To amend title 10, United States Code, to revise the requirements for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Combat Medical Badge with respect to service in Korea after July 28, 1953.

March 25, 2004

Mr. FLAKE (for himself, Mr. HEFLEY, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. HOSTETTLER, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. SIMMONS, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. GILLMOR, Mr. FROST, Mr. SOUDER, and Ms. HART) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

To amend title 10, United States Code, to revise the requirements for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Combat Medical Badge with respect to service in Korea after July 28, 1953.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Korean Defense Service Combat Recognition Act'.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR AWARD OF COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE AND COMBAT MEDICAL BADGE WITH RESPECT TO SERVICE IN KOREA AFTER JULY 28, 1953.

(a) Standardization of Requirements With Other Geographic Areas- (1) Chapter 357 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

`Sec. 3757. Korean defense service: Combat Infantryman Badge; Combat Medical Badge

`The Secretary of the Army shall provide that, with respect to service in the Republic of Korea after July 28, 1953, eligibility of a member of the Army for the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge shall be met under criteria and eligibility requirements that, as nearly as practicable, are identical to those applicable, at the time of such service in the Republic of Korea, to service elsewhere without regard to specific location or special circumstances. In particular, such eligibility shall be established--

`(1) without any requirement for service by the member in an area designated as a `hostile fire area' (or by any similar designation) or that the member have been authorized hostile fire pay;

`(2) without any requirement for a minimum number of instances (in excess of one) in which the member was engaged with the enemy in active ground combat involving an exchange of small arms fire; and

`(3) without any requirement for personal recommendation or approval by commanders in the member's chain of command other than is generally applicable for service at locations outside the Republic of Korea.'.

(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

`3757. Korean defense service: Combat Infantryman Badge; Combat Medical Badge.'.

(b) Applicability to Service Before Date of Enactment- The Secretary of the Army shall establish procedures to provide for the implementation of section 3757 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), with respect to service in the Republic of Korea during the period between July 28, 1953, and the date of the enactment of this Act. Such procedures shall include a requirement for submission of an application for award of a badge under that section with respect to service before the date of the enactment of this Act and the furnishing of such information as the Secretary may specify.

END