UNCLASSIFIED
281400Z OCT 97

CDRPERSCOM ALEXANDRIA VA//TAPC-PDO-PA//
APPROVED HUMANITARIAN SERVICE MEDAL (HSM) FOR SNOW BLOW 1997 DISASTER RELIEF OPERATION

A. HQDA, TAPC-PDO-PA MEMO, 15 OCTOBER 1997, APPROVAL OF HUMANITARIAN SERVICE MEDAL; APPROVED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY, 24 OCTOBER 1997.

B. HQ, PERSCOM, TAPC-PDA, 091450Z MAR 95, SUBJECT: AMENDMENT TO THE PROCEDURES FOR AWARD OF THE HUMANITARIAN SERVICE MEDAL.

1. THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY HAS ANNOUNCED APPROVAL OF THE HSM FOR THOSE PERSONNEL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE DISASTER RELIEF OPERATION SNOW BLOW 1997 IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS AND DATES:

A. NORTH DAKOTA: 12 JAN 97 THRU 7 FEB 97

B. SOUTH DAKOTA: 10 JAN 97 THRU 7 FEB 97

2. AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE INDIVIDUAL ELIGIBILITY MAY BE DELEGATED DOWN TO COLONEL (0-6) COMMANDERS AT THE OPERATIONAL LEVEL.

3. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE HSM IS OUTLINED IN PARA 2-15, AR 600-8-22 (MILITARY AWARDS). THE REQUIREMENT TO INCLUDE BY-NAME UNIT LISTS HAS BEEN ELIMINATED AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE HSM WHEN IT IS INITIALLY SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL. HOWEVER, ELIMINATION OF THIS REQUIREMENT AS PART OF THE INITIAL RECOMMENDATION DOES NOT PRECLUDE COMMANDERS FROM MAINTAINING SUCH LISTS AS A MEANS OF RECORD KEEPING TO DETERMINE INDIVIDUAL AWARD ELIGIBILITY FOR THE APPROVED HSM. IN FACT, A BY-NAME LIST OR SIMILAR METHOD OF RECORD KEEPING IS ENCOURAGED. DELEGATED COMMANDERS MAY ATTACH SUCH LISTS AS ENCLOSURES TO THE DOCUMENT THEY EXECUTE APPROVING AWARD OF THE HSM.

4. COMMANDERS WHO ARE AUTHORIZED ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION MUST INSURE SERVICE MEMBERS ARE INFORMED OF THE REQUIREMENT TO POST THE AWARD IN THEIR PERSONNEL RECORDS. EVERY EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO ENSURE QUALIFYING MEMBERS ARE NOTIFIED IN ORDER TO UPDATE THEIR RECORDS FOR THIS HSM.

5. REQUEST WIDEST DISSEMINATION OF THIS MESSAGE.