PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The Secretary in charge must give a prisoner-of-war medal to any service member who was captured and held prisoner while fighting an enemy, during military operations against a foreign force, or while serving with friendly forces in a conflict where the United States was not a belligerent. Under rules set by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary may also award the medal for other captivity situations that are found to be comparable to those kinds of enemy imprisonment. The medal will have an appropriate design with ribbon and attachments. It ranks right after individual heroism or meritorious decorations and before service or campaign medals. Only one medal is issued to a person, but devices may be added for later qualifying service. The person’s conduct during captivity must have been honorable. If the person dies before getting the medal, it may go to their representative. Lost or damaged medals may be replaced at no cost if the person was not at fault. The Secretary of Defense must try to keep the rules the same across the services.

Title 10, §1128

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary concerned shall issue a prisoner-of-war medal to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the armed forces, was taken prisoner and held captive—

(1)while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;

(2)while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or

(3)while serving with friendly forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

(b)Under uniform regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary concerned may issue a prisoner-of-war medal to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the armed forces, was held captive under circumstances not covered by paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subsection (a), but which the Secretary concerned finds were comparable to those circumstances under which persons have generally been held captive by enemy armed forces during periods of armed conflict.

(c)The prisoner-of-war medal shall be of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances.

(d)In prescribing regulations establishing the order of precedence of awards and decorations authorized to be displayed on the uniforms of members of the armed forces, the Secretary concerned shall accord the prisoner-of-war medal a position of precedence, in relation to other awards and decorations authorized to be displayed—

(1)immediately following decorations awarded for individual heroism, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service, and

(2)before any other service medal, campaign medal, or service ribbon authorized to be displayed.

(e)Not more than one prisoner-of-war medal may be issued to a person. However, for each succeeding service that would otherwise justify the issuance of such a medal, the Secretary concerned may issue a suitable device to be worn as the Secretary determines.

(f)For a person to be eligible for issuance of a prisoner-of-war medal, the person’s conduct must have been honorable for the period of captivity which serves as the basis for the issuance.

(g)If a person dies before the issuance of a prisoner-of-war medal to which he is entitled, the medal may be issued to the person’s representative, as designated by the Secretary concerned.

(h)Under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary concerned, a prisoner-of-war 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 without charge.

(i)The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that regulations prescribed by the Secretaries of the military departments under this section are uniform so far as practicable.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2013—Subsec. (a)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 112–239, § 584(1), inserted “or” at end of par. (2), substituted period at end for “; or” in par. (3), and struck out par. (4) which read as follows: “by foreign armed forces that are hostile to the United States, under circumstances which the Secretary concerned finds to have been comparable to those under which persons have generally been held captive by enemy armed forces during periods of armed conflict.” Subsecs. (b) to (i). Pub. L. 112–239, § 584(2), (3), added subsec. (b) and redesignated former subsecs. (b) to (h) as (c) to (i), respectively. 1989—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 101–189 added par. (4).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1989 Amendment Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title V, § 516(b), Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1442, provided that: “Paragraph (4) of section 1128(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), applies with respect to periods of captivity after April 5, 1917.”

Effective Date

Pub. L. 99–145, title V, § 532(b), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 634, provided that: “Section 1128 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), applies with respect to any person taken prisoner and held captive after April 5, 1917.”

§1128 Prisoner-of-war Medal: Issue

Summary

Title 10, §1128

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata