# Understanding the Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act

This bill honors a group of American women volunteers who served in Vietnam during the war. Between 1965 and 1973, about 627 young women worked for the Red Cross in a program called the Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO). They became known as "Donut Dollies" because they traveled to military bases and combat zones bringing recreation, comfort, and a connection to home for American soldiers. These women drove jeeps, helicopters, and trucks across Vietnam—traveling about 27,000 miles every month—to visit troops in the field and in hospitals. The bill recognizes that around 280,500 servicemen participated in these recreation programs over the seven years the program operated.

The work was dangerous. These volunteers faced the same risks as soldiers, and five Red Cross workers died in Vietnam, including three women from the SRAO program. Military commanders at the time praised their work as "indispensable" to keeping soldiers' morale up and supporting their wellbeing. Despite their significant contributions and sacrifices, these women have never received official national recognition for their service.

What this bill actually does is authorize Congress to create and award a special Congressional Gold Medal to honor all the Donut Dollies who served during Vietnam. The medal will be designed by the Treasury Department and then given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it will be displayed and available for research. The bill also allows the Treasury to make and sell bronze copies of the medal to the public. This is purely a symbolic honor—it doesn't provide any financial benefits or change any laws. It's Congress's way of saying "thank you" and officially acknowledging the sacrifice and service of these women decades after they came home.

Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act

Sherrill, Mikie

Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill awards a Congressional Gold Medal to members of the Red Cross Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO) program, also known as the &quot;Donut Dollies,&quot; who served honorably during the Vietnam conflict. The bill also authorizes the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for presenting the medals.