"In any case, even a "friendly fire" injury can qualify for a purple heart "as long as the 'friendly' projectile or agent was released with the full intent of inflicting damage or destroying enemy troops or equipment," according to the website of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. All agree that rice was being destroyed that day on the assumption that it otherwise might feed Viet Cong fighters."
http://factcheck.org/article.aspx?docID=231
I understand we are in the same boat..I would point out to them that Kerry had no need to lie but he did....why? Also looking at this description the friendly fire must have taken place while directly engaged in armed conflict.....weapon fire...maybe he did not qualify without the lie...what is the true regulation where did they get their info?
10 USC Sec. 1129 01/05/99
TITLE 10 - ARMED FORCES
Subtitle A - General Military Law
PART II - PERSONNEL
CHAPTER 57 - DECORATIONS AND AWARDS
Sec. 1129. Purple Heart: members killed or wounded in action by friendly fire
-STATUTE-
(a) For purposes of the award of the Purple Heart, the Secretary concerned shall treat a member of the armed forces described in subsection (b) in the same manner as a member who is killed or wounded in action as the result of an act of an enemy of the United States.
(b) A member described in this subsection is a member who is killed or wounded in action by weapon fire while directly engaged in armed conflict, other than as the result of an act of an enemy of the United States, unless (in the case of a wound) the wound is the result of willful misconduct of the member.
(c) This section applies to members of the armed forces who are killed or wounded on or after December 7, 1941. In the case of a member killed or wounded as described in subsection (b) on or after December 7, 1941, and before November 30, 1993, the Secretary concerned shall award the Purple Heart under subsection (a) in each case which is known to the Secretary before such date or for which an application is made to the Secretary in such manner as the Secretary requires.
(Added Pub. L. 103-160, div. A, title XI, Sec. 1141(a), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1756; amended Pub. L. 105-85, div. A, title X, Sec. 1073(a)(18), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1901.)
AMENDMENTS
1997 - Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105-85 substituted ''November 30, 1993,'' for ''the date of the enactment of this section,'' and ''before such date or'' for ''before the date of the enactment of this section or''.
http://www.amervets.com/phmedl.htm#phm
See previous note.
Here's another one: If a guy is blowing up ordnance in Iraq (no enemy nearby at the time), and doesnt run for cover well enough and gets some shards of shrapnel in his butt ... does he deserve a PH for that?
It's a similar case.