New York Home to 890,000 Veterans, Most Served During Wartime

Tuesday, November 10, 2015 9:21 pm | < 1 Minute Read

Gabriel White, four, runs among the flags Sunday during the Clifton Veterans Day Parade in Clifton, NJ. (Jim Anness/The Record via AP)

Almost a third of the veterans living in New York state served during the Vietnam War era, according to a new report released in honor of Veterans Day on Wednesday.

State comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said the snapshot of the 890,000 veterans living in the state shows that nearly three-quarters served during wartime. The largest number of veterans was in the 65-to-69 age group.

Suffolk County on Long Island is home to the largest population of veterans in the state, with just over 76,000. Though sparsely populated Hamilton County in the Adirondacks is home to the fewest veterans, the county has the highest concentration of veterans statewide: 133 out of every 1,000 people.

To mark the day, New Jersey Transit is offering active and retired members of the military free rides on Veterans Day. They will be able to use NJ Transit trains, buses and light rail all day Wednesday by showing a valid military ID.

NJ Transit executive director Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim says it is a privilege to salute the nation’s veterans.

This article appeared in print on page 22 of the November 11th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.