(a) April sixth, nineteen hundred seventeen to November eleven, nineteen hundred eighteen. * (b) December seven, nineteen hundred forty-one to December thirty-one, nineteen hundred forty-six, or have been 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 have 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 who was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or have 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 who was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions. * NB Effective until November 12, 2020 * (b) December seven, nineteen hundred forty-one to December thirty-one, nineteen hundred forty-six, or have been 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 have 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 who (i) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section three hundred fifty of the executive 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 three hundred fifty of the executive law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or have 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 who (iv) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (v) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section three hundred fifty of the executive 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 three hundred fifty of the executive law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service. * NB Effective November 12, 2020

(c) June twenty-seven, nineteen hundred fifty to January thirty-one, nineteen hundred fifty-five.

(d) December twenty-second, nineteen hundred sixty-one to May seventh, nineteen hundred seventy-five.

(e) August two, nineteen hundred ninety to the end of hostilities in the Persian Gulf conflict.

(f) From September eighteenth, two thousand one until the end of the United States military efforts in Afghanistan.

(g) From October sixteenth, two thousand two until the end of the United States military efforts in Iraq. 2. Eligible groups. Awards shall be made to students each of whom has a parent with such service, or a step-parent with such service where the student is the dependent of the step-parent even if the student's biological parent is still living, who:

(a) was a legal resident of New York state at the time of his or her demise and who died or die while so serving, or as a result of injury or illness suffered or incurred during such military service; or * (b) is an honorably discharged veteran of the United States or member of the armed forces of the United States, who is a resident of the state of New York, and who has a current disability of forty percent or more as a result of an injury or illness which is incurred or was incurred during such military service; or * NB Effective until November 12, 2020 * (b) (i) is an honorably discharged veteran of the United States or member of the armed forces of the United States, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section three hundred fifty of the executive 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 three hundred fifty of the executive law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, who is a resident of the state of New York, and who has a current disability of forty percent or more as a result of an injury or illness which is incurred or was incurred during such military service; or * NB Effective November 12, 2020

(c) is now deceased, who was a resident of this state at the time of his or her demise, and who at the time of his or her demise had a disability to a degree of forty percent or more as a result of an injury or illness which was incurred during such military service; or

(d) is classified as a former prisoner of war, or as missing in action, who has been so classified by the United States department of defense, and who is a resident of the state of New York if a former prisoner of war or was a resident of the state of New York when classified as missing in action. 3. Determinations of disability. Determinations concerning disability or death by the United States Administrator of Veterans Affairs or the separate branches of the armed forces of the United States shall be conclusive. 4. Amount and duration. Every recipient shall receive an annual award of four hundred fifty dollars for each of not more than four academic years, or five academic years if the recipient is enrolled in a program normally requiring five years, as defined by the commissioner, pursuant to article thirteen.