(a)
Service medal required— The Secretary of Defense shall design and produce a commemorative military service medal, to be known as the “Agent Orange Veterans Service Medal”, to honor a veteran who—
(1)
receives compensation under section 1116, 1116A, or 1116B of title 38, United States Code; or
(2)
is a Vietnam-era herbicide-exposed veteran, as such term is defined in section 1710(e) of such title.
(b)
Distribution of medal—
(1)
Issuance to certain veterans— At the request of an individual whom the Secretary of Veterans Affairs certifies is a veteran described in subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall issue to the veteran the Agent Orange Veterans Service Medal.
(2)
Issuance to next-of-kin— In the case of a veteran described in subsection (a) who is deceased, the Secretary of Defense may provide for issuance of the Agent Orange Veterans Service Medal to the next-of-kin of the veteran.
(3)
Application— The Secretary shall prepare and disseminate as appropriate an application by which veterans described in subsection (a) and their next-of-kin may apply to receive the Agent Orange Veterans Service Medal.