Albany, N.Y., May 26—At a ceremony in the Legislative Office Building at the state capital on Tuesday, State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats) and his Senate colleagues inducted Denis E. Oliver, a well-known and longtime Service Officer for the Steuben County Veterans’ Service Agency, into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame.

 

Oliver, a United States Air Force veteran, represented O’Mara’s 58th Senate District and joined approximately 60 other veterans from throughout the state inducted into the Hall of Fame on Tuesday.

 

 

O’Mara and his Senate colleagues saluted Oliver for a lifetime of distinguished military and civilian service.

 

O’Mara said, “Denis Oliver served our nation with distinction and then devoted his life’s work to looking out for veterans and their families across Steuben County and throughout New York State. Denis has offered an unwavering commitment to the critical work of ensuring that veterans and their families receive the programs and services they deserve, need, and have earned. He is well known and respected for always being there for our veterans and for always going above and beyond to provide assistance. His compassion, excellence, pride, and respect have been a lifeline to countless veterans and families whose quality of life has been improved and strengthened because of Denis. It is a great honor to have this opportunity to induct Denis Oliver into the Senate Veterans Hall of Fame, through which we hope to ensure that military service to our nation and civilian commitment to our local communities and veterans will always be remembered. Denis has impacted the lives of so many veterans and families throughout our region and state, and I am proud to express our collective gratitude and respect for his service.”

 

Oliver was nominated for this year’s Hall of Fame class by Randy Metz of Bath, also a United States Air Force veteran who has been a friend of and worked with Oliver for more than two decades on various veterans-related endeavors.

 

 

Metz said, “It was my distinct honor and privilege to nominate Denis for the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame. His involvement with our community and especially veterans is second to none. We have worked on many veteran-centric events together and his commitment is outstanding. He is respected throughout our community as the answer man for veteran questions. He is an advisor and a wealth of knowledge for veterans-based programs that serve their needs. He always provides needed information and a path forward to help. He always goes well above to take care of ALL people. I am always impressed with his many hours, days, and years of commitment. He never says no and is recognized as the authority for all veteran issues and questions. It was my honor to nominate him for this prestigious award. I was so happy and impressed when Senator O’Mara called me with his selection. Many deserve this honor, and Denis is among those.”

 

The Senate established its online Veterans Hall of Fame in 2005 and, including this year, has inducted more than 1,000 veterans from throughout New York. The Hall salutes New York veterans for their service in the United States Armed Forces and their civilian accomplishments. State Senators annually select one veteran to represent their respective legislative districts.

 

The Senate’s online Veterans Hall of Fame, which will soon be updated with the 2026 class of inductees and include an archived video of Tuesday’s ceremony, can be found HERE.

 

Born and raised in Byron, Michigan, after graduating from high school Oliver enlisted in the United States Air Force. From 1981 to 1985, he served as an Aircraft Armaments System Specialist, stationed at bases in Hahn (Germany) and Loring (Maine), achieving the rank of Senior Airman. He earned numerous military awards including the Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and the Eighth Air Force Award for Excellence.

 

Following his honorable discharge, Oliver settled in Steuben County, where he discovered his calling in 2004 upon joining the Steuben County Veterans’ Service Agency as a Service Officer. He became widely known for an unwavering commitment to going the extra mile counseling and assisting area veterans and their families navigate state and federal programs and services in education, employment, financial aid, health care, housing, job training, and vocational rehabilitation and outreach, among others. Throughout this time, he was a valued mentor to other Service Officers.

 

From 2019 until his retirement in 2024, Oliver worked as a NYS Department of Veterans Services Advisor (VSA) assisting, advising, and advocating for veterans’ rights and benefits.

 

He is a past President of the County Veterans Service Officers Association of NYS and received the Theodore S. Coleman Memorial Service Officer of the Year award from the American Legion Department of New York in 2011.

 

His deep-rooted and longstanding commitment to veterans extends to his work with numerous local, regional, and state veterans initiatives and organizations, including the American Legion, NYS Elks Association, Bath VA Museum, and Bath National Cemetery, where he serves on the Wreaths Across America Planning Committee.

 

Oliver’s full Hall of Fame biography follows:

 

 

 

O’Mara’s previous Veterans’ Hall of Fame inductees are:

 

> Philip C. Smith, a highly decorated Korean War combat veteran and well-known figure in Schuyler County government and veterans’ affairs;

 

> J. Arthur “Archie” Kieffer, a World War II combat veteran and a widely admired fixture in Chemung County government as the Chemung County historian;

 

> Painted Post Mayor and World War II combat veteran Roswell L. “Roz” Crozier, Jr.;

 

> Anthony J. “Tony” Specchio, Sr., a distinguished Korean War veteran and widely respected for his long-standing and active service to veterans and government in Watkins Glen and throughout Schuyler County;

 

> P. Earle Gleason, a lifelong Yates County resident and longtime director of the Yates County Veterans’ Service Agency;

 

> Warren A. Thompson, a lifelong Steuben County resident and farmer, and a stalwart in the county’s civic and veterans affairs;

 

> Paul C. “Digger” Vendetti of Elmira, a World War II United States Navy veteran and longtime caretaker at Woodlawn National Cemetery;

 

> Richard T. “Dick” Gillespie of Penn Yan, a veteran of World War II;

 

> Dennis L. “Denny” Wolfe, Sr. of Chemung County, a Vietnam War veteran and founder of the Vietnam War Museum in Elmira;

 

> Merle John Tobias, a Hornell native and graduate of Alfred State College, who served in the United States Army during the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and throughout the Persian Gulf War; and, last year,

 

> Scott Ward, a Steuben County native, highly decorated United States Army veteran, and a well-known mainstay of numerous local organizations and initiatives.

 

Other area veterans who are Hall of Fame members are Frank C. "Fritz" Pesesky, a veteran of World War II and former director of the Chemung County Veterans Service Office (2005); William K. Kastner, a Vietnam veteran and longtime director of the Steuben County Veterans Service Agency (2006); and Robert Laskaris, a highly decorated combat veteran and well-known figure in Chemung County veterans’ affairs (2008).