Fort Hood victims set to receive Purple Hearts, combat status

[red states rule]

DC sure took their sweet time doing the right thing for the victims of a TERROR ATTACK





Congress is set to make victims of the 2009 Fort Hood shootings eligible for Purple Hearts and combat injury benefits after the Obama administration has denied them the status for the past five years.


House Republicans, working with the Democratic-controlled Senate Armed Services Committee, added a provision to the defense authorization bill that would give battlefield recognition for the victims of the deadliest attack on a domestic military installation in U.S. history. It passed on a voice vote with strong bipartisan support


The measure, which is expected to pass Congress next week, also would end a five-year effort by Texas GOP Reps. John Carter, Michael Conaway and Roger Williams to give the victims the status, the Military Times (http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/capitol-hill/2014/12/03/purple-heart-expansion/19834457/) first reported.


The victims have long asked the Pentagon to label the attack terrorism so they would be eligible for the Purple Hearts and added combat-related benefits.

But Defense Secretaries Robert Gates, Leon Panetta and Chuck Hagel have stuck to the original assessment that the attack by Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hassan was an act of workplace violence.


http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/12/04/fort-hood-victims-set-to-receive-purple-hearts-combat-status/?intcmp=HPBucket

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

DC sure took their sweet time doing the right thing for the victims of a TERROR ATTACK

Blame the lousy CiC , one Barak Hussein Obama for that long delay. He commanded that it be termed-workplace-- violence.
As his political career trumps all the rights and benefits those wounded service members had.
Just another example of what scum , what a ffing maggot the thing (this muslim-in-hiding democrat) infesting our Whitehouse is.. :mad::mad::mad:--Tyr

[red states rule]

It is a disgrace how Obama has treated our military. He has zero respect for them - but lots of contempt

These men and women serve and live in the worlds worst shit holes - and he does not even give them a proper salute

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

It is a disgrace how Obama has treated our military. He has zero respect for them - but lots of contempt

These men and women serve and live in the worlds worst shit holes - and he does not even give them a proper salute

Yet his glaring transgressions are ignored and he is praised by ffing American fools. I spit on every damn one of them and would do so if face to face with any of the totally stupid asses. -Tyr

[jimnyc]

I'm technically not confused - but will act so, to ask how they can designate it workplace violence, and then hand out purple hearts?


House Republicans, working with the Democratic-controlled Senate Armed Services Committee, added a provision to the defense authorization bill that would give battlefield recognition for the victims of the deadliest attack on a domestic military installation in U.S. history. It passed on a voice vote with strong bipartisan support

And is this congress going around Obama, and re-designating what happened there? Will this change the attack designation too, or just enough to give them the purple hearts, which they sure as hell deserve anyway. And I'm sure as hell not criticizing how the military hands them out, but I thought one had to get hurt while "in action". MY opinion is that this is exactly what happened, as "action" was brought to them. I'm more curious about semantics at this point. And if folks want to reclassify now, where were they back when this was first called workplace crap?


"Being wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces"

I suppose the action 'could' be unnecessary, and the scumbag declared an enemy opposing armed forces.

[fj1200]

^I don't think it changes the official classification but they can certainly legislate benefits to be given out I would think. I do recall a rousing discussion on the subject though.

[red states rule]

I'm technically not confused - but will act so, to ask how they can designate it workplace violence, and then hand out purple hearts?



And is this congress going around Obama, and re-designating what happened there? Will this change the attack designation too, or just enough to give them the purple hearts, which they sure as hell deserve anyway. And I'm sure as hell not criticizing how the military hands them out, but I thought one had to get hurt while "in action". MY opinion is that this is exactly what happened, as "action" was brought to them. I'm more curious about semantics at this point. And if folks want to reclassify now, where were they back when this was first called workplace crap?



I suppose the action 'could' be unnecessary, and the scumbag declared an enemy opposing armed forces.

While this is a great first step there is a lot more to do and many questions that need answered




The NDAA is up for passage in the U.S. Senate this week and victims are hopeful that the Ft. Hood language remains. Still, the survivors and families of the victims have several lingering questions to this tragedy:


1-Why was Hassan promoted despite negative performance reviews? Worse, why was he allowed to remain in the military despite his possible terrorist sympathies? Could it have been political correctness?


2-If the NDAA with the Ft. Hood amendment passes, why did it take over five years to get the recognition, and more importantly, the treatment our heroes needed from the administration? Hundreds of thousands of dollars, and countless hours of pain and suffering, could have been alleviated by the stroke of a pen.


3-Why did the previous stand alone act, the Fort Hood Heroes Act, die in committee which led to the “backdoor” NDAA language insertion?


4-Purple Hearts were awarded for casualties at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Why was there a different standard for that day in 2001 and not the later Ft Hood attacks? Is it the politics of different administrations? Or is it because the nation’s leaders seem to have little understanding of the conflict we are in; a generations long conflict similar to many previous wars we have fought (the Revolution, the Philippine Insurrection, Viet Nam). This conflict is multi-dimensional and no one is immune, as September 11, 2001, Fort Hood, ISIS, and countless other Islamic terror attacks inside the United States have shown. Our soldiers will continue to die at abroad and even at home.


Hopefully this recognition and treatment serves our heroes better. And hopefully it helps wake up our leaders to the long struggle against Islamic terrorism that we will continue to face as a people.


http://townhall.com/columnists/larryprovost/2014/12/08/ft-hood-victims-may-get-purple-heart-lingering-questions-remain-n1928586/page/2