To ensure fairness in the standards applied to members of the Army in the awarding of the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Combat Medical Badge for service in Korea in comparison to the standards applied to members of the Army in the awarding of such badges for service in other areas of operations.

SA 3237. Mr. CAMPBELL submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2400, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2005 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe personnel strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed Services, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 86, between lines 9 and 10, insert the following:

SEC. 543. 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. Korea 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. Korea 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.