Purple Hearts proposed for Fort Hood victims

[Chris]

Washington (CNN) -- Military victims of the Fort Hood massacre will be eligible to receive the Purple Heart if Congress passes a bill introduced Tuesday.

Nonmilitary victims could receive the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom, the civilian equivalent of the Purple Heart. Both military and civilian personnel killed or wounded in the November 5 attack would be granted the same legal status as combatant casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The bill was introduced by Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, who represents the district that includes Fort Hood Army Post in the House of Representatives.

"As far as I'm concerned, this was an attack by an enemy upon American troops on American soil," Carter said Tuesday at a Capitol Hill news conference.

The bill "is about giving soldiers the benefits that other soldiers get when they are unfortunate enough to be killed or wounded in a combat zone."

Granting combatant status also would guarantee that beneficiaries of military service members killed in the attack can receive the maximum life insurance benefit, according to Carter's office

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/17/fort.hood.medals/index.html

[debk]

Seems like the least the government could do for these people.

While not the traditional form of battle....they were still ambushed like fish in a barrel....and shot by a terrorist.

[NHSparky]

Hang on a second, lemme get on my flame suit...

No, they shouldn't get the PH.  The criteria for it is pretty clear, and it's equally clear that they don't meet the criteria as stated.  While I DO believe they should be recognized somehow, this isn't how it should be done.

[JohnnyReb]

Hang on a second, lemme get on my flame suit...

No, they shouldn't get the PH.  The criteria for it is pretty clear, and it's equally clear that they don't meet the criteria as stated.  While I DO believe they should be recognized somehow, this isn't how it should be done.

As long as the government report on Ft. Hood doesn't mention Islam or Muslims then it's not a part of the war.....ergo, not a combat related wound.

But I bet John Kerry has already put in for his Ft. Hood PH. ...he got a paper cut while handling the report.

[Thor]

Sparky, I'm kind of mixed, But this DOES open up a whole new method for obtaining the Purple Heart and it's probably not in line with tradition. It does seem tantamount to acknowledging that we allowed enemy infiltrators into our military.

There were rumors of people onboard the USS Tripoli receiving the Purple Heart because we DID hit a mine and we DID breathe in asbestos, paint fumes, chemical fumes,etc. There's no telling what long term effects happened to us as a result of "enemy action". To my knowledge, it was never awarded. (Which is probably the right thing).

[whiffleball]

Hang on a second, lemme get on my flame suit...

No, they shouldn't get the PH.  The criteria for it is pretty clear, and it's equally clear that they don't meet the criteria as stated.  While I DO believe they should be recognized somehow, this isn't how it should be done.

I agree with you.  What I want to see is Hasan named an Islamic terrorist and the term "War on Terror" used in conjunction with his actions.  I want the CiC to admit this was an act of terrorism.  Then, award the PH.

[NHSparky]

If in fact the Secretary of the Army classified it as a terrorist act, then they MAY be eligible for the PH:

LINK

After 28 March 1973, as a 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 the Army, or jointly by the Secretaries of the separate armed Services concerned if persons from more than one service are wounded in the attack.

Also included in qualifying criteria:

Injury caused by enemy placed mine or trap.

So, Thor--if the injuries in question on the Tripoli were in fact caused DIRECTLY as a result of the mine, if in fact it was an Iraqi mine, then yes, they could in fact be awarded the PH.

[Thor]

So, Thor--if the injuries in question on the Tripoli were in fact caused DIRECTLY as a result of the mine, if in fact it was an Iraqi mine, then yes, they could in fact be awarded the PH.

The problem is that the injuries, if any, aren't exactly visible and probably haven't surfaced yet, if they DO exist. It's all speculation. If a Tripoli  shipmate were to get mesothilioma (asbestos related cancer), how can it be directly attributed to the mine hit?? (There is an entry in my medical record about asbestos exposure due to the mine hit)

Back to the topic, where I see the problem is that nobody in the chain of command wants to call the Ft Hood massacre a "terrorist action", at least from what I've heard and read.If they do, then it's good to go.

[NHSparky]

The problem is that the injuries, if any, aren't exactly visible and probably haven't surfaced yet, if they DO exist. It's all speculation. If a Tripoli  shipmate were to get mesothilioma (asbestos related cancer), how can it be directly attributed to the mine hit?? (There is an entry in my medical record about asbestos exposure due to the mine hit)

Back to the topic, where I see the problem is that nobody in the chain of command wants to call the Ft Hood massacre a "terrorist action", at least from what I've heard and read.If they do, then it's good to go.

Meso/asbestosis?  Can't be.  No PH.

[DefiantSix]

I'm curious if this might not be the Army's back-door way of contradicting the official report and re-classifying the incident as a terrorist action - which it was.  It may also have interesting secondary ramifications at Hasan's court martial:  if the victims of his attack were decorated for receiving wounds from an enemy attack upon their persons, then by default Hasan would be classified an enemy combatant in a very legal context.  Given that he was not in the uniform of any foreign army with which the United States is currently engaged in hostilities, a strong case could be made that he is no more than any other illegal enemy combatant who dons a US uniform and infiltrates a US post with the intent of doing harm.  With that kind of argument being fronted, the US Army could be very well justified in taking the traitor Hasan out to the parking lot, and clearing his sinuses with a service pistol as soon as the guilty verdict is read and recorded, in accordance with proscriptions allowed for in the Geneva Convention.

[Chris]

I had considered the same thing.

Was he wearing his uniform at the time of the shooting?  The convenience store video footage I saw has him wearing his Jihad Jammies.

[DefiantSix]

I had considered the same thing.

Was he wearing his uniform at the time of the shooting?  The convenience store video footage I saw has him wearing his Jihad Jammies.

(I'm feeling too lazy to go to the terrorism thread and look through the 20 some odd pages of posts), but I believe that the reports were that he was in ACUs when he launched his jihad.

[docstew]

I had considered the same thing.

Was he wearing his uniform at the time of the shooting?  The convenience store video footage I saw has him wearing his Jihad Jammies.

There are people who are deployed to my FOB here who were there that day.  He walked into the building, sat down and WAITED for the room to fill up before opening fire.  I'd have to ask what he was wearing though.

[littlelamb]

They need something but who knows if they are going to get anything.

[thundley4]

They need something but who knows if they are going to get anything.

Hell, the two responsible for stopping the terrorist Hassan couldn't even get a "shout out" of recognition from Lord Zero at the SOTU speech.

[DefiantSix]

Hell, the two responsible for stopping the terrorist Hassan couldn't even get a "shout out" of recognition from Lord Zero at the SOTU speech.

Then they at least need to be permitted tickets when Hasan's head gets turned into a canoe.