N.Y. Veterans' Services Law § 15: Powers and duties of local veterans' service agencies

§ 15. Powers and duties of local veterans' service agencies. 1. A

local veterans' service agency shall have power under the direction of

the state veterans' service agency, and it shall be its duty to inform

military and naval authorities of the United States and assist members

of the uniformed services and veterans, who are residents of this state,

and their families, in relation to (1) matters pertaining to educational

training and retraining services and facilities, (2) health, medical and

rehabilitation services and facilities, (3) provisions of federal, state

and local laws and regulations affording special rights and privileges

to members of the uniformed services and veterans and their families,

(4) employment and re-employment services, including the employment of

veterans with disabilities program under section fifty-five-c of the

civil service law, (5) the process of submitting an application for a

discharge upgrade to the discharge upgrade advisory board, (6) volunteer

opportunities at local volunteer fire departments or emergency services

providers to the extent such information is available, and (7) other

matters of similar, related or appropriate nature. The local veterans'

service agency may also assist families of members of the reserve

components of the uniformed services and the organized militia ordered

into active duty to ensure that they are made aware of and are receiving

all appropriate support available to them and are placed in contact with

the agencies responsible for such support, including, but not limited

to, the division of military and naval affairs and other state agencies

responsible for providing such support. The local veterans' service

agency also shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the

state commissioner.

2. A local veterans' service agency shall utilize, so far as possible,

the services and facilities of existing officers, offices, departments,

commissions, boards, bureaus, institutions and other agencies of the

state and of the political subdivisions thereof and all such officers

and agencies shall cooperate with and extend such services and

facilities to the local veterans' service agency as it may require.