Move Underway to Equalize Purple Heart Benefits
By: Import User
Updated: February 19, 2007
More women than ever before are serving in the armed forces, many in or near combat areas, and that means more are eligible for the Purple Heart.
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo) Monday announced legislation he is co-sponsoring to correct a technicality in the charter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
Currently, the wives of the men who earn the Purple Heart are invited to become associate members of the order and take part in support groups and social gatherings.
But the charter does not mention spouses of women who earn Purple Hearts. Blunt wants the charter to reflect the changes in today's military.
The move has the support of Bernadette Miller of the Missouri Veterans Commission, who worked with a nurse in Vietnam who earned the Purple Heart.
"I actually replaced a nurse who was wounded in Vietnam and so I know that she would like her family to be able to have the benefit of the auxiliary portion of the Purple Heart Association," said Miller.
Blunt says there are 200 Purple Heart recipients in southwest Missouri today. The medal is awarded to veterans who were wounded or killed during combat service.
