KOREAN WAR SERVICE MEDAL - issued by Republic of Korea...

["Gernilee Carter Gramling" <cartergramling@msn.com>]

U.S. veterans of the Korean War are now eligible to wear a medal initially 
offered to them more than 50 years ago, but never issued.

In a May 13, 2000, letter to Defense Secretary William S. Cohen, Republic of 
Korea Defense Minister Seong Tae Cho formally announced that his government 
would provide the Republic of Korea War Service Medal (ROKWSM) to eligible 
U.S. veterans of that conflict, or to their surviving next of kin. The medal 
will be provided at no cost to veterans. The U.S. Air Force has been 
designated the lead agency to receive and distribute the medals.

"On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War," Cho wrote, "the 
ROK government decided to issue the ROKWSM to pay tribute to the Korean War 
veterans for their historic endeavors to preserve freedom of the ROK and the 
free world." The two governments will conduct fiftieth anniversary 
ceremonies throughout 2000-2003 and medals may be applied for at any time 
during this period. The war began on June 25, 1950, when North Korean forces 
invaded ROK territory. The armistice on July 27, 1953, ended the fighting, 
although a formal peace treaty has never been completed.

The medal was originally offered by the ROK in 1951 to United Nations forces 
serving in Korea and adjacent waters. At the time U.S. law prohibited the 
U.S. military from wearing medals issued by foreign governments. Congress 
changed that in 1954, but by then most U.S. service members eligible for the 
medal had returned home.

In 1998 the government of the Republic of Korea renewed its original offer 
of the ROKWSM to U.S. military personnel. On Aug. 20, 1999, the Defense 
Department approved the acceptance and wear of the medal. Approximately 1.8 
million U.S. veterans of the Korean War are eligible to receive it. Next of 
kin to eligible deceased veterans can also apply for the medal.

To wear this medal on U.S. military uniforms, U.S. military personnel must 
have:

*	served between the outbreak of hostilities, June 25, 1950, and the date 
the armistice was signed, July 27, 1953;
*	been on permanent assignment or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days 
or 60 non-consecutive days, and
*	performed their duty within the territorial limits of Korea, in the waters 
immediately adjacent thereto or in aerial flight over Korea participating in 
actual combat operations or in support of combat operations .


The ROK specifies the eligibility period and criteria. Only the ROK-provided 
medal is approved by the U.S. government to meet the U.S. criteria for wear 
on the military uniform.

To apply, veterans must provide a copy of their discharge paper, commonly 
known as a "DD-214," or a corrected version of that document, a "DD-215." 
National Guard members must provide their statement of service equivalent, 
"NGB Form 22."

Additional information on how to apply for or request the medal can be found 
by contacting the:

Air Force Personnel Center, Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (CST) at 
(800) 558-1404,

or the

Awards and Decorations Section (210) 565-2432/2520/2516, fax (210) 565-3118, 
or by writing to HQ AFPC/DPPPRA, 550 C Street West, Suite 12, Randolph Air 
Force Base, Texas 78150-4714.


Regards, Gernilee


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