PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1263 PRINTER'S NO. 1803
No. 172 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY FAIRCHILD, SEMMEL, ALLEN, BAKER, BARRAR, BEBKO-
JONES, BELFANTI, BROWNE, BUNT, CAPPELLI, CIVERA, CLYMER, COY,
CRAHALLA, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DeLUCA, DERMODY, DeWEESE, EGOLF,
FICHTER, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GABIG, GEIST, GEORGE, GINGRICH,
GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GORDNER, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARRIS, HASAY,
HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HERSHEY, HESS, JAMES, KELLER, LAUGHLIN,
LEDERER, LEH, MAJOR, McGEEHAN, McNAUGHTON, MICOZZIE,
R. MILLER, S. MILLER, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, PISTELLA, READSHAW,
REICHLEY, ROBERTS, SANTONI, SATHER, SCHRODER, SHANER,
B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STABACK, STERN, SURRA, TANGRETTI,
E. Z. TAYLOR, TIGUE, TURZAI, WALKO, WASHINGTON, WATSON,
WHEATLEY, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD, ZUG, LEWIS AND COSTA,
APRIL 8, 2003
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVE, AS AMENDED, MAY 13, 2003
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the President and Congress of the United States to
2 enact legislation to require the United States Army to
3 retroactively award the Combat Medical Badge to all Vietnam
4 personnel serving in the 91 military occupational specialty
5 (MOS) who were assigned to helicopter ambulances.
6 WHEREAS, The United States Army has denied the Combat Medical
7 Badge to personnel of the 91 MOS who were assigned to duty
8 aboard helicopter ambulances (DUSTOFF); and
9 WHEREAS, From 1962 through 1973, 496,573 missions were flown
10 by DUSTOFF and more than 900,000 casualties were safely
11 evacuated; and
12 WHEREAS, DUSTOFF missions are more hazardous than other
13 rotary-wing operations as proven by the aircraft loss rate
1 versus insertion and extraction missions; and
2 WHEREAS, The bravery and the medical skills of the aeromedic
3 functioning in the heat of hard combat has often meant the
4 difference between survival and death; and
5 WHEREAS, Aeromedical personnel are able to triage and provide
6 necessary emergency medical treatment en route to a definitive
7 care facility, and many medics leave the helicopter to load
8 multiple casualties, often under the intense enemy fire unarmed
9 medevacs attract; and
10 WHEREAS, Selective expansion of the Combat Medical Badge
11 award occurred in the Persian Gulf War when the United States
12 Army Chief of Staff authorized it for medics assigned to armor
13 and ground cavalry units; and
14 WHEREAS, The conduct of the Persian Gulf War was
15 characterized by armor and ground cavalry operations, while
16 airmobile operations dominated the Vietnam War from logistics to
17 combat to medevac; therefore be it
18 RESOLVED, That the Senate HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of the <--
19 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the President and
20 Congress of the United States to enact legislation requiring the
21 retroactive award of the Combat Medical Badge to all Vietnam
22 personnel serving in the 91 MOS who were assigned to helicopter
23 ambulances; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That no inference of any diminution of the prestige
25 of this award be assigned to the lawful and realistic expansion
26 of eligibility; and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That initial presentations of the Combat Medical
28 Badge be received by survivors of aeromedical personnel whose
29 names appear on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall; and be it
30 further
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1 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
2 the President, presiding officers of each house of Congress and
3 to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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