A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
I’ve made my position on this pretty clear: I don’t think that the Purple Heart should be awarded for PTSD. Period. Not under certain circumstances, not in extreme cases, not ever. And it’s comments like this one that just solidify that personal belief:
I don’t know what to really say to all the troops who disagree with the PH being awarded to “us” PTSD troops. But this is what I do know, I know that I live a war day in and day out, that destroys my life, I have no life, and never again will I enjoy what is so called a life, because of my PTSD in IRAQ 03-04. I do RESPECT MY FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS WHO HAVE PHSYICAL INJURIES, but I expect the same from them for my mental injury. I know this much, I do deserve the PH, and forever it will be, even if you disagree. Those of you who claim to have PTSD, but don’t think you deserve the PH, you should feel ashamed, our injury is just as damaging if NOT MORE then a physical injury. We don’t have to bleed on the battle field[sic], we bleed every second we live, it’s a ongoing battle that torments us for the rest of our battle scared lives. Don’t listen to the physically injured soldiers, for they may steer you into believe you don’t deserve the PH. If you really feel you earned the Purple Heart, I Say Wear It, Wear It With The Up Most[sic] Pride, because you deserve it, just the same as they do. Your[sic] no less a troop on the battle field. And don’t get me [expletive deleted] pissed about not earning the CAB, cause I’ll come back with more words then you could ever imagine. Just try me, I’ll take this all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and trust me, you don’t want that. Leave us severe PTSD vets alone, leave us be, I have no life, and never will cause of that horrific [expletive deleted] war, I wear the PH on my heart, like it or not, I earned it. I don’t need a Paper saying I earned it, God gave it to me, try taking that away.
This is going to take awhile to explain, so bare with me as I attack this point by point below.
“I don’t know what to really say to all the troops who disagree with the PH being awarded to “us” PTSD troops.” There is no “us vs. them” when it comes to PTSD. You made it that way, but you’re wrong. I’ve spoken with perfectly fine combat troops who think a PH for PTSD is a good idea just like I’ve spoken with PTSD sufferers who DON’T think it’s a good idea. You’re not a victim, stop acting like one.
“But this is what I do know, I know that I live a war day in and day out, that destroys my life, I have no life, and never again will I enjoy what is so called a life, because of my PTSD in IRAQ 03-04.” I don’t know the first thing about you, so I can’t comment on your experiences that caused your PTSD. I don’t know your MOS, rank, or any other identifying information. So, I’m going to just speak about parts of this generally.
PTSD doesn’t have to destroy your life. In my opinion, if you don’t have a life or don’t think you’ll ever have a life again, you’re wrong. We control our individual lives. WE decide what the future will look like. It won’t be all roses and chocolate dealing with some of the demons but there are ways to deal with the effects of PTSD without being a hermit, recluse, or prick. I could have very easily let this issue ruin my life, but I refuse! I found coping mechanisms that have helped and am now seeking counseling to deal with the stuff that has been boiling over. Sure, it would be much easier just to barricade myself in my house and to be honest that’s been my natural inclination. However, I forced myself to become an active member of society and not let anything get the best of me. You can too.
“I do RESPECT MY FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS WHO HAVE PHSYICAL INJURIES, but I expect the same from them for my mental injury.” The Army and DOD have gone to great links to remove the stigma of PTSD. I think that most people are getting it, especially those that have physical injuries. Many of the folks with physical injuries have PTSD anyway, so they naturally understand it. Again, this isn’t an “us vs. them” thing. We’re all Soldiers, injuries or none.
“Those of you who claim to have PTSD, but don’t think you deserve the PH, you should feel ashamed, our injury is just as damaging if NOT MORE then a physical injury.” I think you’re wrong. There are extreme cases of PTSD just as there are extreme physical injuries. Likewise, there are mild injuries and PTSD cases. Do not speak for me or any other PTSD sufferer. We that feel the PH has its place in being presented for physical injuries have nothing to be ashamed of. However, people who want to stump for medals because they think they will heal their mental health issues may want to take some of their own advice.
“We don’t have to bleed on the battle field[sic], we bleed every second we live, it’s a ongoing battle that torments us for the rest of our battle scared lives.” You see, it doesn’t have to. I’ve been tormented for six years and I finally decided enough was enough! I’m seeking help and maybe you should to. The memories of that year in combat will never go away, but how I deal with those memories can put a stop to the “bleeding” and “torment” that we suffer from. Again, we are not victims because we suffer from PTSD, but we can easily makes ourselves into one by simply accepting defeat.
“Don’t listen to the physically injured soldiers, for they may steer you into believe you don’t deserve the PH.” I don’t want to keep harping on this, but you seem to have issues and disdain for people who legitimately earned their Purple Hearts because they had the misfortune to actually get shot or blown apart. PTSD sufferers SHOULD listen to physically injured Soldiers. Hell, most of them ALSO suffer from PTSD. So, while you merely have to deal your mental issues, the people you so disdain that no one should listen to are dealing with mental AND physical issues and yet you have the nerve to undermine their experiences. THAT is where shame should come from.
“If you really feel you earned the Purple Heart, I Say Wear It, Wear It With The Up Most[sic] Pride, because you deserve it, just the same as they do.” And I say enjoy your time in prison after being convicted under the Stolen Valor Act. There are heroes walking this earth that deserve the Medal of Honor, but they can’t just put that on either. If you don’t have orders authorizing the wear of the Purple Heart, you are not authorized to wear it. When I was injured in Iraq the unit I was with asked for my DA 1155 and 1156 for processing of my PH. I refused because we lost a lot of guys that day and some were really messed up from the artillery strike. I didn’t feel right escaping the explosion with a back injury that I was able to walk away from with just pain. So, i’m technically eligible for the PH, but even I can’t go around wearing something that hasn’t been awarded to me. And to suggest otherwise is cowardly and irresponsible.
“And don’t get me [expletive deleted] pissed about not earning the CAB, cause I’ll come back with more words then you could ever imagine. Just try me, I’ll take this all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and trust me, you don’t want that.” LOL. Actually, I do want to get you started. What happened? Was the mortar that landed on the other side of the FOB 600 meters away not close enough for your command? Seriously, tell us about it. I had problems getting my CAB as well, but with the correct paperwork, it’s really not that difficult.
“Leave us severe PTSD vets alone, leave us be, I have no life, and never will cause of that horrific [expletive deleted] war, I wear the PH on my heart, like it or not, I earned it. I don’t need a Paper saying I earned it, God gave it to me, try taking that away.” This is why you’ll continue to fester with your demons. This is why things were getting so bad for me. I wanted people to leave me alone. I pretended everything was fine and pushed people away. It doesn’t help. Getting a PH is not going to erase my memories or experiences.
Now, I’ve looked into this guy around the internet. I won’t share his contact information, but he’s been all over the place spouting this stuff. He’s also got a VoteVets.org profile. I needn’t say more. I’m of the opinion this guy has an agenda and is doing everything he can to pursue it. This individual that left the above comment wants to turn our troops into entitlement whores. “We deseve this. We deserve that.” A purple ribbon on your chest isn’t the answer to our problems. The answer to our problems is precise and competent mental health care. The answer is leadership that cares about their troops and takes an active interest in their lives.
PTSD sucks, it really does. It has the potential to ruin relationships, hobbies, and friendships. But, it doesn’t deserve a medal. People get PTSD for a wide variety of reasons ranging from legitimate combat action to roll-overs to accidents to non-combat related life-changing experiences. It doesn’t mean we deserve a medal. It means we deserve treatment. But, we have to be willing to seek it. We have to be willing to assume that life is not over because we had a bad day or bad days. We have to adopt a mentality that we are strong, resilient and well-trained and that we can get better. I firmly all of that is possible and you should too! Maybe in a few months I’ll feel differently, but I haven’t changed my mind the past six year, I can’t imagine anything else changing it.
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Preston
Stolen Valor, it’s not stolen, It was taken away from us, are you freakin joshing me. Come on now, I’m sorry that you didn’t accept the PH for your physical war injuries, but you should of. And as far as wearing the PH literally, I DON’T, what I SAID WAS, I WEAR IT ON MY HEART,”MEANING NOT PHYSICALLY WORN, BUT WORN EMOTIONALLY, IT’S THERE, CAUSE THAT’S THE WAY I FEEL. Don’t go searching people’s info down on the internet, your violating the persons privacy, or do you care. Yes I have a agenda, that one day severe combat PTSD troops will finally be awarded the PH for our mental injuries acquired on the battlefield. And you say we need leadership, well guess what, we don’t have that, and nothings change. Like I said before, leave use severe PTSD vets alone.
CJ
Hey, Preston, putting your information in public forums is NOT violating anyone’s “privacy.” All I did was do a search on your name and highlighted some of your comments. You’ve been commenting on this issue all over the internet. If Google is an invasion of privacy, a LOT of people need to be sued.
Oh, and you DID say to wear it literally to wit: “If you really feel you earned the Purple Heart, I Say Wear It, Wear It With The Up Most[sic] Pride, because you deserve it, just the same as they do.”
Do you deny you said this? And finally, no I shouldn’t have. I have my own reasons for denying the PH and they mine alone.
Preston
I don’t deny saying that, and what I refer to is to the deserving portion of that, not to wear the medal literally, even though we should be allowed, we are going to do it, cause it’s not legally right. Not because it’s not morally right, cause it is. Remember, in my first post, I said I wear it on my heart, people wear alot of stuff on there heart CJ, I wear my pain on my heart also. One day you’ll understand where I’m going with this, hopefully. You morally violated my privacy, not illegally, but morally. And I should feel bad for believing I earned the PH, come on now, at least I don’t go around googling peoples info to get back at them. Come on now, get a life already, you said you was able to get help for your ptsd, obviously its not working. And by the way I do seek help at my local vet center, it helps, but it doesn’t change what’s going on upstairs, now does it.
CJ
Preston, YOU are the one bringing “shame” into the argument. YOU are the one who said that PTSD veterans who disagree with you should be ashamed. Not ME, not anyone else, YOU said it.
I googled your name because of your comments about the war that I deleted. There is nothing morally wrong with that either and I also feel no shame about that.
I have been helped of my PTSD. I’ve had ONE appointment (second coming this week). Treatment, as I already noted in the post, won’t erase our demons. However, it helps us deal with them just as rehabilitation helps physically injured veterans deal with their demons. If we just resolve to become victims of PTSD, that’s all that will happen. We’ll be slaves to our minds forever. Not me. I choose to fight! And i recognize it will be a lifelong fight! And I recognize that no medal will assist me in that fight. I, too, wear a lot things on my heart. The Purple Heart isn’t one of them because it’s a piece of metal.
I’m glad you’re seeking help. We combat vets need to support each other, but we don’t have to agree. We’ve paid the price for our freedoms and should be able to use them!
Preston
Alright CJ, I apologize for my personal opinionated comment on the PH issue, cause like you said,we combat vets need to support each other. I fully agree with that, what we have here in today’s time, is to many of us war vets not sticking together, this is probably what is destroying me the most. Yes the PH won’t help my PTSD, but people aren’t helping either.
Skip Spoerke
It appears to me that neither of you are really handling this as professional soldiers. I too suffer from severe PTSD and was medically retired from the Army after 9 1/2 years of service because of it. I have a 100% disability rating through the VA and every day is a challenge, but name calling will get you nowhere fast.
There are numerous opportunities to persuade your argument either for or against the Purple Heart being awarded for PTSD. But, if you do so, please do it respectfully and don’t forget to always be a professional soldier. That’s who and what you are.
PTSD is a psychological injury that cannot be cured with medication, but with counseling, medication, and a strong support team you can learn to cope with the injury. Do not let it go untreated because it may threaten your life as the depression and anxiety affiliated with PTSD worsen.
I have found that so long as I can continue supporting our military the sadness of no longer being able to wear that uniform is lifted slightly. So, that’s what I do. I’m a professional volunteer supporter of our military. I encourage each of you to think about what helps you move through the day. Drugs and alcohol don’t help. I know that because for over a year they were my coping mechanisms. They failed me more often than not, but it took a very strong person to finally get me to admit that.
Do I believe the Purple Heart should be awarded for severe PTSD? Yes, I do. But, my reasons are logical and noncombatant.
1. If a scratch is sometimes deserving of a Purple Heart then why isn’t combat-related PTSD ever deserving?
2. medically released service members and/or veterans with VA disability ratings of 50% or higher for PTSD should be “deserving personnel”
3. Combat-related PTSD is a psychiatric injury not an illness that medication can cure.
4. Being awarded the Purple Heart would provide honor and resolve to those whose lives have changed because of PTSD.
5. Combat-related wounds are combat-related wounds no matter if they are visible or masked. None are invisible. All should be honored.
I very recently started a facebook cause to serve as an advocate for reconsideration of the Purple Heart being awarded for PTSD. If you’re interested in learning more, go here: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/311773
If you are against it, that’s okay, but I ask that you respect those who are for it in your remarks/comments. If you are for it, you also need to respect those who are against it in your remarks/comments. We are all soldiers. We do not deserve to be disrespected, especially by one of our own.
CJ
Skip, you make good points, though I still disagree. I don’t think that Soldiers who are scratched deserve the PH either. It meets the literal requirements of the award, but I don’t think it meets the spirit. The regulation is pretty specific, however, about PTSD and combat fatigue. I think the mistake that most people make is in calling PTSD an injury. It’s not an injury, it’s a disorder. That is why there is such confusion about this. I also don’t think that those suffering from PTSD need a medal in order to receive honor or resolve. There’s nothing dishonorable about PTSD and no one should feel like there is.
Skip Spoerke
CJ, I agree with you that the regulation is pretty specific about making sure PTSD and Combat Fatigue do not justify the awarding of the Purple Heart. However, if you read the paragraph below those examples, it also clearly states,
“It is not intended that such a strict interpretation of the requirement for the wound or injury to be caused by direct result of hostile action be taken that it would preclude the award being made to deserving personnel.”
The argument isn’t about the spirit of the award or whether or not a soldier who receives a scratch is deserving of the Purple Heart, because by the regulation he may very well qualify. The argument I bring to the table is that the regulation is very vague for most injuries and wounds, but very quick to point out that certain types of injuries and wounds are not worthy of the award, PTSD being one of them. That’s the largest part of the argument.
Also within the argument is that combat-related PTSD is a combat wound and it is an injury sustained from combat. Being completely critical of the wound, PTSD is truthfully a disorder caused by a psychological injury and can easily be identified under psychological warfare.
The more severe cases of PTSD (50% or higher VA disability and/or medically released from military service for PTSD) may never fully heal and even if they do, it may take a lifetime of medical assistance to get there. Many Purple Hearts are awarded to those who fully recover from their wounds or injuries within months.
I’m not saying that recipients of the Purple Heart are not deserving of the award. I’m simply stating that “deserving personnel” should include those who suffer combat-related psychiatric injuries, such as PTSD, based on the severity of the injury. I also believe that the Purple Heart regulation needs to change to represent more structure to the award criteria to prevent undeserving personnel from hunting any excuse to receive it, but that’s an argument for another day and time.
John Coffey
I agree that the PH should not be awarded to PTSD sufferers. I don’t have a problem with the DOD coming up with a separate medal for this condition, but not the PH.
I, too, could write paragraphs on why I feel this way, but suffice it to say that, of all the medals awarded to service personal, the PH is the most abused (see John Kerry for example.)
I have an acquaintance (not a friend) who has the PH. He received it after claiming he had been shot going through a door while everyone outside was under fire. He ripped his arm and shirt open on a nail or some sharp object in the doorway. His LT ask what happen and the said he had been shot. It took quiet a few beers for him to confess it, but he still wears the little replica on his cap at the American Legion and VFW. He claims he has no PTSD, and I believe him. He is just a loud mouth prick.
Since I am a non-combat veteran, I will leave the rest of conversation to you guys who have the right to discuss it.