Purple Heart for PTSD

@laglen (19759)
United States
July 10, 2012 9:37am CST
They are batting around the idea of awarding the Purple Heart for PTSD in the United States Military. The definition of the award is Chartered by Congress in 1958, The Military Order of the Purple Heart is composed of military men and women who received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds suffered in combat I work in a veteran's club. I know quite a few guys (specifically from the Vietnam War) that have been diagnosed with PTSD. They are now receiving benefits and being treated (only took 30+ years). I have mixed feelings on this issue and the people around me are too close to it. I am looking for your opinion on this. Should they be awarded the medal - with it comes more benefits?
3 responses
sedel1027
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
10 Jul 12
That'd be A LOT Of purple hearts to had out! Yes, with PTSD you are awarded health benefits just with any other injury received while in service - that is the correct thing for them to do be doing (IMO when you are injured in the military you should ALWAYS get extra benefits - not just access to the VA lie everyone else does, regardless if you medically separate or retire). Should you get a Purple Heart, I don't think so. If anything, that would be an insult to all of the people who have PTSD. The money they would use to make and hand out all of those medals should be used to make the VA work!
2 people like this
laglen
@laglen (19759)
• United States
12 Jul 12
That is a great point. I think the best solution is to give all of our service men and women the healthcare that Congress gets and give Congress the care that our military gets.
1 person likes this
loveistheonlytruth
@loveistheonlytruth (114)
• India
10 Jul 12
i personally do not believe in such awards and all as they are not received mostly by the deserving ones. Lot of politics and corruption is involved
1 person likes this
laglen
@laglen (19759)
• United States
10 Jul 12
Interesting... on what do you base that? In regards to the American Purple Heart.
sedel1027
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
10 Jul 12
I agree with loveistheonlytruth. Not everyone who deserves the awards are given them. A guy who went through basic with my husband was wounded while deployed. He was hospitalized for a very long time, at one point they didn't think he'd recover - no purple heart. My ex-husband, shot while deployed while protecting other people in his humvee - no purple heart. Recently we had a BBQ and one of the guys who attend recently was medically retired (PTSD and other injuries). He had been injured when a humvee drove over an IED - no purple heart. With the number of injuries sustained - especially in this last "war" - they'd be handing them out like candy.
1 person likes this
laglen
@laglen (19759)
• United States
12 Jul 12
First, let me say that I appreciate and am thankful for what your husband and his friends did for our country, even if they were not shown appreciation from others,please let him know, some of us do! I wonder, has anybody checked on why these guys did not receive the award? and how long does it take to be awarded.
danishcanadian
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
21 Jul 12
My husband is one of those vets. I think an award is good, something to earn becUse PTSD takes away so much, but the purple heart should be saved for very special cases as it has been. If they want to come up with a new metal, I think that is a great idea. How about a blue star? That would be unique, and American!