To ensure that certain members of the Armed Forces who served in female cultural support teams receive proper credit for such service.
12/20/2024, 9:05 AMSummary of Bill HR 1753
Bill 118 hr 1753, also known as the "Female Cultural Support Teams Recognition Act," aims to ensure that members of the Armed Forces who served in female cultural support teams receive proper credit for their service. These teams were established to engage with and support women in cultures where it may be inappropriate for male soldiers to do so.The bill recognizes the important role that these teams played in military operations and seeks to ensure that the members receive the recognition they deserve for their service. This includes ensuring that their service is properly documented and that they are eligible for any benefits or awards that they may have earned during their time in the teams.
Overall, the bill seeks to honor the contributions of these female soldiers and ensure that they are not overlooked or forgotten for their important role in supporting military operations.
Congressional Summary of HR 1753
This bill requires the military departments to ensure that certain military service in a female cultural support team is included in an individual's military service record and in the computation of retired pay. Specifically, the bill addresses service of a member of the Armed Forces who served in a female cultural support team (with the personal development skill identifier of R2J or 5DK) from January 1, 2010, through August 31, 2021.
The bill provides that individuals who performed such service (or their survivors) who have previously had a claim for service-connection denied may resubmit a claim for the same condition to be considered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). For purposes of claims for service-connected disability or death, the VA must treat such service as engagement in combat with the enemy in the course of active duty. The VA must determine the effective date of the award by treating the date of the initial claim as the date on which the individual filed the awarded claim.
The VA must also improve training and guidance for employees who may process claims for service-connected disability and death for individuals who served in a female cultural support team.
Finally, the VA must conduct outreach to inform individuals who performed such service (or survivors of such individuals) that they may submit supplemental claims for service-connected disability or death incurred or aggravated in the course of service.
