All officers and employees of this state, or of any department or agency thereof, all members of state retirement systems, and all other public employees of this state who are entitled to life insurance benefits as a state employee or a member of a state retirement system, and who are or become members of the United States Armed Forces or the National Guard and who are called to military service under competent orders from the appropriate military authority in time of active armed warfare shall be entitled to such life insurance benefits for the entire duration of such military deployment, including time periods in excess of twelve months, subject to the terms and conditions of any life insurance policy that may be in place to provide such coverage. Such persons shall be required to pay the cost of such coverage.