(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, a distinctive license plate category shall be established for motor vehicle owners who have served or are currently serving in an active status either on active duty or within a reserve component of the United States Armed Forces, including the Alabama National Guard and civilian employees of the United States government who are on military orders, in current or future conflicts in support of the global war on terrorism occurring on or after September 11, 2001. The distinctive tags shall be issued, printed, and processed in the same manner as other distinctive tags provided in this chapter. The eligible U.S. service member or civilian employee of the United States government shall make application to the judge of probate or other county license plate issuing official in the county of residence and shall present to the county license plate issuing official one of the following documents as proof of eligibility:

(1) A DD Form 214 stating that the service member was on active duty in support of the global war on terrorism or any future conflicts.

(2) A copy of military travel orders activating the service member or a copy of the military orders directed to a civilian employee of the United States government to serve in support of the global war on terrorism or any future conflicts.

(3) A letter from the unit commander certifying that the service member was on active duty during the time period covered by the global war on terrorism or any future conflicts.

(4) A copy of the certificate which accompanied the service medal or ribbon signifying the participation of the service member in the global war on terrorism or any future conflicts.

(b) When the service member or civilian employee of the United States government presents proof satisfactory to the county license plate issuing official, the service member or civilian employee of the United States government shall be issued the requested number of distinctive license plates upon payment of the regular license fee for plates, as provided by law, and payment of the additional fee of three dollars ($3) for each plate issued. The service member or civilian employee of the United States government shall pay the additional fee for each license plate issued in the future. In those years in which a decal is issued, the service member or civilian employee of the United States government shall pay the regular license fee for tags as provided by law. The distinctive license plates shall be used only upon and for personally owned, private passenger vehicles, to include station wagons and pickup trucks, registered in the name of the service member or civilian employee of the United States government making application therefor, and when issued to the applicant shall be used upon the vehicle for which issued in lieu of the standard license plates normally issued for the vehicle. The distinctive license plate authorized by this section shall be generic in design to represent all branches of U.S. military service and shall provide a space where a decal may be placed to indicate the particular military conflict in which the service member or civilian employee of the United States government participated or is currently participating.