New York Cold War Certificate

The State of New York has authorized a "Cold War Certificate" and this will probably mean that New York will not be issuing a Cold War Medal now or in the near future.

Assemblyman Robin Schimminger has urged veterans to apply for a Cold War Certificate, a program
throughout the state meant to honor those men and women who served their country during the
Cold War.

“The time to honor our state’s Cold Warriors is long overdue,” said Schimminger, later adding, “At a time when the threat of nuclear war put Americans at unease, Cold Warriors stood ready to take action, and their service to this great nation deserves recognition.”

Too often veterans go unnoticed, especially those who served in wars that were not as lauded as some. As a society we often recognize those veterans who served in World War II. Veterans who served in other wars, however, such as the Cold War, are not so easily acknowledged. Yet they were also willing, if need be, to sacrifice their lives. They risked so much to serve their country and its people.

We applaud Schimminger for creating this new certificate recognizing a group of veterans that often go unrecognized. We hope that residents take advantage of this and receive the acknowledgment that they rightly deserve.

Their contributions were great. Veterans of the Cold War participated in hundreds of military exercises and operations that promoted peace in the world. They airlifted supplies to Berlin in 1948, went on alert when Egypt claimed the Suez Canal in 1956 and blockaded Cuba during the 1962 missile crisis.

“There were no parades, no monuments and no victory or campaign medals to honor the service of these veterans,” Schimminger said.

Schimminger created an opportunity for veterans to receive recognition that’s long overdue, and we encourage residents to take advantage of this opportunity.

To be eligible for the certificate, the applicant must be a citizen of New York State or a citizen during the time of service in the armed forces. The applicant must also have been honorably discharged and have served between September 1945 and December 1991.

For more information, call Schimminger’s office at 716-873-2540 or email at schimmr@assembly.ny.state.

While we applaud any action that will recognize and honor our Cold War Veterans,  we feel that a certificate is just not the same as a medal. 

I do however encourage all New York Veterans to apply for this Cold War Certificate, which will let them know that they are not totally forgotten; and receive this honor and recognition.

---- Jerald Terwilliger Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans "We Remember" ---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

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The Cold War Certificate vs Cold War Medal

The U.S. Army Center of Military History in 2003 estimated that 18 to 22 million would be
eligible for the Cold War Certificate. This includes veterans and civil workers.

We can offer a rough guess that out of that number perhaps 8 million(a conservative guess) are civil workers.

They also estimated that about half of the eligible population would request a certificate. In 2009 I received information that 1.2 million had actually applied and
received the certificate.

Their guess on the cost...1.2 million certificates would cost $1.9 million

So if we subtract the 8 million civil workers that leaves 10 to 14 million veterans. Since these numbers were established in 2003, we know that the total has shrunk as
Cold War Veterans are growing fewer every day, as veterans pass away.

How many Cold War Veterans are still alive? Maybe 12 million.

If we use the DoD cost of $10 per medal(which we know is too high) this negates their
objection on a cost basis. DoD is currently paying about $1.60 for the Korea Defense
Service Medal.

Also there is a very fine Cold War Medal available from Foxfall Medals designed by Nadine Russell, the Chief of Creative Heraldry at the Army's Institute of Heraldry and the designer of many campaign and service medals, including the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, and the Outstanding Military Volunteer Service Medal.

This would eliminate the need for DoD to go through the process of having a new medal
designed, thus more cost would be eliminated from the program.

Not everyone eligible would apply in the first year, maybe 1 million or so. The numbers
might climb as word spreads and veterans finally get around to applying for the medal, but it would not be a rapid growth.

We also know that not every eligible veteran will apply, there are many who unfortunately consider the Cold War Medal as something they would not want. Those who
feel it to be a "gedunk medal".

Further more, DoD claims "duplication of awards", which we know to be false and misleading. Many million veterans served their tour of duty with no award or medal of
any type. Back then there was no "Sea Service", Overseas Service, GWOT, GWOT Expeditionary or any of the recently adopted awards. The National Defense Service Medal
was issued in very specific time periods. And many, being given "early discharge", for the convenience of the DoD, did not even qualify for a Good Conduct Medal.

Why is there so much opposition from DoD, and several members of Congress to authorize
a Cold War Service Medal? Why all the disrespect towards Cold War Veterans? Why do we
face the "my war was better than your war"?

It is time to end the prejudice and discrimination against Cold War Veterans. Contact both your Senators ask the to cosponsor S.2743 The Cold War Service Medal Act 2009 and insist a provision be included in the National Defense Authorization Act 2011.
Contact you Representative ask him/her to cosponsor H.R. 4051 The Cold War Service Medal Act 2009, insist it be included in the House version of the NDAA 2011.

Thank all Cold War Veterans with this justly deserved recognition, 19 years since the end of the Cold War is too long to wait.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"