WHEREAS: In 1998, the United States Government recognized the contribution of United States military service members' sacrifices during the Cold War with a bland and impersonal recognition certificate that had to be requested from the Department of Defense; and

WHEREAS: No Campaign Medal exists to recognize the dedicated participation of these service members who "Stood Watch" in the cause of promoting world Peace and stability, and who also participated in hundreds of military exercises and operations that occurred between the start of the Cold War on 02 September 1945 and the end of the Cold War on 26 December 1991; and

WHEREAS: Millions of Cold War Veterans prevented communist world domination and nuclear war, and it is fitting that these service members who served Honorably during this era receive proper governmental recognition for their efforts in the form of the timely award of the Cold War Service Medal; and

WHEREAS: During this period, thousands of these service members were killed, wounded, and became missing in Cold War overseas operations, which were separate and distinct from other recognized wars such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War; and

WHEREAS: The United States Government has not properly recognized the dedicated service of these Veterans who sacrificed so much, with many of their actions and activities shrouded in secrecy to this day, more than a decade removed, so that they receive and maintain no identity as Cold War era Veterans; and

WHEREAS: The award of the Cold War Service Medal to these Veterans by the United States Congress, via the Secretary of Defense, is supported by the Cold War Veterans Association, and supported via resolution by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS, the Air Force Sergeants Association, the Naval Reserve Association, the State Guard Association of the United States, and other Veterans organizations; and

WHEREAS: Advocates For Cold War Veterans' Honor, feels that concerned People who support the award of the Cold War Service Medal to these service members, that they begin to heal the wounds of Cold War Veterans, their families and friends affected by that, and that they bring Honor back unto their loved ones, themselves and their country: now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED: That the undersigned, joining with Advocates For Cold War Veterans' Honor, do support authorization of the award of the Cold War Service Medal to these service members by the Secretary of Defense as directed by Congress and Senate; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That per the Fiscal Year 2002 National Defense Authorization Act, also known as the United States Senate Bill S. 1438 (Enrolled), Section 556, Paragraph (2), this law states: "It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense should consider authorizing -- the issuance of a campaign medal, to be known as the Cold War service Medal, to each person who, while a member of the Armed Forces, served satisfactorily on active duty during the Cold War;" and

BE IT PETITIONED: To the Secretary of Defense, that the names and tally of the undersigned be taken into consideration in the evaluation-reevaluation process, allowing authorization for award of the Cold War Service Medal to these deserving Veterans and service members, and that this is initiated on this date 01 September 2002 by Advocates For Cold War Veterans' Hono