A Capital Region state lawmaker is calling for more recognition for veterans by the state.
Republican state Senator Jake Ashby of the 43rd district says the state Department of Motor Vehicles should produce Gold Star Family license plates.
While New York does produce a plate to recognize Gold Star mothers, there is no plate for other family members.
Surrounded by the family members of fallen servicemembers in Albany Friday, Ashby, a veteran himself, says it doesn't make sense, when seemingly countless other custom plates are available.
"BMW Car Club of America, Indiana University, bass fishing, Proctor's Theater and every single zodiac sign…,” Ashby said.
Ashby is sponsoring legislation to waive the registration fee for Gold Star family members.
Adam DeMarsico, whose brother was killed in Afghanistan in 2012, grew up in North Adams, Massachusetts, and moved to New York in 2017. DeMarsico had custom plates recognizing his brother in the Bay State, and was surprised to find similar plates aren't available in New York.
“I went to the DMV. I said, ‘I got my paperwork, I got my form, I got his death certificate. I would like my Gold Star plate.’ They kind of looked at me and said, ‘What are you talking about?’ And I said,’ Gold Star family plate.’ And they said, ‘we don't offer that here. We only offer Gold Star mothers,’” DeMarsico said.
DeMarsico reached out to a friend who designs license plates and created two mockups. Both designs have the curved New York banner, with waving American flag backgrounds. The family plate concept bears a gold star on a purple background encircled by laurel leaves, with the text "Some Gave All" beneath. The Next of Kin mockup has an encircled gold star surrounded by four gold oak leaves.
Carrie Farley, whose son, Staff Sergeant Derek Farley, was killed in action in Afghanistan, is President of the Albany chapter of American Gold Star Mothers. She says one death has ripple effects.
“It takes a family to raise a soldier. It takes a family to grieve a soldier and celebrate the life and the person within their family. So we definitely support this initiative,” Farley said.
Albany County Director of Veteran Services Scott Leslie, also a veteran, says the county "wholeheartedly" supports the effort.
“It’s an entire family, it's a whole community. Hundreds are affected when we lose a service member, we're just enthusiastic to get behind you and offer our support,” Leslie said.
According to the state Office for the Aging, nearly 840,000 New Yorkers are veterans, the fifth-highest percentage nationwide. A majority of New York vets are over 65.
Ashby says a small change like a new license plate design can have a meaningful impact.
“We have the United States Military Academy, we have Fort Drum, home to the 10th Mountain Division, one of the most deployed units in our nation's history. We have Army Reserve, Navy Reserve components throughout the state, outnumbering many other states in the country,” Ashby said.
A spokesperson says the state Department of Motor Vehicles does not comment on pending legislation.
