Esty Secures Replacement Medal for Farmington Veteran, Proposes Act

As the country reflects on its freedom, one who fought for it will be able to reflect on his service with a new medal.

Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-5) announced recently that a replacement Army Commendation medal had been sent to Paul Sypek, a Farmington veteran, for his service in Vietnam in 1969. Sypek had been attempting to secure the medal himself through normal channels for more than two years before contacting Esty's office, according to a press release.

Before he could receive his replacement Army Commendation Medal, Sypek had to correct a clerical error in his service record, the release said. The error was corrected in November 2010 but still, the medal didn't arrive.

“In my own case, after waiting over two years using normal channels, the situation was resolved within three weeks of contacting her office. I would like to thank the Congresswoman and her very attentive staff not only for helping me but also future veterans who may find themselves in this position."

Future veterans may fare better, if a bill proposed by Esty to ensure medal requests are processed quickly is passed.

Currently, veterans and their next of kin are entitled to a free, one-time replacement of military decorations. However, there are no performance standards in place to prevent these requests from languishing in bureaucratic limbo. 

The PROMPT Act would require military decorations be mailed within 60 days of verifying a veteran’s service record and require replacement requests to be completed within one year. The act would also track performance.

The PROMPT Act was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act in June. It must be passed by the Senate and signed by the President to become law. 

5th District veterans seeking help with replacement medals or other assistance with a federal agency are urged to contact Congresswoman Esty’s district office by phone at (860) 223-8412, by fax at (860) 225-7289, by email at Esty.House.Gov/Contact, or by mail at 114 West Main Street #206, New Britain, CT 06051.