Purple Hearts Going to Ft. Hood Victims

The Purple Heart, and its civilian counterpart, will be awarded to the victims of the mass shooting carried out by Major Nidal Hasasn at Fort Hood, Texas in 2009. Families have placed pressure on Congress for years to change its guidelines for recognition, which had previously kept them from receiving combat-related benefits. Prior to this year, the Purple Heart and the Defense of Freedom Medal for civilians were only awarded to those in war-zones and international terrorist attacks against the United States. The new guidelines expand to cover attacks by individuals involved with or inspired by foreign terrorist organizations.