17,000 could get Purple Heart under new policy

WASHINGTON (AP) - An estimated 17,000 deceased U.S. prisoners of war could be awarded Purple Hearts under a new Pentagon policy announced
Monday.

Purple Hearts are awarded to soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines wounded by enemy action. But the awards have been denied in the past to
POWs who died in captivity if it could not be proven they had been wounded or killed by the enemy.

The revised policy announced Monday by the Defense Department presumes such deaths were the result of enemy action unless compelling evidence is presented to the contrary.

The new policy is retroactive to Dec. 7, 1941, the Defense Department said in a statement Monday.

Posthumous awards can be made to a family member or other representative of the deceased service member. Each branch of the military will
announce the process for applying for the awards.

Family members with questions may contact the services: Army, (703) 325-8700; Navy, (314) 592-1150; Air Force, (800) 616-3775; Marine Corps, (703) 784-9340.

The Pentagon had been asked by Congress to review the old policy.

I have to say that it is common sense. If you are a POW and that POW in question become's deceased as a "POW", that military person already has a a Purple Heart and has earned a higher medal than that life. It doesn't even have to awarded. Battlefield and War time medal's DO NOT I repeat DO NOT have to be awarded on paper. "They are to be handed out first on the spot not"(because I said so) after. Secondly inserted in to service record for the nerd's. I promise the reader's this much I'm willing to bet the dead POW could careless considering you can walk in to any Army/Navy store and buy one for $9.99 cent's. That of whic is stll federal law & illegal for the store to sell a Purple Heart as it is any other medal with a monetary fine to a non-awarded person especially a civilian. But once again "they are to be handed down" not written up and it will alway's be that way regardless of Washingtons' paper pusher's that never got shot. In conclusion, yes they should be awarded anyway to the family specifically the Father and all 100% disabled veteran's. Exactly, no these thing's don't take time considering Hollywood companies deposit million's of dollar's to actor's in 15 minute's with-out a waiting period funds fully accessible.

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