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SENATE RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Between the surrender of Japan on September 2, |
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1945, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union on December 25 |
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through 26, 1991, the world witnessed a period of military, |
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economic, and ideological confrontation known as the Cold War; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Although the Cold War never erupted into a |
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full-scale armed conflict between the world's superpowers, it |
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gave impetus to a number of localized hot wars, as well as to a |
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massive military buildup on the part of both the United States |
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and the Soviet Union; the consequent demands on the United States |
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military personnel were often arduous and dangerous; and |
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WHEREAS, In the National Defense Authorization Act for |
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Fiscal Year 2002, the congress authorized the United States |
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Department of Defense to issue a Cold War Service Medal, to be |
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given to each member of the United States military who served |
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satisfactorily on active duty during the Cold War era; the |
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Department of Defense has refused, however, to create such an |
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award; instead, since 1999, the department has made available a |
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Cold War Recognition Certificate, to be given to those who served |
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during the Cold War either as a member of the armed forces or as a |
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federal employee; and |
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WHEREAS, Cold War veterans believe that this certificate |
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scarcely suffices to recognize the sacrifices they bore or the |
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service they rendered; since the certificate was first offered, |
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the American Legion, VFW, Reserve Officers Association, Combat |
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Infantrymen's Association, Cold War Veterans Association, and |
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AMVETS have all expressed the desire that service in the Cold War |
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be honored with an official medal; and |
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WHEREAS, A medal that honors service similar to that of |
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Cold War veterans already exists and, if made available to those |
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veterans, would both pay them the tribute they are owed and |
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resolve the Pentagon's concern about the cost of issuing a new |
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award; the American Defense Service Medal, created by Executive |
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Order 8808, is given to service personnel who served between |
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September 8, 1939, following the outbreak of war in Europe, and |
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December 7, 1941, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor; as during the |
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Cold War, the United States military spent this period bracing |
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for armed hostilities; and |
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WHEREAS, A precedent for expanding the dates of |
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eligibility for the American Defense Service Medal exists with |
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the National Defense Service Medal; initially awarded for |
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service during the period of the Korean War, the National Defense |
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Service Medal was subsequently awarded for service during the |
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period of the Vietnam War, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and |
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the Global War on Terror; and |
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WHEREAS, The heraldry, order of precedence, and related |
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issues pertaining to the American Defense Service Medal have |
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already been settled; the only change in the medal that would be |
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required would be the removal of the original dates of |
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eligibility, which are presently engraved on the reverse; |
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removing these dates will also facilitate the reopening of this |
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award for service during a similar period of emergency in the |
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future; and |
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WHEREAS, There is little doubt that Cold War veterans will |
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prefer to purchase the American Defense Service Medal as opposed |
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to unofficial commemorative medals, which are not authorized to |
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be worn on uniforms, thus significantly reducing the cost to the |
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defense department for providing this award; and |
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WHEREAS, Those who served in the United States Army, Navy, |
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Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard during the years of the Cold |
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War made an immeasurable contribution to the safety of this |
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country and its allies, and they are indeed deserving of |
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appropriate recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st |
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Legislature, hereby respectfully urge the president of the |
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United States to modify Executive Order 8808 so as to award the |
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American Defense Service Medal to United States armed forces |
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personnel who served on active duty in the period after September |
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1, 1945, and before December 27, 1991; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the secretary of the senate forward an |
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official copy of this resolution to the president of the United |
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States. |
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_______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on January 28, 2009. |
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_______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |