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Bill Text

Bill Memo and Justification






AN ACT to amend the military law, in relation to the issuance of a Cold War medal

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF_______, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

THE GOVERNOR IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO PRESENT IN THE NAME OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF_________, A MILITARY DECORATION, TO BE KNOWN AS THE "COLD WAR SERVICE MEDAL", BEARING A SUITABLE INSCRIPTION, DEVICE,AND RIBBON, ALL OF WHICH SHALL BE OF SUITABLE DESIGN, TO ANY PERSON (I) WHO IS A CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR (II) WHO WAS A CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF______ WHILE SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES; (III) WHO SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES DURING THE PERIOD OF TIME FROM SEPTEMBER SECOND, NINETEEN HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE THROUGH DECEMBER TWENTY-SIXTH, NINETEEN HUNDRED NINETY-ONE, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE COLD WAR ERA; AND (IV) WHO WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED OR RELEASED UNDER HONORABLE CIRCUMSTANCES DURING THE COLD WAR ERA. NOT MORE THAN ONE COLD WAR SERVICE MEDAL SHALL BE ISSUED TO ANY ONE PERSON; NOR SHALL ANY CITATION BE AWARDED OR PRESENTED, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION, TO ANY PERSON WHOSE ENTIRE SERVICE SUBSEQUENT TO THE TIME OF THE RECEIPT OF SUCH MEDAL SHALL NOT HAVE BEEN HONORABLE. IN THE EVENT OF THE DEATH OF ANY PERSON DURING OR SUBSEQUENT TO THE RECEIPT OF SUCH CITATION THE COLD WAR SERVICE MEDAL SHALL BE PRESENTED TO SUCH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DECEASED AS MAY BE DESIGNATED. THE ADJUTANT GENERAL SHALL MAKE SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS AS MAY BE DEEMED NECESSARY FOR THE PROPER PRESENTATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF SUCH DECORATIONS.

It shall not be construed to require that a recipient of The Cold War Service Medal has been a resident of the state of _____at The time of his or her entry into the United States army, air force, navy, marine corps, or nurses corps.

This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that the division of military and naval affairs is authorized to promulgate any and all rules and regulations and take any other measures necessary to implement this act on its effective date on or before such date.





Title of Bill : An act to amend the military law, in relation to the issuance of a Cold War medal

Purpose or General Idea of Bill:

This bill would allow for the recognition of the contributions of our service men and women who served honorably during the Cold War by authorizing and awarding a State Cold War Medal to these individuals.

Amends state military law by adding a new subdivision, which would authorize the governor to present in the name of the Legislature of the state of_______________, a military decoration, to be known as the "Cold War Service Medal."

The medal would be awarded to any person who is a citizen of the state of New York or was was a citizen of the state of New York while serving in the armed forces of the United States, who served in the United States Armed Forces during the period of time from September second, nineteen hundred forty-five through December twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred ninety-one, commonly known as the Cold War Era and who was honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances during the Cold War Era.

Justification:

In 1998 the United States Government recognized the contribution of its armed forces and their sacrifices during the Cold War with a Certificate of Recognition that had to be requested from the Department of Defense. No federal campaign medal exists to recognize the dedicated participation of those service members who "stood watch" in the cause of promoting world peace and stability, and who also participated in hundred of military exercises and operations that occurred between the state of the Cold War on September 2, 1945 and the end of the Cold War on December 26, 1991. The United States Government has not authorized or recognized a Cold War Medal dedicated to the service of these veterans who sacrificed so much, many of whom performed actions and duties still shrouded in Secrecy so that they receive and maintain no identity as Cold War Veterans.

These thousands of ______State Cold War Veterans prevented communist world domination and nuclear war. Therefore, it is fitting that these service members who served honorable during this era receive proper state recognition for their efforts in the form of a State Cold War medal.