No Purple Hearts for PTSD, Pentagon rules

[JohnP]

No Purple Hearts for PTSD, Pentagon rules

By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jan 6, 2009 22:06:50 EST

The Purple Heart will not be awarded to service members suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, the Pentagon confirmed Monday.

“It’s not a qualifying Purple Heart wound,” said Defense Department spokeswoman Eileen Lainez, although she added that “advancements in medical science may support future re-evaluation.”

The decision, reached Nov. 3 but not made public until now, followed months of evaluation by military and outside officials. That evaluation was spurred when Defense Secretary Robert Gates was asked at a May press conference whether he would support awarding the Purple Heart to PTSD sufferers.

Gates said the idea was “clearly something that needs to be looked at.” His undersecretary for personnel and readiness, David S.C. Chu, decided against making such awards after conferring with the Pentagon’s Awards Advisory Group, which includes “awards experts” from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the military services, the Institute of Heraldry and the Center for Military History, according to Lainez.

Gates concurred with that decision, Lainez said.

The decision was first reported Monday by the Stars and Stripes newspaper.

The Purple Heart “recognizes those individuals wounded to a degree that requires treatment by a medical officer, in action with the enemy or as the result of enemy action where the intended effect of a specific enemy action is to kill or injure the service member,” Lainez said.

PTSD “is not a wound intentionally caused by the enemy from an outside force or agent, but is a secondary effect caused by witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event,” she said.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can develop “after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened.”

The affliction is one of several reported in high numbers among veterans returning from duty in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, both marked by long tours and high exposure to combat trauma.

Lainez listed several additional factors in the Pentagon’s decision:

*Based on the definition of a wound, “an injury to any part of the body from an outside force or agent,” other Purple Heart award criteria, and 76 years of precedent, the Purple Heart has been limited to award for physical wounds, not psychological wounds;

*PTSD is specifically listed as an injury not justifying award of the Purple Heart in Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

*The requirement that a qualifying Purple Heart wound be caused by “an outside force or agent” provides a fairly objective assessment standard that minimizes disparate treatment between service members. Several members could witness the same traumatic event, for instance, but only those who suffer from PTSD would receive the Purple Heart.

*Current medical knowledge and technologies do not establish PTSD as objectively and routinely as would be required for this award at this time.

*Historically, the Purple Heart has never been awarded for mental disorders or psychological conditions resulting from witnessing or experiencing traumatic combat events — for example, combat stress reaction, shell-shock, combat stress fatigue, acute stress disorder, or PTSD.

Lainez stressed that the Pentagon “is working hard to encourage service members and their families to seek care for PTSD, by reducing the stigma and urging them to seek professional care.”

Service members diagnosed with PTSD “still warrant appropriate medical care and disability compensation,” she said.

[JohnP]

This should be a hot ticket.

Is there anyone out there that believes that PTSD should be catagorized for a Purple Heart?


Per United States Army regulations, the Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after 5 April 1917, has been wounded or killed, or who has died after being wounded.

A "wound" is defined as an injury to any part of the body from an outside force or agent sustained under one or more of the conditions listed above. A physical lesion is not required, however, the wound for which the award is made must have required treatment by a medical officer and records of medical treatment for wounds or injuries received in action must have been made a matter of official record. When contemplating an award of this decoration, the key issue that commanders must take into consideration is the degree to which the enemy caused the injury. The fact that the proposed recipient was participating in direct or indirect combat operations is a necessary prerequisite, but is not sole justification for award.

Enemy-related injuries which justify the award of the Purple Heart include injury caused by enemy bullet, shrapnel, or other projectile created by enemy action; injury caused by enemy placed land mine, naval mine, or trap; injury caused by enemy released chemical, biological, or nuclear agent; injury caused by vehicle or aircraft accident resulting from enemy fire; concussion injuries caused as a result of enemy generated explosions.

Injuries or wounds which do not qualify for award of the Purple Heart include frostbite or trench foot injuries; heat stroke; food poisoning not caused by enemy agents; chemical, biological, or nuclear agents not released by the enemy; battle fatigue; disease not directly caused by enemy agents; accidents, to include explosive, aircraft, vehicular, and other accidental wounding not related to or caused by enemy action; self-inflicted wounds (e.g., a soldier accidentally fires their own gun and the bullet strikes their leg), except when in the heat of battle, and not involving gross negligence; post-traumatic stress disorders; and jump injuries not caused by enemy action.

It seems straight forward, but can PTSD be classified differently?

[FeelinFroggy]

We've had a similar discussion regarding the Purple Heart, and I don't intend in getting caught up in that again. However, I will say I don't believe that PTSD qualifies one for a PH(when looking at the criteria). Maybe the torture you endure from the "quack doctors" they send you to after deployment would qualify.

I do believe the disorder is a serious problem for some and shouldn't be taken lightly.

[reddog]

Posted in another thread that I didn't want to go off-topic with: "The Purple Heart doesn't mean much. Get a scratch and you get one."
I beg to differ. When I see this medal displayed on one of our 'best' it tells me a couple of things. It tells me he/she was in the 'zone' and more importantly, they were willing to give their 'all' as payment for the freedoms we enjoy and cherish. No question, there are discrepancies, but you'll find those in all awards. For the most part, I think they get it right, at least in my era and experience. For those that doubt the Purple Heart doesn't mean much, walk the wards of Walter Reed. Talk to the 20 year old who now has a face only a mother would love, talk to the young lady who will wear those plastic bags one her side for the rest of her life and don't forget to make a trip to the amputee ward. Then YOU tell them, that little purple piece of tin on their pillow means nothing...
Easy Brother,
Reddog...

[SGM]

I'm glad they decided to keep it where it belonged. I feel they got this one right.

[Smiles]

My ex suffers from PTSD, whether he'll admit it or not...it's there. After being around him and a few that have had physical wounds from war, I don't know how they can compare the two or place them in the same category to even consider the possibility of the Purple Heart.

I'm sure this maybe somewhere else in a different thread but I'm right here now.
PTSD is a serious issue and one that needs to be diagnosed beyond the initial evaluation after returning home. If the military wants to do something for these folks who suffer from PTSD then they should forget the purty metal and start training more members to recognize the signs before someone gets hurt. Some units have, in the past, made a soldier feel inadequate if there's any type of mental issues in their record so why should they speak up about it? Do some feel that the Purple Heart will give some a reason to come forward?

Just my nickle's worth!
Smiles