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According to The New York Times ("Gates Says U.S. Army’s Size Will Grow by 22,000," July 21, 2009): "Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates [yesterday] announced a temporary increase in the size of the Army of up to 22,000 troops to meet what he called the 'persistent pace' of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The increase, to occur over the next three years, will raise the size of the Army to 569,000 active-duty soldiers. An expansion to 547,000 soldiers, announced by Mr. Gates in 2007, was completed in May… Mr. Gates did not say what the increase would cost over all, but indicated he would ask Congress for money to pay for it in 2011 and 2012. He estimated the cost in the fiscal year that ends in October at 'less than a hundred million dollars' and in fiscal 2010 at $1 billion. He said he would absorb the costs in 2009 and 2010 into the existing Pentagon budget. 'We will take that money from some place that we think isn’t as high a priority as more soldiers, and taking some additional steps to relieve stress in the force,' Mr. Gates said… So what dos this mean for Cold War Veterans? With appropriated funds for our existing wars being diverted for a troop buildup, there is little to no chance of securing an appropriation for a discretionary Cold War Medal for a past conflict (until such time as there is a reduction of demand for finite Defense Department dollars). Please note our previous May 18, 2009 Update on this matter: Vince Milum gave a briefing on why the Cold War Victory Medal is so difficult to obtain at this time. Vince stated that while the medal (if issued) would be given mostly to veterans who are no longer serving on active duty, the cost of the medal would be borne by the Department of Defense (rather than the Department of Veterans Affairs). Given that DoD's budget objectives are driven by fighting concurrent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (as well as sustaining America's defense footprint globally), there is no impetus to drive DoD to divert its budgetary resources to finance a medal for past-serving veterans. Given (1) the preceding considerations and (2) the compounding negative impact of the nation's budgetary/economic crisis (3) plus the fact that House and Senate staffers are simply overwhelmed at this time in terms of resource demands, there does not appear to be a reasonable pathway to securing the medal for the foreseeable future. _______________ Article: Why a Cold War Medal? _______________ The following provision was included in the House of Representatives version of The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. It did NOT become law despite the fact that it was passed/agreed to in The House by a recorded vote of 397 in favor, 27 against]SEC. 556. COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL. (a) Authority- Chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: `Sec. 1135. Cold War Victory Medal `(a) Medal Authorized- The Secretary concerned shall issue a service medal, to be known as the `Cold War Victory Medal', to persons eligible to receive the medal under subsection (b). The Cold War Victory Medal shall be of an appropriate design approved by the Secretary of Defense , with ribbons, lapel pins, and other appurtenances. `(b) Eligible Persons- The following persons are eligible to receive the Cold War Victory Medal: `(1) A person who-- `(A) performed active duty or inactive duty training as an enlisted member during the Cold War; `(B) completed the person's initial term of enlistment or, if discharged before completion of such initial term of enlistment, was honorably discharged after completion of not less than 180 days of service on active duty; and `(C) has not received a discharge less favorable than an honorable discharge or a release from active duty with a characterization of service less favorable than honorable. `(2) A person who-- `(A) performed active duty or inactive duty training as a commissioned officer or warrant officer during the Cold War; `(B) completed the person's initial service obligation as an officer or, if discharged or separated before completion of such initial service obligation, was honorably discharged after completion of not less than 180 days of service on active duty; and `(C) has not been released from active duty with a characterization of service less favorable than honorable and has not received a discharge or separation less favorable than an honorable discharge. `(c) One Award Authorized- Not more than one Cold War Victory Medal may be issued to any person. `(d) Issuance to Representative of Deceased- If a person described in subsection (b) dies before being issued the Cold War Victory Medal, the medal shall be issued to the person's representative, as designated by the Secretary concerned. `(e) Replacement- Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, a Cold War Victory Medal that is lost, destroyed, or rendered unfit for use without fault or neglect on the part of the person to whom it was issued may be replaced without charge. `(f) Application for Medal- The Cold War Victory Medal shall be issued upon receipt by the Secretary concerned of an application for such medal, submitted in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary prescribes. `(g) Uniform Regulations- The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that regulations prescribed by the Secretaries of the military departments under this section are uniform so far as is practicable. `(h) Definition- In this section, the term `Cold War' means the period beginning on September 2, 1945, and ending at the end of December 26, 1991.'. (b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: `1135. Cold War Victory Medal.'. _______________ American Legion endorses Cold War Victory Medal EIGHTY-SIXTH
NATIONAL CONVENTION of August 31—September 2, 2004 RESOLUTION
No. 10: Awarding The Cold War Victory Medal WHEREAS, The United States Armed Forces engaged the forces of international Communism continuously from the end of World War II until the disintegration of the former Soviet Union; and
WHEREAS, The United States, during this extended period, relied for its manpower source on a national service Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps made up of citizens performing their obligated duty to serve and defend the United States; and
WHEREAS, The defeat of the former Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies constituted the greatest success of American Armed Forces since the end of World War II; and WHEREAS, Many American citizens served the nation in assigned duties without receiving tangible recognition for that service; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, By The American Legion in National Convention assembled in Nashville, Tennessee, August 31, September 1, 2, 2004, That The American Legion urge the Congress to authorize and provide funding for the award of a Cold War Victory Medal to all Armed Forces members who served on extended active duty during the period 2 September 1945 through 26 December 1991, thereby commemorating service in the Cold War to eliminate the threat of a determined enemy to overpower the freely elected democracies of the world. AMVETS endorses Cold War Victory Medal AUGUST 12, 2004—Spokane, Washington RESOLUTION 05-70:
CREATION OF A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL SOURCE: COLD WAR COMMITTEE WHEREAS, the United States Congress has authorized the Cold War Certificate for those Americans who served in the Armed Forces, or in other government agencies, during the period Sept. 2, 1945 through Dec. 26, 1991, and whose duties contributed directly to this nation’s Cold War efforts; and WHEREAS, the 1990 Census indicates that at least 18 million Cold War veterans were alive at that time, and further estimates indicate that as many as 22 million Americans served honorably during the Cold War; and WHEREAS, the Cold War was of such magnitude and scope that there is no comparable event in history, and therefore must be treated as singularly unique; and WHEREAS, the American victory in the Cold War changed the world forever, and those Americans who served honorably in the Armed Forces should be recognized in the form of a medal: Now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That AMVETS — [a] veterans organization which represents every Cold War veteran — proposes that Congress direct the Department of Defense to design, authorize, and supervise distribution of a Cold War Victory Medal; and be it further RESOLVED, That all congressionally chartered and/or recognized veterans organizations, pending their individual requests, may be authorized to act as witnesses to the honorable services through visual inspection of the appropriate documents — and will at the local post level issue affidavits attesting to the eligibility of each applicant; and be it further RESOLVED, That any requirement for posting of the award to individual military personnel records be waived, and a separate record of issuance of Cold War Victory medals be maintained. 104th National
Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States RESOLUTION
No. 471: Cold War Foreign Service Medal The intent of this resolution is: To petition Congress to authorize a Cold War Foreign Service Medal only for all military personnel who served anywhere overseas duty during the period 2 September 1954 to 26 December 1991. WHEREAS, Executive Order 12985, signed into law by President William Jefferson Clinton, on 11 January 1996, authorized the Armed Forces Service Medal for members, who as a unit, participate in a military operation of the United States of America deemed to be significant and no armed foreign opposition is encountered or no imminent hostile action; and WHEREAS, the Armed Forces Service Medal is a non-combat parallel of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; and WHEREAS, foreign service during America’s longest war, the Cold War between September 2, 1945 to December 26, 1991, has yet to be recognized with a foreign service medal; and WHEREAS, imminent hostile action with an armed foreign power was always a possibility during the Cold War and was a reason American troops were stationed in foreign countries that were members of NATO and SEATO or other world organizations; and WHEREAS, American troops were killed and wounded overseas during the Cold War, yet their service has never been recognized by a campaign and/or foreign service medal; and WHEREAS, during the Cold War, millions of United States service personnel served in foreign countries and could become significant population of male and female eligibles for membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we petition the Congress to authorize a Cold War Foreign Service Medal to recognize foreign service personnel who served in foreign countries that currently are not recognized during America’s longest war, the Cold War. APPROVED AS AMENDED by the 104th National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Resolution
No. 04-14: Cold War Service Medal
Reunion of the
Combat Infantrymen's Association, Inc. RESOLUTION No.
100805: WHEREAS, the Armed Forces of the United States of America (USA) confronted and engaged the forces of worldwide Communism continuously from the end of World War II until the dissolve of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), constituting the extended time period of 2 September 1945 to 26 December 1991; and WHEREAS, the United States of America, throughout this prolonged time period, depended upon its citizen volunteers and draftees to perform national military service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to defend the USA and its allies from Communist aggression; and WHEREAS the collapse of the USSR constituted the greatest military success for American arms and the US Armed Forces since the end of the Second World War; and WHEREAS, those Americans who honorably served in the US Armed Forces during Cold War without explicit recognition, should now be recognized with a service medal; Now, therefore, let it be by the Combat Infantrymen's Association, Inc. in assembly during the General Membership meeting of 8 October 2005, that the Combat Infantrymen's Association, Inc. beseeches the members of the United States Congress to authorize the awarding of a Cold War Service Medal to honorably recognize all Armed Forces military personnel who served on active duty during the period 2 September 1945 through 26 December 1991, and thereby recognize their military service during the Cold War, America's longest war. |
