Congratulations to Eder Paredes, a Navy veteran and employee in the City of Yonkers Department of Veteran Services, who was recently honored as the New York State American Legion’s Service Officer of the Year.
Paredes was honored during the 100th Department Convention in Rochester, and also was awarded the national American Legion Citation for Meritorious Service. “This is the first time the national meritorious service citation has been given in the Department of New York,” noted Patrick Rourk, chairman of the Veterans Service Committee.
Yonkers Veteran Affairs Director Lou Navarro explained that Paredes “came here as a volunteer and then got a job as a part-timer and now is full time and is accredited by the American Legion. He has the education to help provide benefits to veterans who need it and come here for help. I’m glad he is here as a loyal employee. It’s a well-deserved honor,” said Navarro.
Paredes has lived in Yonkers for 16 years. He joined the Navy and served four years, from 2003 to 2007, and was stationed in Japan. Upon his return to Yonkers, he used the GI bill to get his college education and then found out about the Yonkers Veterans Affairs Office and stopped in for a visit.
“I came here as a client and I ended up working here,” he said. “It’s a rewarding position and a great opportunity to serve other veterans and family members. I have had many instances where a surviving spouse or a veteran is not fluent in English. If I can help translate for them, and help them with the VA clinic next door, it’s rewarding. Sometimes all they need is a little bit of help, and once I became accredited, I learned more about how to help veterans get the benefits they deserve. I have helped all veterans, from World War II to Vietnam, to vets my age.”
Paredes is a member of American Legion Post 1954 and VFW Empire Post 375, both in Yonkers.
Paredes, who has a degree in computer science, was nominated by Navarro for the American Legion honor. There are 115 accredited Veterans Affairs employees in New York State, and Paredes is one of them and was singled out for his dedication to veterans.
“I feel like I don’t deserve it,” he said. “This is more than a job for me. It’s an honor to serve veterans and I’m thankful for the opportunity. And it is great to be recognized for something you love to do. It makes me want to do more.”
It’s employees like Parades that are trying to help veterans in Yonkers get the services available to them, and go the extra mile. “We feel very strong about the services we provide veterans in Yonkers,” he said. “If they come into our doors, we try to give them the best we can, and reach out to other agencies if we can’t help.”
The City of Yonkers Department of Veteran Services is located at 120 New Main St., and can be reached at 914-377-6700.
