Short of Purple Hearts, Navy tells vet to buy own

[douglas9]

Source: Houston Chronicle

PEARLAND — Korean War veteran Nyles Reed, 75, opened an envelope last week to learn a Purple Heart had been approved for injuries he sustained as a Marine on June 22, 1952.

But there was no medal. Just a certificate and a form stating that the medal was "out of stock."

"I can imagine, of course, with what's going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, there's a big shortage," Reed said. "At least, I would imagine so."

.......

After waiting 55 years, however, Reed decided to pay $42 for his own Purple Heart and accompanying ribbon — plus state sales taxes — at a military surplus store.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5061221.html

[PittPoliSci]

1. aw what the FUCK!?

jesus christ, there's so much wrong with this i don't know where to start...

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. What else should we expected when we got a president who went AWOL?

Things like purple hearts don't mean anything to him. In fact, the way he tried to downsize their importance by swiftboating Kerry's purple heart and rescinding them for thousands of other soldiers should tell you that Bush is terribly jealous of other people's accomplishments. He feels demeaned by them. Since he'll never receive the same accolades because of his own cowardice, he instead works to tear down everybody else.

[closeupready]

27. Very perceptive.

I think that's very true.

[LisaM]

43. That is such an astute remark

Mind if I steal it from time to time?

[The Backlash Cometh]

45. As often as you like. Just don't repeat my spelling error.

It never fails. Whenever I make an astute remark worthy of repeating, I invariably throw in a dozy spelling mistake or typo.

[LisaM]

47. Wouldn't dream of it!

And, btw, it's "doozy", not "dozy", LOL. That's how I type at work if one of my bosses happens to be watching, too. I can't even find the right keys.

[The Backlash Cometh]

52. And that's the one I spell checked!

Try it on DU. I spelled it doozy, and it gave me dozy and I think I meant doze.

I'm so confuuuuuuuused.

[PittPoliSci]

48. didn't bush "receive" a purple heart?

from some dipshit who decided that "words hurt too" and gave that asshole his purple heart?

I saw it on the daily show about a month or two ago. It was disgusting.

[The Backlash Cometh]

55. Pathetic display. I bet the guy understood Bush's pain.

[Solly Mack]

2. There is so much that could be said

yet I can't seem to get beyond - Damn!

[Submariner]

3. This is what happens when a yellow-bellied draft dodging coward

like 5 deferment Cheney and his puppet AWOL-boy get a supreme court appointment to the position of idiot-in-chief and handler.

This is just plain disgusting.

[SpiralHawk]

7. "Smirk, smirk, smirk." - Commander AWOL

"Smirk." - Commander AWOL

[Lasher]

4. He was lucky to get the certificate.

Funny how you can buy as many of these medals as you want, and they are exactly the same thing.

http://www.usmedals.com/StoreHome.aspx?service=army

I think the only thing there is a shortage of is money.

[Heidi]

5. Ridiculous.

Recommended.

:kick:

[WidowsSon]

6. Surreal

Straight out of Catch 22. Absurdity in the existential sense.

[deminks]

8. Why am I reminded of the Republican Convention of 2004?

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/30/gop.purple.hearts/

Delegates mock Kerry with 'purple heart' bandages
Democrats: GOP 'mocking our troops'

[Norrin Radd]

17. That photo never fails to disgust me.

[Bake]

36. Every time I see it, I swear I want to break something.

Preferably over that hog's fat, empty head.

Bake

[liberal N proud]

Same thought here

That woman makes me sick

[karynnj]

38. I hope at least someone - preferrably a veteren - in her home community

really told her exactly what he/she thought of this totally tacky disgusting action.

It still bothers mey that there was not any condemnation of this by the media or leaders of our society. This was a case when the Republicans stepped across the line of common decency. The lack of that condemantion from NON-PARTISAN leaders gave the SBVT credibility because it said that this was ok or that Kerry deserved it. McCain, of all people, should have demanded they go when he was speaking.

[LiberalFighter]

22. These Republicans... Can't Understand Normal Things

[ThatsMyBarack]

29. AAAAAHHHH!!!!! FAT!!!!!! STUPID!!!!!! COW!!!!!!!!

I'd rather look at the the wedding photo of the sad bride and her injured soldier groom. So much more meaningful.

[stevedeshazer]

42. That picture is so infuriating

I hate that she is from my state. Every time I see it I feel like busting those fake chiclets in her grill.

[ContraBass Black]

9. I guess it follows from the soldiers having to buy their own armor.

[Dogmudgeon]

10. I laughed. I cried. But mainly, I cried.

My dad earned a PH in Korea. He never got the actual thing, either.

A few years ago, we were trying to get all his medals from the DoD for our family memorial to him (he died in '96). Once again, they were out of stock.

I guess in order to get a Purple Heart these days, you have to be one of those phonies who hang around in bars and tell everyone who will listen that they were Navy SEALs -- "but all my records were destroyed on orders of the President".

Kinda silly, ain't it?

--p!

[MADem]

11. It's outrageous. It's unacceptable, and indicative of a larger problem.

Disposable warriors, that's the attitude. And it's a bad one.

[johnlal]

20. That comes from running the country like a CEO would.

It follows that if you come from a world where labor is disposable, then when you become Commander in Chief, you take that ethic with you.

[MADem]

24. Mitt the Shitt Romney would be more of the same... nt

[ptolle]

35. But

But what else would you expect from a nation that would largely privatize its military and outsource our defense to mercenary outfits like Blackwater, Dyncorp and others?
If there were truly justice or karma or something, someone would send a copy of this story to the multi-chinned hag mentioned above.
Didn't one of our war chiefs say something about "fungible"?

[underpants]

12. That is just sad

ISn't there someway to make more money off this process so that more companies will be willing to get involved?

[TechBear_Seattle]

13. There are no words capable of expressing my outrage n/t

[Greylyn58]

15. Unfreakinbelievable!!

I just can't find the words anymore...

[Amonester]

16. "Pentagon Paid $998,798 to Ship Two 19-Cent Washers"

...to republicon contributors(?), so there's no money left for a Purple Heart, or any other Heart.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2956672
And you know what the outrageous freeps say to War veteran? "Get over it." :mad:
:puke:

[rasputin1952]

18. While I can understand the rapid depletion of PH stocks...

considering how many have been handed out over the this war, there is no excuse for this, at any level.

One can purchase medal, ribbons, miniatures, (except the Medal of Honor), but there is something inherently wrong in purchasing one because the "Out of Stock" note comes w/the citation. The military will replace any medal, campaign ribbon etc that is authorized, lost stolen etc. but they can't, or wouldn't have, waited for stocks to be replaced before sending out this notice? What would have another week or two made in the Grand Scheme of Things?

After all of the time, the blood, the limbs and lives wasted in this war, you'd think someone in Supply would have figured out that ordering a stock would be a "good idea". Then again, this administration said our brothers and sisters in uniform would be greeted w/roses, and I'm sure they figured a prick from a thorn on a rose stem was not worthy of a PH, so why bother upping the supply...:grr:

[tanyev]

19. Welcome to Yeronyerownistan.

Poor guy didn't realize that's what he was fighting and risking his life for.




Thanks for your service, sir.
:patriot:

[racaulk]

21. Outrageous! I guess this is "supporting our troops."

Our veterans deserve better than this. Un-fucking-believable!!!

:grr:

[DollyM]

23. After getting a $2000.00 medical bill from VA this week,

I am not surprised. My husband just got a bill dating back over a year from when he was in the VA hospital. If they had given it to us in a timely manner, we could have have turned it in our our state medical cards or asked for a waiver. Now we are "over income" (which means in VA terms that my husband is working again!)and stuck with making payments to VA.

[Auntie Bush]

25. Anyone who fought to defend our country and then gets wounded should have every single

medical bill paid for the the US government. I hope he sends the bill to bush*, Cheney and Rummy as they are responsible for his injuries. Besides they can afford it! It would give the bastards an opportunity to help support the troops besides pinning a flag on their lapel and ordering more troops to their potential death.

[Megahurtz]

53. That's Disgusting. n/t

[leslieaa7]

26. Short of purple hearts navy tells buy own

yeah.....they tell them they are so proud of them...what a great job they are doing?
hypocrites!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ThatsMyBarack]

30. Welcome to DU, leslieaa7!

:hi: :patriot:

[UTUSN]

28. Actually, it's not unusual.

I got the same letter years ago regarding a Good Conduct medal, "You're eligible, but not in stock."

And the concept of buying medals is also not new. Technically, they are supposed to issue the first ones free. But you wear your ribbons when you go on Liberty. Uh, you know what that means? Touring local sights, feasting, getting drunk on your ass, getting OUT of and back IN your uniform in dark places. The ribbons get dirty. The entrances to U.S. bases are lined with uniform shops, tatoo parlors, bars and other places where things are for sale.

[Submariner]

32. The Ge-dunks at the Nu-Pike Amusement Park in Longbeach

sold medals like crazy in the late '60s. It was amazing watching some E-2 and E-3 boots wearing WWII ribbons and Vietnam ribbons because the ship they were billeted to had been in action in each theater.

[tammywammy]

50. Yep

My grandfather has lost all his medals from WWII and Korea over the years. Well, I think mostly his kids lost them while taking them to school for show & tell. Anyways, he just went and bought them.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

31. Why is it possible

to buy a Purple Heart at a surplus store?

[UTUSN]

51. Here's just one sale site out of 100s (1000s?)

As has been said above, all of them are for sale except the Medal of Honor. This includes historical ones no longer issued. Now, that said, my previous post regarded us buying to replace OUR OWN, *not* buying medals we're not entitled to. I don't see the point of "collecting" stuff that is readily available for buying anywhere. As as somebody said during the smearing of KERRY, military decorations mean NOTHING to anybody else EXCEPT the recipient. Even one's civilian family usually don't know what they do or don't signify, which can be a whole range of "something" to "practically nothing".

http://www.usmedals.com/RibbonType.aspx?s=navy

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Javaman]

34. Why don't those assholes from the RNC just send them

purple bandades, because you know, according to those fucking mouthbreathing tools, people who get purple hearts are only getting a scratch.

[Hyper_Eye]

37. Get your purple hearts here!!!

You can see how much they actually care about the purple heart and the brave men and women that receive this award. They go to military surplus stores so they can be sold along with the surplus toilet paper.

I had no idea I could walk into a surplus store and just buy myself a purple heart.

[truthisfreedom]

39. Hmm. If he'd received his purple heart back in the fifties when he earned it,

it probably would look a bit like the used one he purchased.

My question is, why did it take 55 years to get this man his certificate?

[TheMightyFavog]

60. Most likley the 1973 National Archives Fire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_National_Archives_Fire

Millions of military records were lost, including documentation used to award medals.

They're still trying to reconstruct even the most basic information.

[karynnj]

40. Supporting the troops, Bush vs Kerry

This article, that from comments here describes a very insensitive ungrateful response to giving people the medals they earned seems not an isolated incident.

Here is an article that shows how different, Senator Kerry's response to a more complicated, but similar situation. He helped a family get medals that never came for someone who died in WWI. They deserved to get the medals from their government, not to have to purchase them themselves which makes them not feel like they were "given" to them. Here, though not from the expected part of the government, at least they got them from one of their representatives, their Jr Senator.

http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2007/03/05/news/news04.txt

Edited to add: Senators Cronyn and Hutchinson could learn how troops should be respected and get this man the medal he deserves.

[RamboLiberal]

41. Actually there is a surplus of Purple Hearts left over from WWII

But the design was changed so they can no longer draw from that stock. I remembered reading recently about this when I was reading about what is stockpiled in government warehouses. So like anything else made in U.S. we can no longer manufacture to sufficient capacity ala the armored Humvees, MRAPS, etc. Sad.

During World War II, nearly 500,000 Purple Heart medals were manufactured in anticipation of the casualties resulting from the abandoned invasion of Japan, Operation Downfall. As of 2005, all the American military casualties of the following sixty years - including the Korean and Vietnam Wars - have not exhausted that stockpile. This is somewhat misleading, however, as it suggests that Purple Hearts being issued currently are those minted in the closing days of World War II. In fact, the design of the medal and its corresponding service ribbon have been updated since the end of the Korean war, so the surplus ones represent an obsolete design that is no longer awarded.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Heart

[bamacrat]

44. That's pretty shitty, didn't he already pay enough by being wounded?

What next the soldiers have to buy their guns and body armor.

[TomInTib]

46. Hell, he can have mine for free.

All he has to do is dive off the Bay Bridge about mid-point.

There are four of 'em down there with a ton of other crap.

[krispos42]

49. Interesting post... sounds like there's a good story attached.

Care to share?

[sakabatou]

54. This is.... AUGH!

:mad: :nuke: :mad: :nuke: :mad: :nuke: :mad: :nuke: :mad: :nuke: :mad: :nuke: :mad: :nuke: :mad: :nuke: :mad: :nuke: :mad: :nuke: :mad: :nuke:

[LuckyLib]

56. However, you KNOW if Chimpy were to be doing a photo op at Walter Reed, there'd be medals!

[MethuenProgressive]

57. The medals are made in China, with lead paint, no doubt...

Fuck you, George W. Bush.

[tom_paine]

58. That is SO exemplary of what Modern Imperial Amerika is all about

Nothing. Nothing at all.

Just another Third World Nation that treats it citizens like shit. One more in a long list.

[douglas9]

59. Vet told to buy own Purple Heart gets it for free (Update 8/20/07)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5070032.html