In last week's Port News your editor, Mrs. Pierangelo, reported on all of the activities Senator Balboni had been involved with this past year. Our hats are off to him for a job well done. All of these are worthwhile and will have a profound impact on Port and its neighbors.

I am writing to let your readers know that there was one bill that the Senator co-sponsored that was not mentioned in the article and it will have a great impact on the older Veterans of the Korean War. This is the Buy Back Bill, subject to all veterans retiring on or after December 21, 1998. Please note that this doesn't cover all vets of that War who retired earlier . Where did they get those dates? I am a veteran of that war and retired in 1991 when I turned 62. This means that I do not qualify and will not be able to buy back time that I lost while serving during that war. It would not come as a surprise to me that the Legislators voting on this bill did not know the obligations demanded of us. We all had a two-year obligation to serve on active duty and then six years of either inactive or active duty with the reserves. We went out and answered the call to serve, and what are we getting for doing what we were told to do? Absolutely NOTHING!

I feel that anyone who served during any war should have the same opportunity of buying back time put in the service. This bill is so unfair and uncconstitutional. We are all created equal and I feel a great state like New York should take care of all of its service men and women.

In closing, I feel that the older vets have been shafted by the senator and the other members of the state legislature. If our state representatives were fair we would all be able to buy back time lost while serving our country. I am tired of being a "Forgotten Veteran" of a "Forgotten War.")