No Purple Medals For PTSD Victims

By Margarita Nahapetyan

The Pentagon has decided not to award the Purple Heart medal to soldiers who suffer from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). The decision was made in November, but it became known only on Monday when appeared on the Web site of Stars and Stripes newspaper. "PTSD is an anxiety disorder caused by witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event," Defense Department spokeswoman Eileen Lainez told Stars and Stripes. "Historically, the Purple Heart has never been awarded for mental disorders or psychological conditions," said Eileen Lainez, "Current medical knowledge and technologies do not establish PTSD as objectively and routinely as would be required for this award at this time."

In short, the psychological wound does not deserve the same award the nation would give for a physical one. The department states three clear and reasonable criteria. First, the wound has to be "the result of enemy action where the intended effect of a specific enemy action is to kill or injure the service member." Second, it has to be "an injury to any part of the body." Third, it has to be "caused by the enemy from an outside force or agent." The criteria was expanded to include all prisoners of war who died in captivity, including those who were tortured. So witnessing a comrade who is being torn apart by a bomb turns out to be not that important as taking shrapnel from it. Consequently, US soldiers will not be eligible to receive the Purple Heart for the invisible psychic wounds of war.

A severe mental illness, such as PTSD is accompanied by actual physical changes in the brain. It includes nightmares, crippling anxiety, depression, uncontrolled rage, sleeplessness, vivid flashbacks of the time at war and, sometimes, suicidal tendencies. Soldiers grappling with the disorder are often unable to work. Because cases are not being reported and mostly untreated it is very hard to obtain an exact number for PTSD incidence. According to RAND Corporation survey last year of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, about 320,000 veterans sustained brain injuries by 2007, while about 300,000 (nearly 20% of military service members) reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression. Though the symptoms may not appear at once, doctors say that they can be lessened and controlled if treated early and that most people can even return to their duties. But many of veterans do not want to seek help because of the stigma associated with the condition.

Aaron Glantz, author of a new book "The War Comes Home", reported from Iraq during the first three years of the war and interviewed dozens of veterans. In his book Mr.Glantz writes that the Bush administration was never seriously interested in helping veterans. "The sorry state of care for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans is not an accident. It's on purpose. After the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Bush administration fought every effort to improve care for wounded and disabled veterans. At the root of that fight was its desire to hide the true costs of the war in order to boost public support," concludes the author.

But the Defense Department declared that the military "will spend about a billion dollars on research, development, treatment, and preventative measures" to solve this very real problem. "Just because an awards committee believes this particular injury does not qualify for this award does not in any way reflect that we don't take this problem seriously and aren't committed to doing everything we possibly can toward preventing it, toward treating it, toward taking care of those who are suffering with it," another Defense Department press secretary Geoff Morrell said.

The Purple Heart medal was officially created in 1932, and has its roots in Revolutionary War. The Purple Heart, the hallowed award, is sacred for those who risk their lives in the service of their country. The decision, which was made public on Tuesday, ends the hope of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who suffer the disorder and who had believed that Purple Hearts could honor their sacrifice and help remove some of the stigma. The main reason that contributes to PTSD is the guilt soldiers carry over killing. That's why civilian respect and honor when they return back home is so important and necessary for their recovery. Medals, awards might not be of a big importance, but maybe those Purple Hearts would remind all of us of the real cost of war, and to honor those who are paying for us.

The Pentagon left open the possibility that it could revisit the issue.