SecDef: PTSD May Warrant Purple Heart

Combat veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may someday qualify for the Purple Heart medal. Speaking at Red River Army Depot, Texas, on May 5, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said that such recognition of PTSD is “an interesting idea.” A day earlier, Gates visited a clinic at Fort Hood, Texas, where PTSD-afflicted soldiers were undergoing holistic treatment for their condition. Presently, the Army regards PTSD as an illness rather than a condition. As such, it does not meet criteria to justify a Purple Heart.