The Continuing Voyage

Day 51: Excerpt from a letter from the current Chair of the state's Veterans Legislative Coalition and Past National Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart:

"Five or six years ago, the Department of Defense expanded eligibility for the Purple Heart Medal to include Prisoners of War. Initially, the criteria included a requirement that the prisoner had to have been tortured or beaten. That req
uirement has since been eased. In my personal view that it was highly unlikely that a prisoner was not severely mistreated (sic), particularly by the Japanese, North Koreans or Vietnamese. At any rate, your father is no doubt eligible to receive the Purple Heart Medal posthumously."

Today I give thanks for Kevin and Ruth, who have seen to it that I had scans of several original documents which I have already submitted to the VA facilitator who referred my letter to the Chair.