[Congressional Bills 103th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H. Res. 548 Introduced in House (IH)] 103d CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 548 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that aviators who meet the qualification standards of the Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society should be granted recognition for meritorious service by the Department of Defense. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 26, 1994 Mr. Stearns submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services _______________________________________________________________________ RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that aviators who meet the qualification standards of the Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society should be granted recognition for meritorious service by the Department of Defense. Whereas aviators from throughout the armed forces have served the United States with great courage and distinction in every conflict during this century; Whereas thousands of aviators, in the course of performing their missions, have been shot down behind enemy lines; Whereas many of the aviators have overcome long odds and great hardships to return to their units and resume their service to the United States; Whereas the aviators faced the added responsibility of maintaining the secrecy of their escape and evasion methods in order to protect the lives of those who assisted them and future aviators; Whereas the secrecy requirement prevented the aviators from petitioning for recognition of their achievements for decades after the fact; Whereas the Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society has served as the representative for the aviators and established strict qualifications for membership in the organization; and Whereas the Department of Defense has not provided any specific recognition to aviators who escaped and evaded capture behind enemy lines: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that aviators who meet the qualification standards of the Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society should be granted recognition for meritorious service by the Department of Defense. <all>