WPCNR Memorial Day Address by Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. May 28, 2007: Memorial Day is a solemn reminder of the dedication, loyalty and ultimate sacrifices so many men and women have made for our country. This Memorial Day, we must put politics aside and honor our fallen soldiers of the past and those who have recently given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Assemblyman Adam Bradley Addressing veterans and citizenry at White Plains rural Cemetary this morning.
Sadly, our communities have seen several young servicemen and women lost to us in the prime of their lives. Men like Kevin Cuming, 22, a Private First Class from North White Plains, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, who died in August 2004; Anthony Kalladeen, 26, a Sergeant from Purchase, assigned to New York’s 256th Brigade Combat Team, who died in Baghdad in August 2005; and Kyu Chay, 34, a Staff Sergeant from Mount Kisco, stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, who died in October 2006 in Afghanistan.
We remember them and honor them – the true heroes of this country. They are heroes who volunteered to leave their families and friends for months at a time to help people they’ve never met – in places they’ve never known. And they contribute more than many do in a lifetime – in conditions most of us could never imagine.
In the Assembly, my colleagues and I understand the significance of the sacrifices that the members of our armed forces have made. During the past few years, the Assembly passed laws I supported to:
· Erect and maintain a monument honoring state residents awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor – to be located near the Empire State Plaza in Albany (Ch. 690 of 2006)
· Provide death benefits and health insurance coverage to eligible survivors of public employees who die while on active duty (Ch. 105 of 2005).
We should also remember those who are currently away from their family and friends and in danger overseas. I am committed to ensuring that our state properly provides for soldiers and their families and I am fighting to push through more legislation that will:
· Establish a property tax exemption for Cold War veterans (A.583-A);
· Exempt veteran disability payments from the income of those 65 years or older entitled to a real property tax exemption (A.3415).
My door will always be open to the men and women in uniform fighting for our country across the world. If I can help to make things better for our troops, I will. We must continue supporting our veterans, active duty military personnel and their families – if only to offer them a small token of our community’s gratitude for all they have given New York and our country.
