The New York State Cold War Service Medal has been passed by both the State Assembly and the Senate, and sent to the Governor for signature.  With this measure, the State of New York leads the nation in recognition of the service of those men and women who served their country in defending freedom, deterring nuclear war, and stopping Communist expansion over a 46 year period – America’s longest war.   The legislative history and text of the bill are shown below.  At the Federal level, we are still fighting for the same kind of just recognition of service that New York State is providing.  Thus, New York state is “doing the right thing” by its vets – let’s call on the United States Department of Defense to “do the right thing” and authorize the COLD WAR SERVICE MEDAL on the national level.

TEXT OF BILL:

S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
_______________________________________________________________________

5650

2007-2008 Regular Sessions

I N  S E N A T E

April 25, 2007
___________

       Introduced  by  Sen. LEIBELL -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security-
          and Military Affairs

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

         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

    1    Section 1. Section 247 of the military law is amended by adding a  new
    2  subdivision 1-b to read as follows:
    3    1-B.  THE  GOVERNOR IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO PRESENT IN THE NAME OF THE
    4  LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, A MILITARY DECORATION, TO BE KNOWN
    5  AS THE "COLD WAR SERVICE MEDAL", BEARING A SUITABLE INSCRIPTION, DEVICE,
    6  AND RIBBON, ALL OF WHICH SHALL BE OF SUITABLE DESIGN, TO ANY PERSON  (I)
    7  WHO  IS  A CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR (II) WHO WAS A CITIZEN OF
    8  THE STATE OF NEW YORK WHILE SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED
    9  STATES;  (III)  WHO  SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES DURING THE
   10  PERIOD OF  TIME  FROM  SEPTEMBER  SECOND,  NINETEEN  HUNDRED  FORTY-FIVE
   11  THROUGH  DECEMBER  TWENTY-SIXTH,  NINETEEN  HUNDRED NINETY-ONE, COMMONLY
   12  KNOWN AS THE COLD WAR ERA; AND (IV)  WHO  WAS  HONORABLY  DISCHARGED  OR
   13  RELEASED  UNDER  HONORABLE  CIRCUMSTANCES  DURING THE COLD WAR ERA.  NOT
   14  MORE THAN ONE COLD WAR SERVICE MEDAL SHALL BE ISSUED TO ANY ONE  PERSON;
   15  NOR  SHALL ANY CITATION BE AWARDED OR PRESENTED, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF
   16  THIS SUBDIVISION, TO ANY PERSON WHOSE ENTIRE SERVICE SUBSEQUENT  TO  THE
   17  TIME OF THE RECEIPT OF SUCH MEDAL SHALL NOT HAVE BEEN HONORABLE.  IN THE
   18  EVENT  OF THE DEATH OF ANY PERSON DURING OR SUBSEQUENT TO THE RECEIPT OF
   19  SUCH CITATION THE COLD WAR SERVICE MEDAL  SHALL  BE  PRESENTED  TO  SUCH
   20  REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DECEASED AS MAY BE DESIGNATED. THE ADJUTANT GENER-
   21  AL  SHALL MAKE SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS AS MAY BE DEEMED NECESSARY FOR
   22  THE PROPER PRESENTATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF SUCH DECORATIONS.
   23    S 2.  Subdivision 4 of section 247 of the military law, as amended  by
   24  chapter 184 of the laws of 1998, is amended to read as follows:

EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
{ } is old law to be omitted.
LBD08958-04-7

       S. 5650                             2

    1    4.  This section shall not be construed to require that a recipient of
    2  the conspicuous service cross {or}, the conspicuous service star OR  THE
    3  COLD  WAR  SERVICE MEDAL has been a resident of the state of New York at
    4  the time of his or her entry into the United  States  army,  air  force,
    5  navy, marine corps, or nurses corps.
    6    S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
    7  it  shall  have become a law; provided that the division of military and
    8  naval affairs is authorized to promulgate any and all  rules  and  regu-
    9  lations  and  take any other measures necessary to implement this act on
    10  its effective date on or before such date.

BILL HISTORY AND STATUS:

S05650 Summary:
BILL NO    S05650

Authorizes the issuance of a Cold War service medal to certain individuals.

S05650 Actions:
BILL NO    S05650
04/25/2007 REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS
05/22/2007 1ST REPORT CAL.1287
05/29/2007 2ND REPORT CAL.
05/30/2007 ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
06/21/2007 COMMITTED TO RULES
01/09/2008 REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS
01/14/2008 1ST REPORT CAL.24
01/15/2008 2ND REPORT CAL.
01/22/2008 ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
06/19/2008 SUBSTITUTED BY A5156A
           A05156A AMEND=  Ortiz (MS)
           02/12/2007 referred to veterans` affairs
           04/17/2007 amend and recommit to veterans` affairs
           04/17/2007 print number 5156a
           05/01/2007 reported
           05/03/2007 advanced to third reading cal.371
           05/08/2007 passed assembly
           05/08/2007 delivered to senate
           05/08/2007 REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAI
          
           AFFAI
           06/19/2008 PASSED SENATE
           06/19/2008 RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY
           06/27/2008 delivered to governor

AS THIS BILL BECOMES LAW, THE AMERICAN COLD WAR VETERANS ORGANIZATION WEBSITE WILL PROVIDE FORMS AND GUIDANCE TO APPLY FOR AND RECEIVE THIS MEDAL–
OUR THANKS TO GOVERNOR PATTERSON FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS IMPORTANT STEP TO RECOGNIZE OUR VETERANS!