New York state’s Department of Veteran Services on Tuesday kicked off its campaign around the state’s new official designation as a “Purple Heart State.”
It started at the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, built where George Washington awarded the first Purple Hearts over 200 years ago. The hall now stands as a place to learn and preserve the history of the award and the brave men and women who received it.
New York’s new designation as a Purple Heart State officially recognizes the valor and sacrifice of Purple Heart recipients and affirms the state’s commitment to supporting all who served through meaningful action.
“This gives us a whole new window of opportunity to connect with Purple Heart recipients to honor and remember their service, and then to say, ‘Let’s talk about the myriad ways that we can serve you,’” said state Department of Veteran Services Deputy Counsel Benjamin Pomerance.
Pomerance said there will be more coming from the department, specifically around making sure Purple Heart recipients can get the benefits they earned through the VA.