PATRIOT BULLETIN - Military Order of the Purple Heart

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PATRIOT BULLETIN
...Department of Defense Announces Change In...
PURPLE HEART AWARD CRITERIA
...To Allow Award for POW’s Who Die In Captivity…
In the 2007 National Defense Authorization
Act, Congress asked for a review of the
eligibility criteria for award of the Purple
Heart.
In response to that request, and after
consultation with several military groups,
the Department of Defense concluded that
the congressional request had merit and on
October 6th, announced that it has
expanded the Purple Heart eligibility
criteria, now allowing the award for
prisoners-of-war who died in captivity.
Previously, the Purple Heart was awarded
only in cases in which it could be proved
that death (of the prisoner-of-war) was a
direct result of enemy action, such as in a
shooting. The change reflects the feeling
that these conditions and circumstances are
difficult to document.
The revised department policy presumes,
for service members who die in captivity as
a qualifying prisoner-of-war, that their
death was the “result of enemy action,” or
was the result of wounds incurred “ in
action with the enemy” during capture, or
as a result of wounds incurred as a “result
of enemy action” during capture, unless
compelling evidence is presented to the
contrary.
The revised policy allows retroactive award
of the Purple Heart to qualifying prisonersof-war
since December 7, 1941.
Posthumous award will be made to the
deceased service member’s representative
as designated by the secretary of the
military department concerned, upon
application to that military department.
It is estimated that the relatives of up to
17,000 deceased POW’s could be eligible
for the award under this new regulation.
Each military department will publish
application procedures and ensure they are
accessible to the general public. Family
members with questions may contact the
services:
Army: Military Awards Branch,
(703) 325-8700.
Navy: Navy Personnel Command,
Retired Records Section, (314) 592-1150.
Air Force: Air Force Personnel
Center, (800) 616-3775.
Marine Corps: Military Awards
Branch, (703) 784-9340.
—DoD Press Release Nr. 845-08, Oct 6, 2008
with additional information from internet
posted by ABC News