Comments on: Am I entitled to wear The Purple Heart?

Question: Am I entitled to wear The Purple Heart?

bo mar 914 — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:21:49 -0800

I was diagnosed with P.T.S.D by V.A. doctors 19 years after I was discharged from the Navy in WWII. My discharge reads that I am entitled to wear The Asiatic theater ribbon with 1 star, The American theater ribbon, The Victory ribbon, The China liberation ribbon and The Japan Occupation ribbon. Since P.T.S.D. had been included in "wounds received as a result of combat," many years later, Am I entitled to wear the Purple heart. The sweeping of mines was considered, "combat with the enemy."

By: jabes

jabes — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:27:51 -0800

This article from the NY Times, dated January 7, 2009, begins:

The Pentagon has decided that it will not award the Purple Heart, the hallowed medal given to those wounded or killed by enemy action, to war veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder because it is not a physical wound.

By: Master Gunner

Master Gunner — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:30:15 -0800

Speaking from an Army standpoint, and only from my experience in the Army, Purple Hearts come with Certificates and a set of Orders. They are also annotated on a DD214.

You can contact the Military Personnel Records center, as any appeal or inquiry would likely start there.

By: Jahaza

Jahaza — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:46:34 -0800

The Army manual on Military Awards (pdf) specifically excludes PTSD. The Navy manual does not explicitly exclude PTSD, but the Navy rules (pdf) require that you have to have been treated by a medical officer at the time of the injury and that the injury have been directly caused by the enemy.

Regardless, you'd have to submit a request to be awarded the medal if you weren't awarded it at the time.

By: corb

corb — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:22:22 -0800

Nobody has, to date, thus far, been awarded the Purple Heart based solely on PTSD. It's been tossed around but never changed. You are not entitled to wear the Purple Heart.