A longtime advocate for veterans in Steuben County has been inducted into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame.
At a ceremony in Albany, State Senator Tom O’Mara honored Denis E. Oliver, a U.S. Air Force veteran and former service officer with the Steuben County Veterans’ Service Agency, as the 2026 representative for the 58th Senate District. Oliver was among approximately 60 veterans from across New York recognized during this year’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
O’Mara praised Oliver’s decades of service to veterans and their families, both during and after his military career.
“Denis Oliver served our nation with distinction and then devoted his life’s work to looking out for veterans and their families across Steuben County and throughout New York State,” O’Mara said. “He is well known and respected for always being there for our veterans and for always going above and beyond to provide assistance.”
Born and raised in Byron, Michigan, Oliver enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after graduating from high school in 1981. He served as an Aircraft Armaments System Specialist in Germany and Maine, attaining the rank of Senior Airman and earning several military honors, including the Air Force Achievement Medal and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
After leaving the military, Oliver settled in Steuben County and began a career helping fellow veterans. In 2004, he joined the Steuben County Veterans’ Service Agency as a service officer, where he assisted veterans and their families in accessing benefits and services related to healthcare, education, employment, housing, financial assistance, and vocational rehabilitation.
From 2019 until his retirement in 2024, Oliver served as a Veterans Services Advisor with the New York State Department of Veterans Services, continuing his work advocating for veterans’ rights and benefits.
Oliver has also been active in numerous veterans organizations, including the American Legion, the New York State Elks Association, the Bath VA Museum, and the Bath National Cemetery’s Wreaths Across America planning committee. He is a past president of the County Veterans Service Officers Association of New York State and received the Theodore S. Coleman Memorial Service Officer of the Year Award from the American Legion Department of New York in 2011.
The New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame was established in 2005 to recognize veterans who have served their nation and continued to make significant contributions to their communities. More than 1,000 veterans from across the state have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since its creation.
