Army approves Purple Hearts for soldiers wounded in 2009 Fort Hood shooting

Washington Post ^ | February 6, 2015 | By Dan Lamothe

[Brad from Tennessee]

Army Secretary John McHugh said Friday that he has approved awarding the Purple Heart and its civilian counterpart to those wounded during a mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009, following years of pressure from families and a change in rules approved by Congress.

The Nov. 5, 2009, shooting killed 13 people and wounded more than 30. It was carried out by Maj. Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, who was convicted in August 2013 of 13 counts of murder and 32 counts of attempted murder. Hasan said he acted because of what he alleged was U.S. aggression against Muslims and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He offered no apology during trial, and was sentenced to death.

The lack of recognition for those killed and wounded in the attack had angered some victims and their families and prevented them from receiving combat-related benefits. The medal is typically awarded for wounds in a war zone, but the Army’s criteria for the award says it also can be authorized in other situations, including international terrorist attacks against the United States.

he Army declined to call Hassan’s attack international terrorism, however. That led Congress to include a provision in the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act that required the Defense Department to review the Fort Hood case for Purple Heart recipients. . .

[a fool in paradise]

"I got a grain of rice in the butt back in 'Nam so YOU could be free!"

[NFHale]

So very sorry for your loss... God bless your son, and your family.

Truly sorry to hear this...

[NFHale]

Both of those Marines look like they want to kick his ass.

[ntnychik]

No mention in the article or comments of Ted Cruz’ role in the act of Congress it took to make these Purple Heart awards possible.