Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005 | 9:03 a.m.
The investigation into why nine Nevada National Guardsmen were denied Purple Heart medals after being injured while stationed in Iraq in 2003, continues, but military officials said they don't believe the denial has to do with the local soldiers being stationed at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison.
"There is no reason to believe that the two are related," Nevada National Guard spokeswoman, 1st Lt. April Conway, said of the soldiers' not receiving medals and the fact that they were assigned to the facility where prisoner abuse took place.
Conway said the Nevada National Guard would not speculate as to why nine members of the Henderson-based 72nd Military Police Co. did not receive medals after they were injured in two separate incidents involving explosive devices in Iraq in 2003.
About 115 soldiers with the 72nd were deployed to Iraq to guard Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib outside Baghdad. The unit was replaced at the prison by the Maryland-based 372nd Military Police, prior to prisoner abuse allegations at the prison.
Lt. Col. Michael Iratcabal, Nevada National Guard inspector general, is investigating why the Purple Hearts were denied but had no comment on the matter Tuesday, Conway said.
The Nevada Guard, in the meantime, is collecting medical data from those who were injured to resubmit for the medals, Conway said.
While in Iraq from May 2003 to November 2003 the 72nd worked under the 800th Military Police Brigade, but the 72nd was not supervised by a battalion as a normal practice. This could have lead to paper work not being completed or misfiled, military officials said.
The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the armed forces who are wounded at the hands of the enemy or enemy weaponry. The medals are also awarded posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action.
Examples of enemy-related injuries which clearly justify award of the Purple Heart according to Army regulations include injuries caused by: enemy bullet, shrapnel, or other projectile; enemy placed mine or trap; enemy released chemical, biological, or nuclear agent; and vehicle or aircraft accident resulting from enemy fire.
Examples of injuries or wounds which do not qualify for award of the Purple Heart according to Army regulations include: frostbite; heat stroke; food poisoning not caused by enemy agents; chemical, biological, or nuclear agents not released by the enemy; accidental wounding not related to or caused by enemy action; self-inflicted wounds, except when in the heat of battle, and not involving gross negligence; and jump injuries not caused by enemy action.
The 72nd put in for the Purple Hearts in connection with two attacks.
The first attack occurred on June 27, 2003, when a 2 1/2 ton truck carrying eight soldiers overturned after a roadside bomb exploded near it. One of the soldiers was sent home after the attack and did receive a Purple Heart, while the seven others riding in the truck were denied the medal.
The second attack occurred on Aug. 19, 2003, when a Humvee with two Nevada Guardsmen inside hit an explosive device. The two guardsmen, who were injured in the attack, also did not receive Purple Heart medals.
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