Cold War Service Medal Act of 2015

To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who served honorably during the Cold War, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Cold War Service Medal Act of 2015 2. Cold War Service Medal (a) Medal authorized (1) In general Chapter 57 1136. Cold War Service Medal (a) Medal authorized The Secretary concerned may issue a service medal, to be known as the Cold War Service Medal (b) Design The Cold War Service Medal shall be of an appropriate design approved by the Secretary of Defense, with ribbons, lapel pins, and other appurtenances. (c) Eligible persons Subject to subsection (d), a person eligible to be issued the Cold War Service Medal is any person who— (1) served on active duty in the armed forces for not less than 24 consecutive months during the Cold War; (2) was deployed as a member of the armed forces outside the continental United States for a period of at least 30 days during the Cold War; (3) was a member of a reserve component of the armed forces and called or ordered to active duty to participate in exercises or operations directly related to the Cold War, as determined by the Secretary of Defense; or (4) performed such other service in the armed forces during the Cold War as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe for purposes of this section. (d) Required characterization of service In the case of a person described in subsection (c) who is already discharged or released from the armed forces, the person is eligible for the Cold War Service Medal only if the discharge or release was under honorable conditions after service in the armed forces characterized as honorable. (e) One medal authorized Not more than one Cold War Service Medal may be issued to any person. (f) Issuance to next-of-Kin If a person described in subsection (c) is deceased, the Secretary concerned may provide for issuance of the Cold War Service Medal to the next-of-kin of the person. (g) Replacement Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, a Cold War Service Medal may be replaced without charge if lost, destroyed, or rendered unfit for use without fault or neglect on the part of the person to whom it was issued. (h) Regulations The issuance of a Cold War Service Medal shall be subject to such regulations as the Secretaries concerned shall prescribe for purposes of this section. The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that any regulations prescribed under this subsection are uniform to the extent practicable. (i) Cold War defined In this section, the term Cold War . (2) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 57 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new item: 1136. Cold War Service Medal. . (b) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense should take appropriate actions to expedite— (1) the design of the Cold War Service Medal provided for by section 1136 of title 10, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)); and (2) the establishment and implementation of mechanisms to facilitate the issuance of the Cold War Service Medal to persons eligible for the issuance of the medal under such section.

Summary: Cold War Service Medal Act of 2015 Authorizes the military department concerned to issue the Cold War Service Medal to members of the Armed Forces who: (1) served on active duty for at least 24 consecutive months during the Cold War (September 2, 1945, through December 26, 1991); (2) were deployed outside the continental United States for at least 30 days during such period; (3) were members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces and were called or ordered to active duty to participate in exercises or operations directly related to the Cold War; or (4) performed other Cold War service as DOD may prescribe. Disqualifies any such person who was not discharged or released from the Armed Forces under under honorable conditions. Expresses the sense of Congress that DOD should expedite the design and issuance of the Medal.