This is the "official policy" on replacement paperwork and lost awards paperwork.
Trying to make an excuse that 15 years went by can't fly.
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From the DOD Awards manual
http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/134833m_0996/p134833m.pdf
C3.3.6. Lost Recommendations. Recommendations officially placed into command or staff channels in the prescribed time limitations, but which were not acted on through loss or inadvertence, may be resubmitted at any time within the 2 years after the distinguished act, achievement, or service for consideration to the appropriate awarding authority. Lost recommendations must be forwarded through the same official channels and are contingent upon the requirements described in paragraphs C3.3.6.1. through C3.3.6.3., below. Recommendations not so documented shall be returned without action. The resubmission must include the following:
C3.3.6.1. A copy of the original recommendation or its substantive equivalent. Minimally, the recommendations should be accompanied by statements, certificates, and affidavits corroborating the events or services involved. The person signing a reconstructed award recommendation must be identified clearly in terms of his or her official relationship to the intended recipient at the time of the act or during the period of service to be recognized.
C3.3.6.2. Conclusive evidence that the recommendation was officially placed in command or staff channels in the prescribed time limit (paragraph C3.3.4., above).
C3.3.6.3. Conclusive evidence of the loss of the recommendation or the failure to act on the recommendation through inadvertence.
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So, there goes anybody's excuse that the award was ;lost" or "delayed" in paperwork.
15 years is "slightly" past the limit.
(But NOT if you're a self-serving democratic Senator from Massachusetts!)
Took another look at all the citations and my husband's Purple Heart is signed by General Chapman who was CMC in 1969. The wounds were dated March 1969 and the award signed and dated in December 1969. Those Purple Hearts should have dates on them. In face all the awards my husband has are signed and dated as of the day the Purple Heartm Bronze Stars, Air Medals and LOM were awarded.
I suppose those vets who receive an award umteen years later recieve the award because the citation was prepared within the regulated time constraints and unearthed many years later. We have all seen news stories where a WW II vet or Korean Conflict vet is presented an award much later. This is not a defense of Kerry. I too think something is odd here. Could he have written himself up for the awards?
So, there goes anybody's excuse that the award was ;lost" or "delayed" in paperwork. 15 years is "slightly" past the limit. More ammo. It becomes clearer and clearer to me that the Lehman signed citations are for replacement medals (the physical ones) or that Kerry claimed he never received them (despite fotos to the contrary). Such a request coming from a Senator would be accommodated by any SECNAV, especially if Kerry provided the original citations.