Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 08/14/2008

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
My husband, Vincent, was in the Korean War. He is having his Army medals sent to him on Sept. 16 or Oct. 16. The Korean Defense Service Medal is not included with the medals he is receiving.

Can the Korean Defense Service Medal be sent to him, or does he have to pay for it? If he has to pay for it, where can he order it on the computer?

Thank you for your help.

Mary

Dear Mary:
My sources tell me that the criteria for award of the Korean War Service Medal and the process to obtain the medal are available on the Internet by clicking here to read the qualifications. All U.S. service members apply to the Air Force, which is the lead agency for obtaining this medal.

Hope this information is helpful.

Shaft Notes

Semper Fi and high five to friend Gen. Robert Magnus, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, on his retirement after 34 years of dedicated service.

Gen. Magnus assumed his duties as assistant commandant on Sept. 8, 2005. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia (1969) and Strayer College (1993). His formal military education includes naval aviator training, U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College and the National War College.

Gen. Magnus´ operational assignments include: intelligence officer, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 264; operations officer, Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron-15 Search and Recovery Detachment, Task Force Delta, Nam Phong, Thailand; training officer, Station Operations and Engineering Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Quantico, Va.; aviation safety officer, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 26 and HMM-263; weapons and tactics instructor, MAG-26 and HMM-261; operations officer, MAG-29; commanding officer, HMM-365; commander, Marine Corps Air Bases Western Area; and deputy commander, Marine Forces Pacific.

Gen. Magnus´ staff assignments include: aviation assault medium lift requirements officer; chief, Logistics Readiness Center, Joint Staff; executive assistant to the director of the Joint Staff; head, Aviation Plans and Programs Branch; assistant deputy chief of staff for aviation; assistant deputy commandant for plans, policies and operations; and deputy commandant for programs and resources.

His personal decorations include: Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit and the Navy Achievement Medal.

Best wishes and congratulations also to his wife, the sweet New York Rose who was recognized by the Corps for her tireless efforts for Marines and their families.

Congratulations and welcome to Gen. James F. Amos, who recently pinned on his fourth star and assumed his new duties as assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.

Gen. Amos graduated from the University of Idaho in 1970 and was designated a naval aviator in 1971. He served numerous tours with Marine squadrons, flying both the F-4 Phantom II and the F/A-18 Hornet.

Gen. Amos has served with NATO, where he was the deputy commander, Naval Striking Forces, Southern Europe, and the U.S. deputy commanding general, Fleet Marine Forces, Europe, Naples, Italy. During this tour, Gen. Amos commanded NATO´s Kosovo Verification Coordination Center and served as chief of staff, U.S. Joint Task Force Noble Anvil during the air campaign over Kosovo.

Other highlights of Gen. Amos´ career include commanding various units from the squadron to the Corps´ largest air-ground task force, the Marine Expeditionary Force. During the initial phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Gen. Amos commanded the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. He later served as the commanding general of II Marine Expeditionary Force from 2004 to 2006.

His previous duty assignment was as commanding general of Marine Corps Combat Development Command at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.

Special kudos to Marine Corps Maj. Gen. George J. Flynn on his appointment as the deputy commandant for combat development and integration; commanding general, Marine Corps Combat Development Command; commander, U.S. Marine Forces Strategic Command; commanding general, Marine Corps National Capital Region Command; and commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces National Capital Region, and for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general. Gen. Flynn most recently served as the deputy commanding general, Multi-National Corps-Iraq.

Active duty, former and retired officers; enlisted personnel; and their spouses are invited to attend a free Career Fair with approximately 150 employers, career development seminars and on-site resume critiques in the District on Sept. 16.

The free career fair is being hosted by the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), an organization known for its 57-year-old transition program to assist service members in their transition from the military to civilian careers - whether it´s today, tomorrow or next year. The career fair also is open to all service members and spouses.

The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the District's Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall D. The center is at 801 Mount Vernon Place NW at the Mount Vernon Square/Convention Center Metro station.

Employers from approximately 150 regional and national companies will look for people in virtually every job skill. Businesses attending include Sears Holdings Corp., BAE, DHS/Transportation Security Administration, the Secret Service, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, EG&G, educational institutions, financial institutions and many more.

Several free 60-minute seminars will be offered, including Marketing Yourself for Your Dream Job, Networking Your Way Into Your Target Company, Writing Your Military Federal Resume and How to Work a Job Fair, held at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. Another seminar, Evaluating Employer Benefit Plans, will be held at noon.

No pre-registration is required. For further information, call 800/234-6622 (toll-free) or 703/838-0547, e-mail CareerFair@moaa.org, or visit Career Fair on the MOAA´s Web site.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-257-5446 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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