United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act of 2025

Bill Summary: United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act of 2025

Overview

The United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act of 2025 (S. 3329) is a legislative proposal designed to formally recognize the service of women who served in the United States Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II. The bill seeks to grant these individuals official veteran status for specific purposes and provide commemorative honors for their contributions to the national effort.

Main Purpose and Intent

The primary intent of the bill is to correct a historical gap in recognition for the members of the Cadet Nurse Corps. By amending Title 38 of the United States Code, the bill aims to ensure that nurses who served during the critical period of World War II are acknowledged as veterans and granted specific burial and memorial benefits.

Key Provisions

1. Active Duty Status and Benefits

The bill stipulates that service in the United States Cadet Nurse Corps between July 1, 1943, and December 31, 1948, will be considered "active duty" for the purposes of:
* Eligibility and Entitlements: Specifically under chapters 23 and 24 of Title 38.
* Memorialization: This includes eligibility for government-provided headstones and markers.
* Note: This service does not grant the right to be interred in Arlington National Cemetery based solely on this membership.

2. Formal Discharge Process

To qualify for these benefits, the bill mandates a formal administrative process:
* The Secretary of Defense must issue an honorable discharge to eligible individuals within one year of the Act's enactment, provided the nature and duration of their service warrant it.
* The Secretary will determine and designate the official date of discharge based on when the individual's service terminated.

3. Limitations on Benefits

While the bill ensures that these individuals are "honored as a veteran," it explicitly limits the financial scope of this recognition. Individuals receiving this discharge are not entitled to any other benefits administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (such as pensions or healthcare) unless specifically provided for in the burial and marker provisions.

4. Commemorative Honors

The Secretary of Defense is authorized to create and distribute:
* Service medals or other commendations.
* Memorial plaques or grave markers.

Who is Affected?

• Eligible Nurses: Women who served in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps from July 1, 1943, through December 31, 1948, and are granted an honorable discharge.
• Department of Defense: Tasked with reviewing service records and issuing discharges.
• Department of Veterans Affairs: Responsible for providing the specific burial and marker benefits authorized by the bill.

Procedural Status

The bill was introduced in the Senate on December 3, 2025, and has been referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs for review.