Originally Posted by tetvet

Unlikely or not I don't lie and you were not in Vietnam where a pin prick would get you a PH .

Pardon me Tetvet, but I would expect you to show a little bit more respect for Mr. Kerry and his three PHs than that.

It's not easy pin pricking yourself and not getting some unGadly infection, ya know....

Originally Posted by Kesse81

It sounds like the criteria for acquisition are so watered down that the medals soon have no value anymore.
It´s also been a standing joke to comment on how courageous a US Private is, with all those ribbons they carry.

The criteria for the PH has not changed except in 1973 adding international terrorism. The PH never said anything about combat. You receive the PH for injuries or death caused by an enemy action. If you had to be in 'combat' then no PH for someone that stepped on a landmine and loses a leg. Or how about the guy that falls on a punji stake and buries it through his calf? No combat but clearly an injury caused by the enemy. The only thing that changed was admitting Major Nidal was a part of international terrorism. If there was no proof that Nidal was part of terrorism then it truly would have been workplace rage and no PH. My VFW Post liked the news as did my friends in my Vietnam Veterans group. The American Legion came out in support of their getting the PH.

I agree that way too many Vietnam PH's were issued. I personally know a first sergeant that heard some cannon fire and threw himself onto the ground and got a bad scratch from a plant growing there. Cannon fire was outgoing and the corpsman wiped off the blood. Bingo, PH. So, so disgusting. At least I am proud to say I was never stupid enough to get hit by enemy fire so no PH.

Originally Posted by sgtonclewillie

The criteria for the PH has not changed except in 1973 adding international terrorism. The PH never said anything about combat. You receive the PH for injuries or death caused by an enemy action. If you had to be in 'combat' then no PH for someone that stepped on a landmine and loses a leg. Or how about the guy that falls on a punji stake and buries it through his calf? No combat but clearly an injury caused by the enemy. The only thing that changed was admitting Major Nidal was a part of international terrorism. If there was no proof that Nidal was part of terrorism then it truly would have been workplace rage and no PH. My VFW Post liked the news as did my friends in my Vietnam Veterans group. The American Legion came out in support of their getting the PH.

I agree that way too many Vietnam PH's were issued. I personally know a first sergeant that heard some cannon fire and threw himself onto the ground and got a bad scratch from a plant growing there. Cannon fire was outgoing and the corpsman wiped off the blood. Bingo, PH. So, so disgusting. At least I am proud to say I was never stupid enough to get hit by enemy fire so no PH.

It isn't necessarily a matter of stupidity that gets people wounded...it is a matter of time really when you're in the grunts. Everyone gets hit sooner later over a long enough period of time...sometimes your name is on their lead and there isn't a damned thing one can do about it...

Originally Posted by sgtonclewillie

The criteria for the PH has not changed except in 1973 adding international terrorism. The PH never said anything about combat. You receive the PH for injuries or death caused by an enemy action. If you had to be in 'combat' then no PH for someone that stepped on a landmine and loses a leg. Or how about the guy that falls on a punji stake and buries it through his calf? No combat but clearly an injury caused by the enemy. The only thing that changed was admitting Major Nidal was a part of international terrorism. If there was no proof that Nidal was part of terrorism then it truly would have been workplace rage and no PH. My VFW Post liked the news as did my friends in my Vietnam Veterans group. The American Legion came out in support of their getting the PH.

I agree that way too many Vietnam PH's were issued. I personally know a first sergeant that heard some cannon fire and threw himself onto the ground and got a bad scratch from a plant growing there. Cannon fire was outgoing and the corpsman wiped off the blood. Bingo, PH. So, so disgusting. At least I am proud to say I was never stupid enough to get hit by enemy fire so no PH.

I see, thanks for clarifying.
I was hit by a piece of shrapnel in A-stan. Only a superficial wound, nothing serious, but would I then receive a PH if I was a US soldier?
It wouldn´t be sufficient to receive the Danish Medal for Wounded in Service

Originally Posted by brinktk

It isn't necessarily a matter of stupidity that gets people wounded...it is a matter of time really when you're in the grunts. Everyone gets hit sooner later over a long enough period of time...sometimes your name is on their lead and there isn't a damned thing one can do about it...

Makes me think of an episode we had.
One of the mates was hit in the ass by a splinter from a mortar grenade. Well such a splinter is apparently very hot because he jumped around screaming "my ass is on fire"

I laughed so much that I got stomach cramps.

When we finally caught him and got him to lie down the medic asked him if he could whistle, and when asked why the medic replied; so I can know your ass from your head! The moral was quite high for rest of the day.

There is nothing Heroic about getting shot anyone who can chew gum and walk at the same time is a potenial hero , the Purple Heart or Purple Hurt does not require a witness as in an award for braverly , needless to say the PH was seroiusaly abused .

Some of those folks got crippled for life-a bunch of others died.
Don't seem watered down to me.
I think the criteria for this has been in effect a long time.
Problem was to get the bureaucrats off their butts for this.
All A&Ds are a big mess-nothing fair, equal, standard, or anything else about them.
Kind of like life outside the military.

Unless you were right there, and I mean right right there, can anyone truly decide IF it was earned or not? Shouldn't it be left up to those in position to decide?

Originally Posted by Kesse81

I see, thanks for clarifying.
I was hit by a piece of shrapnel in A-stan. Only a superficial wound, nothing serious, but would I then receive a PH if I was a US soldier?
It wouldn´t be sufficient to receive the Danish Medal for Wounded in Service

Makes me think of an episode we had.
One of the mates was hit in the ass by a splinter from a mortar grenade. Well such a splinter is apparently very hot because he jumped around screaming "my ass is on fire"

I laughed so much that I got stomach cramps.

When we finally caught him and got him to lie down the medic asked him if he could whistle, and when asked why the medic replied; so I can know your ass from your head! The moral was quite high for rest of the day.

Ironically, I almost had my nuts taken out by RPG shrapnel and to this day(almost 12 years later) I get crap from my buddies about it. Imagine the goading I went through when they found out my wife was pregnant...(some YEARS later)

"Wow Brink, I thought you lost your nuts in Fallujah!"...."Dang Brink, did you get god to do the Mary dance with your old lady...since you lost your nuts and all"...or one that is particularly thoughtful..."I wish I was smart like Brink was, getting my sperm frozen at a young age...see, it paid off because now the nutless brink has kids"...yeah...that's right...these are the idiots I fought with and would gladly lay down my life for...sigh...

But to answer your question, at least today, you have to be treated at a level higher than the medic and you must be at least evacuated to the aid station. They also allowed for TBI to be a qualification for the PH. I was skeptical at first...but now I am firmly behind it. I've seen what TBI does to you and honestly, I would rather have my legs blown off than have my brain rattled to the point where my cognitive ability is that of a 5-8 year old. We haven't even seen the tip of the iceberg as to the long term effects of TBI and it is only going to get worse...

those that decided didn't give a s--t , if a medic looked at you that was all that was needed , the PH should be awarded to those that were seriously wounded period .

It was not always that simple in VN.
You had to be medivacced where I was at one point.

I hate to be argumentative, but you can't simplify or define 10 years of policies and practices by what you saw in your personal corner.

I got 20 stitches in my gourd by the team medic for getting hit with a chunk of metal in a mortar attack. We never did any paperwork, so no PH.

I got shot in lung and both legs and medivacced-got a PH for that.

Two months later, I got a good scratch from a grenade, no PH.

I also know guys who got them for pin prick level wounds.

Different day, different stuff.