106 STAT. 2518 PUBLIC LAW 102-484—OCT. 23, 1992 SEC. 1085. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE AWARD OF THE PURPLE HEART TO MEMBERS lOLLED OR WOUNDED IN ACTION BY FRIENDLY FIRE. (a) FINDINGS. —Congress makes the following findings: (1) The Purple Heart should be awarded to members of the Armed Forces killed or wounded by friendly fire while actively engaged with the enemy. (2) Historically, the military services have responded with
- tentativeness and reluctance when considering the award of
the Purple Heart to members of the Armed Forces killed or wounded by friendly fire while actively engaged with the enemy, includingengagements during the Persian Gulf War. (3) The Congress recognizes that the Secretaries of the military departments contend that, as a matter of policy, the Purple Heart has been awarded as described in paragraph (1), including during the Persian Gulf War. (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS. —I t is the sense of Congress— (1) that the Secretaries of the military departments should ensure that in the future the Purple Heart is awarded without hesitation to members of the Armed Forces killed or wounded by friendly fire while activelv engaged with the enemy; and (2) that the Secretaries of the military departments should award the Purple Heart in each case of a member of the Armed Forces killed or wounded on or after December 7, 1941, by friendly fire while actively engaged with the enemy which is known to the Secretary or for which an application is made to the Secretary in such a manner as the Secretary requires. SEC. 1086. STUDY OF EFFECTS OF OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM MOBILIZATIONS OF RESERVES AND MEM- BERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD WHO WERE SELF- EMPLOYED OR OWNERS OF SMALL BUSINESSES. (a) FINDINGS. —Congress makes the following findings: (1) The service of the members of the Armed Forces of the United States in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm was commendable. (2) The Reserves and the members of the National Guard contributed to the readiness, preparedness, and combat capability of the coalition forces that participated in the liberation of Kuwait. (3) The Reserves and the members of the National Guard ordered to active duty in connection with Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm who were self-employed or were owners of small businesses possibly suffered unique financial dif- ficulties resulting from their absence from their businesses for such active duty service. (b) STUDY AND REPORT REQUIRED.— Not later than 90 days aft«r the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall— (1) conduct a study examining the economic and other effects on the Reserves and members of the National Guard referred to in subsection (a)(3) resulting from their absence from their businesses for active duty service in connection with Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm; and (2) submit a report on the results of the study to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
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