The American War Library -- Copyright © Since 2008  infoman@verizon.net

Same Service
Same Sacrifice
Same Citation

Same recognition regardless of timeline and/or date of one's military service.


Table of Contents

THE MISSION

Operation Goal: The mission of this Operation is to gain Congressional and Military support and approval to authorize retroactivity of certain medals and badges to eligible living and deceased military veterans who served from our Revolutionary War to the Present... without costing either the taxpayer or our military branches any money.

Operation Retroactive Recognition changes only the Eligibility Dates, not the Eligibility Criteria

Today there exists a number of U.S. military awards created since WWII that have never been made applicable, or retroactive, to veterans of prior wars simply because Congress cannot budget the enormous cost of providing retroactive hardware to the millions of former servicemen and women who performed the exact same service for our country over the past 200 years that current military members perform today. Understandably, the administrative cost alone of processing approvals, or rejections, for retroactive awards would burden billions of dollars on the American taxpayer and drain the active military of those billions required to fund our active national defense.

There is a Simple Way To Resolve Both the Retroactive and Funding Issues That Have Made Award Retroactivity Too Expensive Until Now

In the proposed Summary Legislation provided below, This Operation proposes that certain awards (see the list) created after World War II, in which their criteria renders them applicable to prior eras, be made automatically retroactive to qualified veterans based on (their) existing military documentation (their DD-214 or Report of Separation).

This Operation also proposes in the proposed sample Legislation that any qualified veteran who wishes to obtain a retroactive award must purchase it him or herself. In other words, neither the taxpayer nor the military budget will be required to fund the cost of providing newly retroactive awards enacted under any approved legislation.

This Operation believes that this simple remedy will fully resolve all issues of deserved retroactivity authorization and funding, while at the same time preserving the enforceability of the Stolen Valor Act of 2007.

THE PROPOSED RETROACTIVE LIST

Here is a (partial) list of awards created since World War II that are applicable to a limited selection military active personnel and veterans but have not been made retroactive to the Revolutionary War because of the enormous costs involved. (This list will be amended... EMAIL suggested additions to this list:

infoman@verizon.net

Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medals
To retroactively authorize both medals for domestic or foreign service involving military responses to the following terrorist attacks:

    1. Attack on the World Trade Center, 1993
    2. Overtaking of the Achille Lauro, 1985
    3. Bombing of the La Belle Disco, 1986
    4. Attack on the USS Cole, 2000
(Recipients to be granted automatic authorization pending personnel documentation verifying fulfillment of criteria.)

National Defense Service Medal
To retroactively authorize this award to every Honorably Discharged serviceperson retroactive to the Revolutionary War. (Automatic authorization.)

Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
To retroactively extend the current Issue Regulations back to the Revolutionary War. (Automatic authorization pending documentation verifying fulfillment of criteria.)

Army Combat Action Badge
To Retroactively extend this Badge back to the Revolutionary War. (Approval/Authorization required. KIA authorization automatic)

Combat Action Badge Update...
Rep. Brown-Waite (R-FL): Expands the eligibility for the Army Combat Action Badge to those soldiers who served during the dates ranging from December 7, 1941, to September 18, 2001. The costs to procure the badges would be borne by these individuals not the military.

  • Bill Text: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-1850
  • Bill Text: http://www.gop.gov/bill/111/2/hr5136
  • Ginny Brown-Waite: http://brown-waite.house.gov/
  • Combat Action Badge Info: http://www.amervets.com/replacement/cab.htm#isr

    Air Force Combat Action Medal
    To Retroactively extend this Badge back to World War I. (Approval/Authorization required. KIA authorization automatic)

    Army Combat Infantryman's Badge
    To Retroactively extend this Badge back to the Revolutionary War. (Approval/Authorization required. KIA authorization automatic)

    Navy Surface Warfare Pin
    To Retroactively extend this Pin back to the Revolutionary War. (Approval/Authorization required. KIA authorization automatic)

    Army Combat Medical Badge
  • 1. To Retroactively extend this Badge back to World War One. (Approval/Authorization required. KIA authorization automatic)

  • 2. To apply the WW2 authorization of the Bronze Star Medal to recipients of the Combat Medical Badge who served in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq.

    • Prisoner of War Medal (All applicable branches)
    To retroactively extend the current Issue Regulations back Revolutionary War. (Automatic authorization pending documentation verifying POW status.)

    Arctic Service Medal
    To retroactively extend the current Issue Regulations back to the Hall Expedition (1871) and all subsequent Expeditions involving military personnel. (Automatic authorization pending documentation verifying fulfillment of criteria.)

    Ceremonial Guard Ribbon
    To retroactively extend the Ceremonial Guard Ribbon, established 12 December 2003, to service during the Revolutionary War. (Automatic authorization pending documentation verifying fulfillment of criteria.)

    Army Service Ribbon To retroactively extend the current Issue Regulations back to the Revolutionary War. (Automatic authorization pending documentation verifying Army, Army National Guard or Army Reserve Service.)

    Non-Commissioned Officer Training/Academy Ribbon To retroactively extend the current Issue Regulations back to the establishment of the first NCO training course. All branches applicable. (Automatic authorization pending documentation verifying course completion.)

    Cold War Service Medal
    To approve the pending medal design [*] for wear on the U.S. Military uniform. (Automatic authorization pending documentation verifying fulfillment of criteria.)
    [*] The grey background Cold War Commemorative medal is currently sold by military base and post exhanges.

    Army, Navy, Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon
    To Retroactively extend this Badge back to the Army's founding. (Automatic authorization pending documentation verifying fulfillment of criteria.)

    Air Assault Badge
    To Retroactively extend this Badge back to 1951, Korea, which began helicopter airmobility. (Approval/Authorization required.)

    Combat Action Ribbon (Navy, Marine, Coast Guard)

    To Retroactively extend this Ribbon back to the Revolutionary War. (Approval/Authorization required.)

    Combat Action Medal (Navy, Marine, Coast Guard)

    To establish a medal corresponding to the Combat Action Ribbon, and extend retroactively of this Ribbon back to the Revolutionary War. (Approval/Authorization required.) [Proposed medal design pictured.]

    SUMMARY OF TEXT OF PROPOSED CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION
    (Click her for full text of the Proposed Legislation,
    Authored by PO3C Greg W. Colyer.)

    a. To extend retroactive authorization, in some cases automatic, to eligible former United States military personnel who performed or served in identical or similar actions now recognized for an existing award (medal, ribbon or badge);

    b. To apply the punitive Stolen Valor Act to any misrepresented or misclaimed award that is deemed ineligible by any authorized governing agency;

    c. To require approval for those awards that currently require confirmation of eligibility; the cost/fee of confirming eligibility to be born by the applicant or applicants repesentative; the non-refundable cost/fee of reviewing eligibility to be established either by Congress or the working agency;

    d. To establish that any medals, ribbons, badges or other "hardware" associated with an automatic or required-approval award be purchased from a "hardware" supplier by the applicant or applicant's representative with no issuance by any military or other federal, state or local agency;

    THE ABOVE sections to be revised, amended, added or deleted by Congress.

    WHAT YOU CAN DO

    1. Prepare a brief cover letter introducing yourself and a summary of the goal of This Operation, then print a copy of the Proposed Legislation.

    Mail (do not fax; do not email) your letter and a copy of the Proposed Legislation to your Representative in the House, and/or to one or both of your Senators. (We have not supplied a sample cover letter because your letter should be written by you, using your own words.)

    You can find your House Representative and Senator's mailing addresses here:

    2. If you are a webmaster, download retroweb.zip. This webpage and all of its images are all enclosed in the "retroweb.zip" package. Unzip retroweb.zip and place retroweb.zip, along with its contents, on your webspace so that the veterans in your organization and visitors can read about the Operation on your website.

    CONTACT INFO

    infoman@verizon.net

    PROPOSED SAMPLE "SF 180-R" FORM REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION

    This is a downloadable proposed sample form in pdf format. This sample is not useable at this time. This sample is being provided solely to let you know what the official request form would look like. Do not attempt to use this Sample Form now. We will advise you when this Sample Form is officially activated for use, and at such time a copy of this form will be sent by you to the National Records and Personnel Center (along with photocopies of any/all relevent supporting documentants). A second copy (along with documents) is to be sent to Operation RetroActive Recognition (see addresses below). Save a third copy to retain for your personal record.

    Please Note the Conditional Acknowledgment of your Authorization Request that is stated on Form SF180-R:

      "DEAR STAFF, I am requesting retroactive authorization for the following award(s) that is/are non-automatic and requires approval. I am including documentation I believe authorizes this/these award(s). I am including the required ($--.--) application fee for each award listed below. I understand the fee(s) is/are non-refundable whether this application is approved or denied. I also understand that if this application is approved I must purchase any hardware associated with this award and may not request free issue from either the military or any federal agency."

    COPY #1 To Be Sent To:

    National Personnel Records Center
    Military Personnel Records
    9700 Page Avenue
    St Louis MO 63132-5100
    OR Fax to: 1-301-801-9195

    COPY #2 To Be Sent To:

    Operation RetroActive Recognition
    The American War Library
    16907 Brighton Avenue
    Gardena CA 90247-5420

    OPERATION RETROACTIVE RECOGNITION
    INFORMATION-EXCHANGE AND DISCUSSION FORUM

    Click Here or on the image to the left to Join Operation Retroactive Recognition info-exchange Forum


    You can communicate in real time with every member of The Forum via email, as well as receive new info on the progess of the Legislation and other military medal news. Membership is free to all.

    Click the Poster to Download, Print and Distribute it at your veteran's group and VA facility.





    Form 201A Military Award and Recognition Report

    I Want To Know All of the Military Medal and Award Authorizations I am Eligible For (Send me my Form 201-A)

    The American War Library
    16907 Brighton Avenue
    Gardena CA 90247-5420

    Phone/Fax 1-310-532-0634
    infoman@verizon.net - Or- 13105320634@americanwarlibrary.com

    This website published 11 September 2009