Pentagon: PTSD does not warrant Purple Heart

Ruling calls disorder ‘not a wound,’ but a ‘secondary effect’

The Pentagon has decided it will not award the Purple Heart to troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The decision, reached Nov. 3 but not made public until now, followed months of review by military and outside officials that was spurred when Defense Secretary Robert Gates was asked at a May news conference whether he would support awarding the Purple Heart to PTSD victims.

By William H. McMichael - Staff writer Army Times
Posted : Saturday Jan 17, 2009 7:57:41 EST