Comments on: Purple Heart for PTSD?

By: William congleton

William congleton — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:37:22 +0000

I am the standard of what the purple heart really means. I belaeve that even the ones who have scaches and booboos dont rate. If ptsd quualifies the purple heart then I will give mine to them cause mine wont mean anything anymore. Tired of all the crybabbies out their milking the system for all it is worth. suck it up. 3 155 rounds went off under my hummv. over 20 injuries yea ptsd sucks but thats not who I am. want to feel sorry for yours self and feel that you realy rate a purple heart go to walter reed medical center and tell those guys you want the purple heart.

By: Peter S. Griffin

Peter S. Griffin — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:05:32 +0000

IT STANDS TO REASON
The more combat one sees, the more (tours) battle stars one has, the more combat awards and valor medals earned… the more likely one's chance of developing PTSD becomes and the degree of severity increases!
THERE SHOULD BE NO DOUBT – if a warrior is awarded the Purple Heart for a physical wound and/or a valor medal for actions against enemies of the USA on the field of battle, common sense dictates it must be considered presumptive evidence that the warrior's Combat PTSD originates from said enemy action! Under such circumstances the Purple Heart Medal for Combat PTSD is richly deserved and should be awarded!
More compelling reasons why the Purple Heart Medal should be awarded to those brave warriors suffering from "POST COMBAT STRESS DISORDER" ASAP are posted at Griffin's Lair, http://www.grifslair.com Visit today, thanks, Grif.

By: Cpl Hoffmann, USMC

Cpl Hoffmann, USMC — Fri, 30 May 2008 03:52:43 +0000

I am going to try to put this lightly. It is ridiculous to think that a service member who sits in an air conditioned trailer in kuwait somewhere and returns home suffering from "PTSD" should be awarded a Purple Heart. If you can return from Iraq after seeing half the things I've seen and be perfectly fine mentally than you are a God. It is just a risk you take in war. We all signed up for it.
I received a Purple Heart in my last deployment in Ramadi, Iraq, and I earned it. I BLED for my country, and when I returned they said I have PTSD. So I guess I should rate another Purple Heart. It's hard to accept the idea of awarding the medal to those who are diagnosed with PTSD after going through what I went through to earn mine. It is simply a risk of combat, and we should just accept that. I would hate to have someone ask me why I got a Purple Heart and have to tell them it was because I had PTSD.

Sorry if I offend anyone but it is only my opinion. Carry on.

By: Major Rosanne Visco, USAF

Major Rosanne Visco, USAF — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:56:48 +0000

I definitely think that if the Purple Heart medal could help decrease stigma and legitimize a vet's experience of being wounded as a result of combat, I would certainly be in favor of the award. Based on my own experiences in working with active duty members I would also add TBI in the same category as PTSD. In the screening and assessment process, I have found that service members have been reacting to "the signature wound" with just as much stigma as PTSD thus decreasing their receptivity to treatment.

By: Jo

Jo — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:22:13 +0000

I understand the theory behind this,and maybe it is a good one. But, personally, I don't believe any medal would ever be enough until a veteran can get the help he needs, when he needs it, without being made to feel inferior by either his superiors or his peers. Now, if coping skills for PTSD were a mandatory part of military training, for ALL service members, and none were singled out, maybe that would be a better solution. Honestly, learning to recognize the signs, learning how to live with it, and knowing how to get help and where – these are skills beneficial not only to the service members who live with it every day, but to every service member, particularly those in leadership positions. After all these years, I don't believe there is one single person in the military who doesn't have at least one buddy affected by war. The unfortunate thing is that is would take a lot of time, money and resources to implementand I don't know that that anyone with the authority to get it done is interested. PLease don't get me wrong—I am all for giving service members the recognition they deserve. Truthly, I don't think they get enough for what they do—but that is a different topic. In this case, I just don't think it will be bring about the desired effect.

By: Patience Mason

Patience Mason — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:20:43 +0000

I asked my husband Bob about this. He says he would accept a Purple Brain, but not a Purple Heart. Helicopter pilots! Always kidding.
I can see the point of doing it however, since the neurological and brain changes do exist. It is a war related injury.
Bob was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and came home in 1966, after a rather hectic year, with PTSD. He got diagnosed in 1967 with combat fatigue,(before DSMII which, on no scientific evidence whatever, eliminated any form of long term post-traumatic reaction from available diagnoses). At that time it meant he could never be sent to a combat zone again. They should not be sent back on meds now either. It is unethical because there is no proof that it does not do more harm.
During Vietnam, the in-country psychological breakdown rate was 1.2%. They thought they had also prevented psychological injury. We will find out over time exactly how effective the current preventive measures are, but I believe it is important to tell people that we have helped you now and you may need more help later, the post- in PTSD. Further trauma may bring it up again.

By: H. Paul Susenbach

H. Paul Susenbach — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:52:54 +0000

I have worked for years with Federal law enforcement and public service employees with collateral military roles that become traumatized from their individual and collective traumatic experiences. The CAB is an excellent EARNED award from a physical and/or emotional wounding conflict event, which is a criterion A hallmark. The warrior wounded by other warriors in their common living area or by insurgents on the battlefield or the warrior on the Autobahn or outside the Baghdad International Airport in a Humvee rollover is neither less wounded nor less traumatized. If the location becomes the defining factor, it could become an inclusive/exclusive clique, creating more issues of recognizing vs. owning & treating them.

By: MAJ Brian Stoll

MAJ Brian Stoll — Tue, 06 May 2008 00:34:47 +0000

As another Iraqi War veteran (2003-2004), and someone who was subjected to the cognitive efforts of first the VA and then an Army medical center over the course of two years, I admit there is a need to recognize the service of our wounded. The Purple Heart, like the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) has a significant meaning and honor. The Army developed an alternative to the CIB to honor those non-Infantry personnel that engaged the enemy in active combat, called the Combat Action Badge (CAB). Like the CAB, an alternate award should be chosen, to honor the sacrifice of those with invisible mental wounds. More importantly, like the physical wounds that are suffered and healed, PTSD can be healed using the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), a holistic energy healing practice that is non-invasive, non-traumatizing and effective. I experienced almost total relief of sleeplessness, uncontrollable anger outbreaks and hyper-alertness/activation after a ten minute phone session. If the VA and military medical establishment would open their eyes they would realize that EFT, which does not require a license to practice, would result in a high return-to-duty rate and a drastic reduction in suicides would be far more effective than video games that are supposed to heighten suicide awareness. EFT is explained on the website of founder Gary Craig: www.emofree.com. Try it, there is NOTHING to lose! If you would like to know more about my experience, feel free to contact me at CombatCA50@yahoo.com.

By: CW3 Jason P.

CW3 Jason P. — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:38:05 +0000

I am an Iraq War Vet and still serve in the Army. I have dealt with changes that I could not figure out since my tour 3 years ago. I was referred to Dr. Figley and drove 400 miles to be evaluated by him on April 2007. Dr. Figley is performing a great service in discussing and dealing with the real PTSD issue. To me a combat injury is a combat injury. A ribbon, purple heart, is just a recognition piece that says the military agrees that you have been injured. It is difficult to break the thinking that you need to have a visible scar to have been injured. A mental "scar" or injury is just the same. It is just that it scares us as soldiers to think we can't tough it out or control it when we don't feel well. We cannot heal our brain as quick as a cut or bone break. I hear soldiers say they are still afraid to mention specific body pain for fear they will not get promoted or might get medically discharged from the military. Some ribbons or awards are given when not truly earned, but we cannot stop honoring injured soldiers no matter what. Thank you Dr. Figley for making us talk about PTSD. This injury is real and we do not need to fear something that we don't understand. I share all of this because I am living with an injury that I don't understand but I do not fear it, I manage it. Thanks.

By: charles figley

charles figley — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:49:45 +0000

Dear Colleagues,
I would like to start a serious effort to enable those who have been carefully evaluated and were diagnosed with combat-related PTSD to receive the Purple Heart. I co-edited the book, Combat Stress Injury Theory Research, and Management (published by Routledge last year), with Bill Nash, just retiring as a psychiatrist (Navy Captain)with the USMC who has been responsible for helping to prevent combat stress injuries. We both know that PTSD is a real injury with lots of neurological (i.e., physical) evidence for those who suffer from it.
Before I start such a campaign, I would like to know from my fellow veterans any possible unintended, negative consequences of such a change in policy.
Best wishes,
Charles