FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com MARCH 27, 2014 • THE QUEENS COURIER 27 SNAPS QUEENS BY KATELYN DI SALVO What do you think the MTA should do to update Adding hand sanitizer dispensers could be a possible solution to increasing cleanliness on trains Brianna Vossotti & Katy Werthmiller The MTA should put more signs up on trains and platforms that warn people not to litter. The rule should be better enforced. Edwin Guzman The MTA should increase staffi ng, so that people could ride on the subway cars and enforce the rule of cleanliness on trains and fi ne people if necessary. Ryan Stern To increase cleanliness they should probably get more personnel and start cleaning. Jimmy Shebtai We think they should enforce littering fines more. Rosemary Carey & Emma Carey They should update more trains to the newer styles, I know the E and F trains are really dirty and I think it’s because most of the E and F trains are the older models. Susana Ding cleanliness and condition on subways? oped street talk They should get people who do community service to also clean the trains and stations. Lila Citrin To me it’s ridiculous that trains are so dirty because they are raising fares like crazy, and they can’t even keep up with the maintenance and service. I think cleanliness is the least of their worries. Roger Sukhraj Women Veterans: A Proud Piece of Our History to Be Protected BY ASSEMBLYMEMBERS NILY ROZIC AND ANTHONY BRINDISI New York’s women veterans have long been instrumental in our history, and it is important to continually recognize their trailblazing roles in our society. From tending to wounded soldiers in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, to combat support roles in Desert Storm, and to standing shoulder-toshoulder while under attack in Iraq and Afghanistan, the dedicated service of women veterans has been vital. Last year, in paying tribute to over 80,000 women veterans from New York State, the Assembly passed a commemorative resolution declaring June 12, 2013, as “Women Veterans Recognition Day.” This resolution recognizes all they have done to keep our country safe and preserve our freedom. The designation coincided with the 65th anniversary of the Women’s Armed Services Act of 1948. Today, women make up nearly 15 percent of active duty military and approximately 15.5 percent of the offi cers across the four military branches. In addition to their time in service, women deserve recognition when they leave military service – when they are often taken for granted. While the population of female veterans in the U.S. is small, the challenges they face after military service are signifi cant, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder, poverty, domestic violence, homelessness, and the stigma following sexual assault. The Assembly passed legislation to require local veterans’ service agencies to provide information on programs to assist veterans who experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST). This bill would require the state to devise a plan to provide assistance and benefi ts for veterans who experience MST while on active duty or during military training. This legislation is important because we need to erase the stigma associated with MST–women veterans should not be afraid to come forward. Continuing the fi ght to provide the assistance to help veterans who have experienced sexual assault or abuse, we have introduced legislation that would not just study the rate of homelessness among women veterans but also cases of military sexual trauma experienced. Often MST is a pathway to homelessness for women. This would offer the fi rst comprehensive study in decades on the rise of homelessness among female veterans and the unique challenges that increase their susceptibility to homelessness. The study would also collect the number of homeless women veterans with children and their unemployment rates. Across the state from Queens to Utica, we have seen an increase in homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, and domestic violence among women veterans. The statistics are alarming and the need for a more comprehensive plan to deal with the issues affecting women veterans is needed. Our military is evolving, and due to the tremendous bravery and intellect of the women who have served in our armed forces, it is getting stronger. Now more than ever, it is our obligation to make sure we are stepping up and not shortchanging women veterans after all the support they have given us. Assemblymember Nily Rozic represents the 25th District; Assemblymember Anthony Brindisi represents the 119th District. The Unisphere in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Photo by Flushing resident Lisa Kest-Fein Send us your photos of Queens and you could see them online or in our paper! Submit them to us via our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/QueensCourier by tweeting@queenscourier or by emailing them to ctumola@queenscourier.com
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