Section 211. Employees

The superintendent may appoint such employees as may
  be  necessary  and  fix  their  compensation  within  such sum as may be
  appropriated by law. Persons appointed to competitive  positions  within
  the  division  who meet the definition of veteran or disabled veteran as
  defined in section  eighty-five  of  the  civil  service  law  shall  be
  entitled  to  additional  credit and preference as conferred by that law
  and in the same manner, except that,  notwithstanding  any  law  to  the
  contrary,  with  respect  to  any  candidate  applying  for  credit in a
  competitive examination  for  original  appointment  as  a  disabled  or
  non-disabled  veteran,  such  candidate may apply provisionally for such
  credit while still an active member of the armed forces. The application
  for provisional credit may be made at any time between the date  of  his
  or  her  application  for  the  competitive examination and the date the
  eligible  list  is  established.  In  cases  where  there  has  been   a
  provisional  application,  the  superintendent  shall grant final credit
  only if the candidate renews his or her application within  ninety  days
  following   termination  of  the  candidate's  military  duty,  and  the
  candidate's period of eligibility on the list has not expired,  and  the
  candidate   satisfies   the   appropriate   statutory  requirements  for
  eligibility. Pending the  granting  of  final  credit,  the  candidate's
  ranking on any eligible list shall reflect the provisional credit.