What say you? Purple heart for PTSD

[41magsnub]

PTSD is not a wound. It doesn't merit a Purple Heart.

I'm a Vietnam vet. I have friends who EARNED Purple Hearts, by being wounded in action. That is the criterion, and that should always remain the criterion.

They have other awards for "feel good" stuff. I received two Army Commendation Medals, for example. So did a raft of other guys. Basically, the ACM was handed out like Halloween candy, mostly (IMHO) as PR from the DoD to the folks back home with the intent of making the efforts of us normal troops who just did our jobs and didn't cause too many problems seem more "heroic." I haven't pulled mine out a read the award language for several decades, but there's a bunch of clap-trap in there about meritorious service in the allied counter-insurgency effort, blah-blah-blah. I wasn't any hero, but the award language makes keeping my head down and my nose clean sound a lot more important than it felt at the time.

I think the ACM is about what's appropriate for PTSD, nothing higher. No Bronze or Silver Star, and certainly not the Purple Heart.

Heh.. I got 2 arcoms in garrison in 3 years for exception leadership (I was a PFC and SPC at the times).  Those are anymore kind of employee of the month awards.

[wmenorr67]

When it comes to awarding of medals for "service" for today's "combat" tours there is a reverse "quota."

On my first tour over to Iraq I was "awarded" and Arcom and on my second tour I was "awarded" a Joint Services Achievement Medal.  My OIC had put me in for a Joint Services Commendation but it was downgraded because our higher headquarters told us we could only award so many of each medal.