STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman P. CHRISTOPHER TULLY
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman CHRISTOPHER P. DEPHILLIPS
District 40 (Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic)
Assemblyman ROY FREIMAN
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Swain
SYNOPSIS
Creates New Jersey Global War on Terrorism Medal.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act creating a New Jersey Global War on Terrorism Medal and supplementing Title 38A of the New Jersey Statues.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Governor may present in the name of the State of New Jersey a Global War on Terrorism Medal of appropriate design, and ribbon to be worn in lieu of thereof, to any person who is a member of the organized militia, the Armed Forces of the United States, or a Reserve component thereof, or who was honorably discharged therefrom, if the person was a resident of the State upon entry into service or has been a resident of this State for at least 20 years in the aggregate.
b. To qualify for a New Jersey Global War on Terrorism Medal, the person, while serving in the organized militia or while in federal service, shall have served in a combat theater of at least one of the following operations during a time of war or emergency as attested by the awarding of honorable discharge and the federal DD Form 214 by the respective Armed Forces:
(1) Operation Enduring Freedom;
(2) Operation Noble Eagle;
(3) Operation Iraqi Freedom;
(4) Operation Nomad Shadow;
(5) Operation New Dawn;
(6) Operation Inherent Resolve;
(7) Operation Freedom’s Sentinel; and
(8) Operation Odyssey Lighting.
The New Jersey Global War on Terrorism Medal shall only be awarded to a person who was assigned, attached, or detailed for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days to a unit during at least one of the eligible military operations.
c. No more than one medal shall be awarded to any person, except that a medal that is lost, destroyed, or rendered unfit for use without fault or neglect on the part of the person to whom it was issued may be replaced.
d. The medal may be awarded to a deceased person or a person missing in action who would have qualified for the medal pursuant to this section and, when so directed, may be presented to such representative as the Adjutant General considers appropriate who submits all of the required forms and documentation on behalf of that person.
e. Any other eligibility requirements for the medal deemed appropriate by the Adjutant General shall be promulgated by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. At a minimum, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs shall:
(1) Establish a suitable design for the medal, including a ribbon to be worn with or in place of the medal;
(2) Procure the manufacture of the medal and ribbon;
(3) If the recipient is a member of the New Jersey National Guard, ensure that award of the medal is properly reflected in the service records;
(4) Establish procedures to identify members of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces entitled to award of the medal; and
(5) Adopt regulations to carry out the provisions of this section. The regulations shall include rules for wearing the medal and ribbon with the uniform of the New Jersey National Guard and provisions for the posthumous award of a medal.
f. There is created in the Department of Treasury a special, non-lapsing fund to be known as the “Global War on Terrorism Medal Fund.” There shall be deposited into the fund the amounts made available for the purposes of the fund and monetary donations that may be received from any source for the purposes of the fund and any interest earned thereon. Monies deposited in the fund shall be dedicated for the design, manufacture, and distribution of the medal and ribbon.
2. This act shall take effect six months from the date of enactment, but the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill creates a Global War on Terrorism medal to be presented by the Governor to a veteran who was honorably discharged and is a resident of the State, was a resident upon entry into service, or has been a resident of this State for at least 20 years in the aggregate. The veteran must have served for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days in one of the following operations to be eligible for the medal: Operation Enduring Freedom; Operation Noble Eagle; Operation Iraqi Freedom; Operation Nomad Shadow; Operation New Dawn; Operation Inherent Resolve; Operation Freedom’s Sentinel; and Operation Odyssey Lighting. The medal will also be available for a person killed in action or missing in action.