PRINTER'S NO. 1263
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 AND ZUG, APRIL 8, 2003
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS,
APRIL 8, 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
14 versus insertion and extraction missions; and
1 WHEREAS, The bravery and the medical skills of the aeromedic
2 functioning in the heat of hard combat has often meant the
3 difference between survival and death; and
4 WHEREAS, Aeromedical personnel are able to triage and provide
5 necessary emergency medical treatment en route to a definitive
6 care facility, and many medics leave the helicopter to load
7 multiple casualties, often under the intense enemy fire unarmed
8 medevacs attract; and
9 WHEREAS, Selective expansion of the Combat Medical Badge
10 award occurred in the Persian Gulf War when the United States
11 Army Chief of Staff authorized it for medics assigned to armor
12 and ground cavalry units; and
13 WHEREAS, The conduct of the Persian Gulf War was
14 characterized by armor and ground cavalry operations, while
15 airmobile operations dominated the Vietnam War from logistics to
16 combat to medevac; therefore be it
17 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
18 memorialize the President and Congress of the United States to
19 enact legislation requiring the retroactive award of the Combat
20 Medical Badge to all Vietnam personnel serving in the 91 MOS who
21 were assigned to helicopter ambulances; and be it further
22 RESOLVED, That no inference of any diminution of the prestige
23 of this award be assigned to the lawful and realistic expansion
24 of eligibility; and be it further
25 RESOLVED, That initial presentations of the Combat Medical
26 Badge be received by survivors of aeromedical personnel whose
27 names appear on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall; and be it
28 further
29 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
30 the President, presiding officers of each house of Congress and
20030H0172R1263 - 2 -
1 to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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