A certificate of the honorable discharge of any soldier, sailor, airperson, or marine from the military, naval, air, or marine service of the United States, and in case of a sailor to include notice of separation from the United States naval service, form 553 and revisions thereto, may be recorded in the office of the town clerk or the city clerk, except in the city of Providence, where the discharge and separation notice shall be recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds. It shall be the duty of the town clerk or the city clerk, or the recorder of deeds in the city of Providence, to record any certificate and separation notice upon presentation thereof without the payment of any fee. For any purpose for which an original honorable discharge and separation notice may be required in this state, a certified copy of the record, or a form issued by the office of veterans services pursuant to § 30-18-4 shall be deemed sufficient and shall be accepted in lieu thereof.