A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the United States Congress to support efforts to issue an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, or similar recognition of having served in an area of hostility, to all United States servicemembers who served in Honduras from 1981 to 1992.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by D.J. Johnson

Kentucky urges Congress to award the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal or similar recognition to U.S. service members who served in Honduras from 1981–1992.

to Committee on Committees (H)

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Overview

HCR 121 (2026 Regular Session, Kentucky) is a concurrent resolution urging the United States Congress to obtain recognition for U.S. servicemembers who served in Honduras between 1981 and 1992. Specifically, it asks Congress to support issuing the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM), or a similar designation, to those servicemembers who served in that time period and location.

Purpose and intent

To acknowledge and honor U.S. military personnel who served in Honduras from 1981 to 1992.

To advocate at the federal level for official recognition of service in a hostile or potentially dangerous area through a war-era/military campaign-style decoration (the AFEM or an equivalent recognition).

To highlight perceived service-related hazards, including exposure to hostile fire, danger, and related combat-support duties.

Key provisions

Section 1: Expresses the Kentucky General Assembly’s urging that Congress support efforts to issue the AFEM or a similar recognition to all U.S. servicemembers who served in Honduras during 1981–1992.

Section 2: Directs the Clerk of the Kentucky House to transmit copies of the resolution to:

Kentucky’s congressional delegation
The President of the United States
The United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Representative DJ Johnson

Who/what would be affected

U.S. servicemembers who served in Honduras from 1981 through 1992 (as a matter of recognition, not a direct state-level action).

Federal policy and veterans’ recognition programs, via potential AFEM issuance or equivalent.

Administrative entities involved in recognizing veterans (e.g., Department of Veterans Affairs, Congress) as a result of the federal request.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Status: Introduced in the Kentucky House on March 16, 2026; assigned to the Committee on Committees (H).

Nature: A non-binding concurrent resolution; it does not itself confer any rights or create new obligations but rather expresses the Commonwealth’s position and requests federal action.

Timeline: No enacted timeline for implementing a federal decision is provided; it serves as a formal urging document directed at national policymakers and leaders.

Potential impact

Political/advocacy impact: Signals bipartisan or ongoing state-level support for recognizing service in Honduras, potentially influencing federal discussions on AFEM eligibility.

Veterans’ recognition: If the federal action is pursued and approved, eligible servicemembers could receive AFEM or similar honors retroactively for service in Honduras during the specified period.

Perception and commemoration: Elevates awareness of the experiences and sacrifices of personnel stationed in Honduras in the 1980s–early 1990s.

Note: The resolution does not implement any changes at the state level to benefits or entitlements; it solely requests federal action and informs designated officials of Kentucky’s stance.