Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-Utica/Rome) recently attended a dedication ceremony honoring veterans at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Griffiss Business and Technology Park in Rome on Sunday, September 12. The ceremony unveiled Phase 2 of the memorial, introducing a Vietnam-era UH-1 Huey helicopter.[1] Buttenschon was the guest speaker for the ceremony.

“As the daughter of a veteran, I know firsthand the incredible sacrifices that veterans made on behalf of our nation’s values and the challenges that families of deployed soldiers face each and every day,” Assemblywoman Buttenschon said. “While we can never fully repay veterans for their selflessness and courage, this memorial will help show our vets how much we appreciate them and remind civilians of the trials faced by former service members.”

Assemblywoman Buttenschon has long been a staunch supporter of veterans’ rights. In the 2021-2022 New York State Budget, she helped secure $25,000 in priority funding for services and expenses of the NYS Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. She also sponsored several bills aimed at helping veterans in the past legislative session, such as providing waivers from SUNY application fees for veterans (A.1015), providing a help and crisis line to assist veterans (A.5832) and establishing the Giving Internships for Disabled Veterans Not Fully Employed Program (G.I.V.E. Back NY) (A.6445).

[1] wktv.com/content/news/Phase-Two-of-Vietnam-Veterans-Memorial-Unveiled-575297321.html