No Purple Hearts for Fort Hood Victims, Pentagon Says

[Sunni Man]

The Department of Defense is making it clear: The military opposes awarding Purple Hearts to the victims of the Fort Hood shooting.

A Pentagon position paper, delivered to congressional staff on Friday and obtained by ABC News, says giving the award to the Fort Hood victims could "irrevocably alter the fundamental character of this time-honored decoration" and "undermine the prosecution of Major Nidal Hasan [the alleged Fort Hood shooter] by materially and directly compromising Major Hasan's ability to receive a fair trial."

The Department prepared the paper in response to legislation introduced by Rep. John Carter, (R.-Texas), the Congressman whose district includes Fort Hood. The Fort Hood Families Benefits Protection Act would award both military and civilian casualties of the Fort Hood attack combatant status.

Thirteen people were killed, including a pregnant soldier, and 32 others wounded in the Nov. 5, 2009 rampage at the Army base in Killeen, Texas. Hasan now awaits a military trial on charges of premeditated murder and attempted murder. After numerous delays, that trial is now set to begin with jury selection on May 29.

Despite extensive evidence that Hasan was in communication with al Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki prior to the attack, the military has denied the victims a Purple Heart and has treated the incident as "workplace violence" instead of "combat related" or terrorism. Last month, a spokesman for recently appointed Defense Secretary, Chuck Hagel, told ABC News the Department's position had not changed under his leadership.

Many of the Fort Hood victims filed a lawsuit against the military alleging the "workplace violence" designation means that in addition to not receiving Purple Hearts, they are receiving lower priority access to medical care as veterans, and a loss of financial benefits available to those whose injuries are classified as "combat related."

No Purple Hearts for Fort Hood Victims, Pentagon Says - ABC News

 

[rightwinger]

Does a criminal attack justify a purple heart?

 

[chikenwing]

Does a criminal attack justify a purple heart?

Was it?

 

[rightwinger]

Does a criminal attack justify a purple heart?

Was it?

Can you get a Purple Heart for a fragging incident?

 

[editec]

The Department of Defense is making it clear: The military opposes awarding Purple Hearts to the victims of the Fort Hood shooting.

A Pentagon position paper, delivered to congressional staff on Friday and obtained by ABC News, says giving the award to the Fort Hood victims could "irrevocably alter the fundamental character of this time-honored decoration" and "undermine the prosecution of Major Nidal Hasan [the alleged Fort Hood shooter] by materially and directly compromising Major Hasan's ability to receive a fair trial."

The Department prepared the paper in response to legislation introduced by Rep. John Carter, (R.-Texas), the Congressman whose district includes Fort Hood. The Fort Hood Families Benefits Protection Act would award both military and civilian casualties of the Fort Hood attack combatant status.

Thirteen people were killed, including a pregnant soldier, and 32 others wounded in the Nov. 5, 2009 rampage at the Army base in Killeen, Texas. Hasan now awaits a military trial on charges of premeditated murder and attempted murder. After numerous delays, that trial is now set to begin with jury selection on May 29.

Despite extensive evidence that Hasan was in communication with al Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki prior to the attack, the military has denied the victims a Purple Heart and has treated the incident as "workplace violence" instead of "combat related" or terrorism. Last month, a spokesman for recently appointed Defense Secretary, Chuck Hagel, told ABC News the Department's position had not changed under his leadership.

Many of the Fort Hood victims filed a lawsuit against the military alleging the "workplace violence" designation means that in addition to not receiving Purple Hearts, they are receiving lower priority access to medical care as veterans, and a loss of financial benefits available to those whose injuries are classified as "combat related."

No Purple Hearts for Fort Hood Victims, Pentagon Says - ABC News

They do not deserve Purple Hearts.

They DO deserve the best medical care possible, and of course how they got injured in NO WAY effects the Veterans' status they will get resulting from those wounds, either.

So your theory that they will not get the same medical considerations are, I suspect, UNFOUNDED.

 

[High_Gravity]

The PH medal can be awarded to anyone who is hurt in a war zone.

Not true. The PH medal can legally be authorized to only three groups of personnel:


One, those wounded or injured as a direct result of hostile enemy action.
Second, those wounded or injured as a direct result of friendly fire (FF). (Broadly speaking, FF occurs only during a hostile encounter or initiative with, or in response to, an enemy when someone on your side mistakes you for the enemy.) Or when injured by your own non-projectile weapon (bayonet, sword, blunt instrument, etc.) or projectile weapons fire (bullet, explosive device, etc) while engaging, responding to or attacking an enemy.
And third, POWs injured or wounded as a result of individually directed conflict or punishment with their captor in violation of any article of the Geneva Convention Rules of Warfare Concerning the Treatment of Prisoners of War whether or not the captor's government is a signatory to the Convention.

Hmm, I would say they qualify.

Common Myths About The Purple Heart Medal

 

[High_Gravity]

Commanders (officer or enlisted) that are wounded or injured by subordinates or superiors (whether or not military weapons are used) in incidents commonly referred to as "fragging" are eligible for the PH.

Not true. "Fraggings" are criminal incidents. They are neither enemy nor friendly fire related even if the motivation for the 'fragging' was due to a real-time or previous enemy-related situation.

Shit, never mind.

 

[longknife]

While I hate this decision, I understand it.

They've gone through all sorts of legal machinations to bring this slime to trial and don't want to backtrack and put him into DOJ's hands. This way, he'll easily get the noose!

 

[Sunni Man]

The incident at Ft. Hood was workplace violence and not a terrorist event.

This has happened several times at U.S. Post Offices.

Mailmen wear a uniform and work for the government.

Yet they do not get awarded medals when one of their co-workers goes "postal" and wounds or kills them.

 

[editec]

Those poor victims to NOT deserve a Purple Heart.

Medal need to be reserved for those who earn them according to the valuation put on the medal itself.

They were not in a combat zone, the wounds are not combat related ergo, no PH is warranted.