According to Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico- Talk Radio News Service:
Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) introduced a bill Tuesday that would recognize the victims of the Fort Hood shooting as combat casualties and, if approved, could strengthen the argument that the incident should be considered a terrorist attack.
Carter, whose district includes the Fort Hood military base, said in a press conference that the bill would grant concessions for beneficiaries of all the military officers killed or wounded.
The status would also allow military victims to receive a Purple Heart and non-military victims to receive the Secretary of Defense Medal of Freedom, which is the civilian equivalent.
“They were basically taken out early in the combat,” Carter said. “As far as I’m concerned, this was an attack by an enemy upon American troops on American soil.”
Though Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who was charged on Thursday with killing 13 and wounding 29, has been rumored to have ties to a radical Muslim group in Yemen but many lawmakers have criticized the accusations, calling them premature.
“I think we should call things what they are,” Carter said. “I don’t think we should worry about hurting people’s feelings. No one is saying the term ‘terrorism’ has the word Muslim in it.”
Lawmakers say they do not expect much opposition to the bill since it’s main focus is helping the victims.
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According to cnn.com:
The Purple Heart is bestowed upon a service member or U.S. civilian serving under the military's authority who "has been wounded, killed, or who has died or may hereafter die of wounds received" while in action against an enemy or in a terrorist attack, according to the Pentagon's Manual of Military Awards.
It was created by Gen. George Washington in 1782, who then called it the "Badge of Military Merit," the manual says. It was not used after the Revolutionary War, however, until it was revived in 1932, after Washington's order establishing the award was discovered among his papers, according to the Web site of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
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I put this poll up on facebook. . . . go vote
Should the Ft. Hood Soldiers massacred on 11/5/09 receive “Purple Hearts” and “Killed in Action” status?
Absolutely YES !
No
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http://talkradionews.com/2009/11/texas-republican-calls-fort-hood-shooting-an-enemy-attack-on-american-soil/
To read the another article concerning Ft. Hood Soldiers receiving purple hearts:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/17/fort.hood.medals/index.html
