[Hambone02]

I am currently serving my fourth tour in Bagram. All four times volunteered. I completely agree with you about the PTSD. I would not hand them a pink heart, but I would also not hand them a purple heart. A purple heart is SUPPOSED to go to a person wounded by enemy fire, or as a result of enemy actions, directly or indirectly. Friendly fire does not constitute a purple heart. We just a fallen comrade ceremony a few days ago for a soldier who shot himself by accident. He was goofing off with his gun, and darwin’s law was enforced. He isn’t going to get a purple heart. Had he been killed/injured by ENEMY fire, yes, he would.
This story about ptsd after burning crap in a barrel is bs and this individual ought to be severely punished, not awarded. I was here when we first took Bagram, and spent plenty of time burning crap, before we got pj’s. It was not that traumatic. You couldn’t even smell the crap over the diesel fumes. haha.

[Polybius]

Friendly fire does not constitute a purple heart. We just a fallen comrade ceremony a few days ago for a soldier who shot himself by accident. He was goofing off with his gun, and darwin’s law was enforced.

Actually, "friendly fire" does merit a Purple Heart as long as it falls into the "heat of battle - fog of war" category.

(b) Individuals wounded or killed as a result of "friendly fire" in the "heat of battle" will be awarded the 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.

Carelessness outside of battle such as "goofing off with a gun", however, does not merit a Purple Heart.

(c) Individuals injured as a result of their own negligence; for example, driving or walking through an unauthorized area known to have been mined or placed off limits or searching for or picking up unexploded munitions as war souvenirs, will not be awarded the Purple Heart as they clearly were not injured as a result of enemy action, but rather by their own negligence.