§ 1546. Vermont veterans' medal

(a) The office of veterans' affairs may present in the name of the state of Vermont a veterans' medal, ribbon, lapel button, and certificate to an individual or the individual's spouse, child, parent, sibling, or grandchild if the individual is deceased and the individual meets the following eligibility criteria:

(1) Completed a minimum two-year tour of federal active military duty, unless discharged for the convenience of the government or retired from a reserve military component, and received an honorable discharge, died before separating from the federal active-duty military, or was declared missing in action by the United States Department of Defense; or the individual is currently on federal active military duty and in good standing with more than four years of service.

(2) Is a current resident of Vermont, a resident of Vermont at the time of entry into military service, or was mobilized to federal active duty while a member of the Vermont National Guard or other reserve unit located in Vermont, regardless of the individual's home of record.

(b) The veterans' medal shall conform to MIL-DTL-3943 and the state specification sheets, and shall be as follows: the obverse shall be a relief replica of the coat of arms of the state of Vermont, and shall have the words "Vermont National Defense" in a circular style with "1777" at the bottom and centered. The great seal of Vermont shall be the model for the reverse side. The ribbon shall conform to MIL-DTL-11589 as to quality and construction, and shall consist of the four primary colors of the Vermont coat of arms: green, blue, yellow, and red. The lapel button shall conform to MIL-DTL-11484. The state specification sheets and original model shall be kept by the secretary of state.

(c) Application for a veterans' medal will be made to the office of veterans' affairs. The office of veterans' affairs shall also design, cast, and procure the veterans' medals and maintain and verify records and documents pertaining to the medals. Approved applicants may choose to receive the medal by mail or in a ceremony with a representative of the state of Vermont. (Added 1999, No. 155 (Adj. Sess.), § 12d; amended 2005, No. 100 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 2, 3, eff. March 23, 2006; 2007, No. 155 (Adj. Sess.), § 2.)