To Deny Purple Heart For PTSD Is Wrong

Well I guess we can't agree on everything all the time. I adore Larry and I know how hard he works for the veterans. He always gives them 100%. The only other time I remember disagreeing with him was on the veterans not using the DAV to help them with their claims. I guess this makes the second time. He does not believe they should get a Purple Heart. I knew this would be coming and that's why I suggested to reinstate the Wound Chevron they used to give out instead of the Purple Heart. The truth is, I just changed my mind now that I read what Larry had on his post against it.

Asked to respond to Fortunato’s comments, the Army provided a copy of Army Regulation 600-8-22 on military awards, which lays out the criteria for the Purple Heart.

The regulation defines a wound as “an injury to any part of the body from an outside force or agent,” such as bullets, explosives and shrapnel.

Post-traumatic stress disorders are among the injuries that do not merit the Purple Heart, along with heatstroke, frostbite, trench foot and self-inflicted wounds.

http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfMAY08/nf050508-1.htm

click above for the rest.

The answer is right there in the quoted part. PTSD comes from an outside force. It comes from trauma. It does not come from the inside but it does cause the inside to change and become wounded. It's not a certain part of the body that is wounded. It is all of it, mind, body and soul. TBI is a wound. It also comes from an outside force. It's time we recognized both of these wounds for what they are and stop treating them in a sub-class of honor. The only thing I changed my mind about is that it shouldn't have a sub-class of award instead of the Purple Heart.

When we think of wounds, we think of burns, bullet wounds and amputations. We forget that most of the men and women suffering from the obvious wounds are also suffering from TBI and PTSD. We know where PTSD comes from and we know where TBI comes from. It's time to acknowledge these two wounds fully and faithfully. If we are ever to remove the stigma of PTSD, it is now.

Larry, forgive me on this if you ever read my blog, but in this case, you are wrong.