RELATES TO:
KRS
40.353
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY:
KRS
40.353 authorizes the Kentucky Department of
Veterans Affairs (KDVA) to award the Kentucky Medal for Freedom to eligible
recipients and requires the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs (KDVA) to
maintain a Kentucky Medal for Freedom honor roll and to promulgate
administrative regulations to carry out the provisions of this section. This
administrative regulation establishes the requirements for the Kentucky Medal
for Freedom program.
Section 1.
Definitions.
(1) "Applicant" means a person,
eighteen (18) years old or older, who is seeking the Medal for Freedom on
behalf of the deceased recipient.
(2) "Primary next of kin" means the person or
persons with whom the Medal for Freedom shall be presented.
(3) "Recipient" means the deceased military
person who was killed in action and is being honored by award of the Medal for
Freedom.
Section 2.
Application Procedure to Nominate Recipient.
(1) Any adult, age eighteen (18) or older,
may nominate someone to receive the Kentucky Medal for Freedom.
(2) The nomination process shall be initiated
by filling out a Kentucky Medal for Freedom Nomination.
(3) All requests and inquiries concerning the
Kentucky Medal for Freedom shall be directed to: Kentucky Department of
Veterans Affairs, Kentucky Medal for Freedom Contact Person, 1111B Louisville
Rd., Frankfort, Kentucky 40601.
(4)
Each Medal for Freedom that is awarded shall be presented to the primary next
of kin using this order of priority:
(a) Widow
or widower;
(b) Children;
(c) Parents, unless legal custody was granted
to another person;
(d) Blood or
adoptive relative granted legal custody;
(e) Siblings in the order of age, beginning
with the oldest;
(f)
Grandparents;
(g) Another relative;
or
(h) Close friend or
associate.
Section
3. Medal for Freedom Award Panel.
(1) A panel of three (3) full-time employees
of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs shall review all
applications.
(2) The commissioner
or the deputy commissioner shall act as chairperson for the award
panel.
(3) The other two (2)
members of the Panel shall be chosen from among the senior staff of the
department, such as the executive director, Office of Kentucky Veterans
Centers; Cemetery Branch Manager; Field Operations Branch Manager; cemetery
directors; and administrators of the state veterans nursing homes.
(4) The award panel shall decide whether an
application shall be approved and, if so, which primary next of kin shall
receive the medal.
(5) Multiple
medals for the same recipient may be awarded at the discretion of the award
panel.
Section 4.
Kentucky Medal for Freedom Honor Roll. The Department shall establish a
permanent honor roll, listing each recipient's name and branch of service.
(1) The honor roll shall reside on a
permanent basis in the Office of the Commissioner, Kentucky Department of
Veterans Affairs, Frankfort, Kentucky.
(2) The Honor Roll shall be made available
for display at special occasions such as Memorial Day, Veterans Day, or during
special ceremonies conducted at state or federal cemeteries located throughout
the Commonwealth.
Section
5. Incorporation by Reference.
(1) Kentucky Medal for Freedom Nomination,
KDVA Form 5, January 2009, is incorporated by reference.
(2) This material may be inspected, copied,
or obtained, subject to applicable copyright law, at the Department of Veterans
Affairs, 1111B Louisville Road, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, Monday through
Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This material shall also be available on the
department's Web site at
www.veterans.ky.gov/.
