DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDELINES FOR USE OF UNOFFICIAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF MEMBERS AND FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES FOR DECORATIONS WHEN THE SERVICE RECORDS ARE INCOMPLETE BECAUSE OF DAMAGE TO THE OFFICIAL RECORD.

SEC. 528. DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDELINES FOR USE OF UNOFFICIAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF MEMBERS AND FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES FOR DECORATIONS WHEN THE SERVICE RECORDS ARE INCOMPLETE BECAUSE OF DAMAGE TO THE OFFICIAL RECORD.(a) Guidelines Required.—The Secretary of Defense shall develop guidelines regarding the use by the Secretaries of the military departments of unofficial sources of information, including eyewitness statements, to determine the eligibility of a member or former member of the Armed Forces for decorations when the service records of the member are incomplete because of damage to the records as a result of the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, or any subsequent incident while the records were in the possession of the Department of Defense.133 STAT. 1358(b) Time for Completion.—The Secretary of Defense shall complete development of the guidelines not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.