|
Nosathro -> RE: Army will not grant Purple Hearts (3/30/2013 9:37:48 AM)
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: Fightdirecto
From the appropriate regulation:
quote:
2 - 8. Purple Heart
b. The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States and per 10 USC 1131, effective 19 May 1998, is limited to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under component 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 or may hereafter die after being wounded -
(1) In any action against an enemy of the United States.
(2) In any action with an opposing armed force of a foreign country in which the Armed Forces of the United States are or have been engaged.
(3) While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
(4) As the result of an act of any such enemy of opposing Armed Forces.
(5) As the result of an act of any hostile foreign force.
(6) After 28 March 1973, AS THE RESULT OF AN INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST ATTACK AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OR A FOREIGN NATION FRIENDLY TO THE UNITED STATES, RECOGNIZED AS SUCH AN ATTACK BY THE SECRETARY OF ARMY, OR JOINTLY BY THE SECRETARIES OF THE SEPARATE ARMED SERVICES CONCERNED IF PERSONS FROM MORE THAN ONE SERVICE ARE WOUNDED IN THE ATTACK.
No competent individual or authority has determined or declared that the shootings at Fort Hood was part of an international terrorist attack. The determination appears to be that the shootings were the actions of one individual, not directly affiliated with any international terrorist group.
Those shot at Fort Hood, under military regulations, are in the same catagory as the two Marines recently killed by another Marine at Quantico Marine base Victims, gunman identified from Quantico Marine base shooting or the Marines killed or injured in this recent incident: 7 killed in explosion at Nevada Marine training exercise.
All tragic deaths and injuries, but none that qualify for the Purple Heart Medal.
I myself was shot in 1972 while on duty as a member of a joint U.S. Army/West German counter-intelligence team but because the person that shot me was an East German agent spying in West German who we were attempting to arrest, I did not qualify for the Purple Heart Medal. We were not AT WAR with East Germany.
I can understand the Army regs on this. I also know that the Army can make exceptions to the regulations when they want. Further how many times have our government stated it's war on terrorism? Something else to consider.
Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism scholar and Georgetown University professor, told Gibbs that "I used to argue it was only terrorism if it were part of some identifiable, organized conspiracy... the nature of terrorism is changing, and Major Hasan may be an example of that.
|
|
|
|
