N.Y. Education Law § 668: Regents awards for children of deceased and disabled veterans

§ 668. Regents awards for children of deceased and disabled veterans.

1. Period of military service. For a student to be eligible, the

parent, or step-parent where the student is the dependent of the

step-parent, (i) must have been a recipient of the armed forces

expeditionary medal, the navy expeditionary medal or the marine corps

expeditionary medal for participation in operations in Lebanon from June

first, nineteen hundred eighty-three to December first, nineteen hundred

eighty-seven, in Grenada from October twenty-third, nineteen hundred

eighty-three to November twenty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-three, or

in Panama from December twentieth, nineteen hundred eighty-nine to

January thirty-first, nineteen hundred ninety, or (ii) must have served

on regular active duty (other than for training) in the armed forces of

the United States during part of one of the following periods:

(a) April sixth, nineteen hundred seventeen to November eleven,

nineteen hundred eighteen.

(b) December seven, nineteen hundred forty-one to December thirty-one,

nineteen hundred forty-six, or have been employed by the War Shipping

Administration or Office of Defense Transportation or their agents as a

merchant seaman documented by the United States Coast Guard or

Department of Commerce, or as a civil servant employed by the United

States Army Transport Service (later redesignated as the United States

Army Transportation Corps, Water Division) or the Naval Transportation

Service; and who served satisfactorily as a crew member during the

period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one,

to August fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, aboard merchant

vessels in oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or coastwise service

as such terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA 10301 & 10501) and

further to include "near foreign" voyages between the United States and

Canada, Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes, or public vessels

in oceangoing service or foreign waters and who has received a

Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a discharge

certificate, or an Honorable Service Certificate/Report of Casualty,

from the Department of Defense or have served as a United States

civilian employed by the American Field Service and served overseas

under United States Armies and United States Army Groups in world war II

during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred

forty-one through May eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (i)

was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii)

has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans'

services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or

dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran,

as defined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has

received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such

service, or have served as a United States civilian Flight Crew and

Aviation Ground Support Employee of Pan American World Airways or one of

its subsidiaries or its affiliates and served overseas as a result of

Pan American's contract with Air Transport Command or Naval Air

Transport Service during the period of armed conflict, December

fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one through August fourteenth,

nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (iv) was discharged or released

therefrom under honorable conditions, or (v) has a qualifying condition,

as defined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has

received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such

service, or (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one

of the veterans' services law, and has received a discharge other than

bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.

(c) June twenty-seven, nineteen hundred fifty to January thirty-one,

nineteen hundred fifty-five.

(d) November first, nineteen hundred fifty-five to May seventh,

nineteen hundred seventy-five.

(e) August two, nineteen hundred ninety to the end of hostilities in

the Persian Gulf conflict.

(f) From September eighteenth, two thousand one until the end of the

United States military efforts in Afghanistan.

(g) From October sixteenth, two thousand two until the end of the

United States military efforts in Iraq.

2. Eligible groups. Awards shall be made to students each of whom has

a parent with such service, or a step-parent with such service where the

student is the dependent of the step-parent even if the student's

biological parent is still living, who:

(a) was a legal resident of New York state at the time of his or her

demise and who died or die while so serving, or as a result of injury or

illness suffered or incurred during such military service; or

(b) (i) is an honorably discharged veteran of the United States or

member of the armed forces of the United States, or (ii) has a

qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans'

services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or

dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran,

as defined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has

received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such

service, who is a resident of the state of New York, and who has a

current disability of forty percent or more as a result of an injury or

illness which is incurred or was incurred during such military service;

or

(c) is now deceased, who was a resident of this state at the time of

his or her demise, and who at the time of his or her demise had a

disability to a degree of forty percent or more as a result of an injury

or illness which was incurred during such military service; or

(d) is classified as a former prisoner of war, or as missing in

action, who has been so classified by the United States department of

defense, and who is a resident of the state of New York if a former

prisoner of war or was a resident of the state of New York when

classified as missing in action.

3. Determinations of disability. Determinations concerning disability

or death by the United States Administrator of Veterans Affairs or the

separate branches of the armed forces of the United States shall be

conclusive.

4. Amount and duration. Every recipient shall receive an annual award

of four hundred fifty dollars for each of not more than four academic

years, or five academic years if the recipient is enrolled in a program

normally requiring five years, as defined by the commissioner, pursuant

to article thirteen.