More head injuries rate Purple Hearts

More U.S. troops who sustain combat-related brain injuries could soon be eligible for the Purple Heart.

More battlefield concussions will be eligible for a Purple Heart, reports the ArmyTimes. The Army is expanding the definition for concussions. Army Vice Chief of Staff, General Peter Chiarelli, says that many people believe you must be bleeding to be eligible for a Purple Heart. He has pushed for a clarification on awarding a Purple Heart for combat-related brain injuries. More than 80,000 GIs have suffered concussions since 2001, often from exposure to roadside bomb blasts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This story is part of Federal News Radio’s daily DoD Report. For more defense news, click here.

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Eric White/Federal News NetworkDavid Berteau

    Some highlights of provisions in this year’s NDAA that could affect contractors

    Read more
    Joint Chiefs Chairman

    Though the Defense Department managed to go unscathed through the Crowdstrike outage, it remains on the alert

    Read more
    USPS, EV, USPS electric vehicles

    The road to electrifying America’s personal vehicles starts with the USPS EV fleet

    Read more