My family went thru grief of a brother KIA during WW2. We received a phone call from some person from Western Union and later the Purple Heart. End of story.
We did not begrudge those that lived, all of their medals. Far too many were passed out to far too many for little of nothing. For instance, Lyndon Johnson received a Silver Star. Thus it does not mean a great deal whem some people receive a chest full of medals.
I do realize that the price of manufacturing a medal has gone up since 1945, but thanks.
I have to tell you that your "$25 Purple Heart" remark struck me as very cold. That's because I knew what it meant to my Dad.
It reminded me of this:
I had a relative who was a career Army man. He was younger than Dad, and unimpressed with my father's service - saying once during a discussion about the Purple Heart my Dad earned on Iwo Jima: "Big deal. They throw those out like candy."
If they do, that's a problem, in my opinion. When those who receive them don't believe they did anything unusual to earn them, what is the point of having them at all? There is none.
Sad that the standard is becoming so low that a young woman who merely did what was expected of her is being suggested by some for the highest of all honors - and odd that someone who apparently thinks they're worth so little seems to want so badly for Private Lynch to have so many.
Big of you not to begrudge them, though.
(If I'm misjudging your remarks, I apologize. Could be my mood right now.)