Marine veteran Nyles Reed, 75, opened an envelope to learn a Purple Heart had been approved for injuries he sustained in the Korean War on June 22, 1952.But there was no medal. Just a certificate and a form stating that the medal was "out of stock." The form letter from the Navy Personnel Command told Reed he could wait 90 days and resubmit an application, or he could purchase his own medal.
"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...
That is just bloody sad!
ReplyDeleteCaptain Lambert,
ReplyDeleteThe people of our country and the politicians of our country are two very different creatures. It was not the politicians that spit on the returning Soldiers from Viet Nam, but the citizens of our great country, and that never reflected well on our citizenry.
Nyles Reed, was treated improperly by his country, and his country should be ashamed for how he was treated.
President George W. Bush, during his administration corrected a problem that had existed since the Civil War that had to do with disability compensation of military personnel. Prior to his terms in office a military individual being retired from the service on a service connected disability was granted disability compensation from the VA, if this individual had completed 20 years of service and rated the normal military retirement his VA compensation was subtracted from his military retirement. In effect he gained nothing from VA compensation and was paid only what he rated as military retirement. This was finally changed by President George W. Bush to make disability retirement a fair system to those concerned. He set up a system whereby VA Compensation (determined by the VA) was paid to the individual and it was beyond what the individual had already earned.
Very Respectfully,
Navyman834