Cold War Veterans Blog

Army sticks with tired DoD Line


In a recent posting at thier website the Association of the US Army gives the proposal of a Cold war Service Medal a lukewarm reception and seem to take DoD line that a Cold War Service Medal would cost to much money and also would some how cheapen other medals given out during that time period.

Well, where do I start with the billions of dollars spent on the war on terror the DoD has the nerve to to question the cost of a couple dollar medal that the majority of Veterans would buy themselves anyway. Yet at the same time has issued themselves multiple redundant campaign, service, and expiditionary medals for the war on terror . Now days after one enlistment one might look like a third world dictator.

The Cold War Medal on the other hand would cheapen what medals from 1945-1991 a Arcom? a Good Conduct medal ? The NDSM was issued for national emergencies . No campaign medal was ever issued for the Cold War specifically. Today the President has no problem comparing the Cold War to the War on Terror. But I guess the latter is only one worthy of recognition. Lets see they are both struggles against a evil ideology one lasted for 46 years with flare ups in Vietnam, Korea, Central America, Africa, and decades of a tense standoff in Europe along with a constant posture for World War 3. Now the war on terror/islamofacism has a lot of potential but has a long way to go.
Here is the article from Association of US Army . You be the judge it ticked me off how about you.

Cold War Medal Resurfaces

The House version of last year's fiscal 2006 National Defense Authorization Bill contained provisions for a Cold War medal, but a joint conference committee struck it out. This year the idea has resurfaced. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Rep. Robert Andrews, D-N.J. have introduced S. 1361 and H.R. 2568 respectively that would direct the Defense Department to issue such a medal. Service members and DoD civilians who served honorably at any time between Sept. 2, 1945, through Dec. 26, 1991 would be eligible. The proposed legislation would face stiff opposition from DoD because of funding concerns and because a Cold War medal could reduce the prestige accorded other medals awarded during the same era. As a substitute, Public Law 105-85 authorized a Cold War Recognition Certificate for Cold War participants.