N.Y. General Construction Law Section 13-A
Armed forces of the United States

“Armed forces of the United States” means the army, navy, marine corps, air force, space force and coast guard including all components thereof, and the national guard when in the service of the United States pursuant to call as provided by law. Pursuant to this definition no person shall be considered a member or veteran of the armed forces of the United States unless such member or veteran’s service therein is or was on a full-time active duty basis, other than active duty for training or such member or veteran was 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 the member or veteran 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

(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 the member or veteran 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

(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.

Source: Section 13-A — Armed forces of the United States, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/GCN/13-A (updated Dec. 12, 2025; accessed Jan. 24, 2026).

10
Acknowledge and acknowledgment 11
Acknowledgment or proof of instrument 11–A
Acquisition 11–B
Appropriation 12
Affidavit 13
Adjournment of meeting 13–A
Armed forces of the United States 13–B
Board of supervisors 14
Bond and undertaking 15
Chattels 16
Choose 16–A
Civil action 16–B
Condemnation 17
Criminal code 18
Consolidated laws 18–A
Criminal action 19
Day, calendar 20
Day, computation 20–A
Distinct parcel 22
Gender 23
Heretofore and hereafter 24
Public holidays 24–A
Closing of banking organizations on Saturday 25
Public holiday, Saturday or Sunday in contractual obligations 25–A
Public holiday, Saturday or Sunday in statutes 25–B
Injury to property 25–C
Investment in bond and mortgage or note and mortgage 26
Judge 26–A
Judgment creditor 26–B
Just compensation as including loss of mortgage financing 27
Last, preceding, next and following 28
Mental disability, mental illness, developmental disability, addictive disorder and addiction disorder 28–A
Mandate 28–B
Magistrate 28–C
Down’s syndrome 29
Men 30
Month, computation 31
Month in statute, contract and public or private instrument 32
Municipal officers 33
Notice 33–A
Notify 34
Now 35
Number, singular and plural 36
Oath, affidavit and swear 37
Person 37–A
Personal injury 37–B
Population 38
Property 39
Property, personal 40
Property, real 41
Quorum and majority 41–A
Recital in record of meeting as evidence 42
Register of county 43
Seal of court, public officer or corporation 44
Seal, private 44–A
Seal on written instrument 45
Seal, private as corporate seal 46
Signature 47
State 47–A
Superintendent of schools 48
Tense, present 49
Territory 50
Time, computation 51
Time, night 52
Time, standard 53
Time, use of standard 53–A
Trial juror 54
Village 55
Women 56
Writing and written 57
Year, common and leap 58
Year in statute, contract and public or private instrument 59
Bastard 60
Newspapers 61
Date for determining last completed assessment rolls 62
Size of type
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Verified:
Jan. 24, 2026

Last modified:
Dec. 12, 2025

§ 13-A. Armed forces of the U.S.'s source at nysenate​.gov

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