September 17, 2011

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to the
outstanding veterans organizations which have made outstanding contrib-
utions and provide exemplary service to the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor the
Vietnam Veterans Of America, Queens Chapter No. 32 upon the occasion of
its 30th Anniversary, to be celebrated at an Anniversary Dinner Dance on
Saturday, September 17, 2011, at the United States Merchant Marine Acad-
emy located in Kings Point, New York; and
WHEREAS, With their remarkable outreach efforts, the Vietnam Veterans
of America, Queens Chapter No. 32, is one of the most visible of all
veterans service organizations in Queens; and
WHEREAS, The Chapter serves all veterans and their dependents no
matter the era of conflict they served; and
WHEREAS, Services offered by Queens Chapter No. 32 include free
compensation and pension claims assistance presented to the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs for all veterans and their eligible
dependents, and an annual Veterans Information Day that provides current
benefit information to veterans through a network of veterans service
providers; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Queens Chapter No. 32 is vigilant in identifying
deceased homeless and unidentified veterans and their next of kin to
ensure burial in a National Cemetery who might otherwise be buried in an
unmarked grave; the Chapter then performs Honor Guard services for these
veterans; and
WHEREAS, Queens Chapter No. 32 also provides services to Homecoming
Iraq and Afghanistan veterans as well as Persian Gulf veterans, to
advise them of their benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs; in keeping with these veterans, the Chapter helped to establish
a local Chapter of the Veterans of Modern Warfare, whose objective is to
identify and treat the special health care needs and issues of the
modern veterans of the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq; and
WHEREAS, Moreover, Queens Chapter No. 32 provides volunteer services
to the St. Albans Domiciliary for Homeless Veterans and the St. Albans
New York State Nursing Home; it also sponsors 11 permanent residents of
the St. Albans Domiciliary for Homeless Veterans; and
WHEREAS, The Vietnam Veterans of America, Queens Chapter No. 32, in
the tradition of its founding principle, "Never Again Will One Gener-
ation of Veterans Abandon Another," has stepped forward to become an
Organization Friend to those deceased indigent veterans that are pres-
ently being held at the New York City Medical Examiner's Office; and
WHEREAS, As an Organizational Friend, the Queens Chapter No. 32 will
be allowed to sign for the release of the deceased veterans from the
Medical Examiner's Office and to arrange for the preparation and burial
of said veterans with Full Military Honors at Calverton National Ceme-
tery located in Long Island, New York; currently, the Chapter has buried
with Honors fifty indigent veterans and the surviving spouses of two
World War II veterans; and
WHEREAS, The Chapter averages well over 450 hours of volunteer service
a month; its members volunteer their time and resources to participate
in numerous community events; and
WHEREAS, Queens Chapter No. 32 supports residents of the Hour Children
Program, holds a turkey drive through the local parish to distribute

food to needy families, and donates to the NYC Coat Drive; Chapter
members also donate blood through the New York City Blood Drive Program;
and
WHEREAS, The Vietnam Veterans of America, Queens Chapter No. 32 are a
visible and viable benefit to the veterans in its community as well as
the members of its community; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when organiza-
tions of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
the great State of New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor the Vietnam Veterans Of America, Queens Chapter No. 32 upon the
occasion of its 30th Anniversary, to be celebrated on September 17,
2011; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Vietnam Veterans Of America, Queens Chapter No. 32.