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| Purple Heart Veterans, Inc. | |
|---|---|
| Name | Purple Heart Veterans, Inc. |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Type | nonprofit veterans service organization |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Leader title | National Commander |
Purple Heart Veterans, Inc. is a nonprofit veterans service organization dedicated to supporting veterans who have been awarded the Purple Heart. Founded in 1969, the organization operates across the United States providing advocacy, assistance, and community programs for wounded veterans. It engages with federal, state, and local institutions to advance benefits, healthcare access, and commemoration for Purple Heart recipients.
The organization emerged amid the post-Vietnam War era alongside groups such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Vietnam Veterans of America, and Paralyzed Veterans of America as veterans sought representation for combat-injured service members. Early leaders drew on networks connected to the Department of Defense, United States Congress, Department of Veterans Affairs, Armed Forces Retirement Home, and veterans medical centers like the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and VA Medical Center (Albany, New York). The group's founding coincided with debates in the 91st United States Congress and advocacy surrounding statutes like the GI Bill enhancements and amendments to service-connected disability regulations. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the organization collaborated with entities including the American Red Cross, United Service Organizations, National Guard Bureau, and state-level veterans commissions to expand outreach. In the 1990s and 2000s it interfaced with initiatives related to operations such as Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, while engaging with policymakers from the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
The stated mission centers on welfare, camaraderie, and preservation of honors associated with the Purple Heart (United States). Programs have included claims assistance for benefits under statutes like the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance and coordination with the Veterans Benefits Administration and National Cemetery Administration for burial and memorial matters. The organization runs rehabilitation support linked to institutions such as the Wounded Warrior Project and partners with medical research stakeholders like the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and veteran-focused academic centers at universities including Georgetown University, University of California, San Diego, and Duke University. Outreach has incorporated mental health initiatives referencing guidance from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and collaboration with nonprofit partners such as Paralyzed Veterans of America and Disabled American Veterans.
Membership is offered to individuals who have received the Purple Heart (United States) decoration, with categories mirroring eligibility frameworks used by organizations like the Military Order of the Purple Heart and The American Legion. Applicants typically provide documentation such as DD Form 214 or citations from branches like the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, and members of the National Guard (United States). Auxiliary and associate memberships have precedent in groups comparable to the Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars or the American Legion Auxiliary, expanding participation to family members and supporters. The organization maintains codes and bylaws influenced by nonprofit governance norms seen in entities such as the Internal Revenue Service nonprofit classifications and state-level incorporation statutes.
The organization is structured with national, state, and local chapters similar to federated models used by the Boy Scouts of America and veteran organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Leadership roles include National Commander, Vice Commanders, State Commanders, and chapter officers mirroring positions in the American Legion. Boards of directors and elected officers oversee finance, membership, and programmatic committees; external oversight often involves interaction with auditors and legal counsel comparable to those used by large nonprofits such as the Red Cross. Leadership has historically engaged with notable public figures, congressional veterans' advocates, and military commanders from installations like Fort Bragg, Joint Base Lewis–McChord, and Naval Station Norfolk.
Advocacy work includes lobbying and testimony before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs on issues like disability compensation, medical care, and memorialization, paralleling efforts by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans. The organization has performed outreach to federal agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, and state veterans agencies to influence policy on benefits, access to the VA Healthcare System, and employment programs akin to those promoted by the Hiring Our Heroes initiative. It has also supported legislation impacting veterans’ care and commemoration, engaging with members of Congress from both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate.
Chapters organize ceremonies on observances like Memorial Day and Veterans Day, coordinate wreath-laying at sites such as the Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and participate in parades and homecoming events associated with installations including Fort Hood and Camp Pendleton. Outreach includes veteran benefit workshops in partnership with local Department of Veterans Affairs offices, fundraising events supporting rehabilitation programs similar to the Wounded Warrior Project, and community collaborations with civic organizations like the Rotary International and Boy Scouts of America.
The organization recognizes members and community partners through internal commendations and public awards modeled on practices from groups like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. It has been acknowledged by municipal governments, state legislatures, and federal entities for service to wounded veterans, participating in ceremonies alongside officials from the White House and members of Congress. Recipients of organizational awards have included veterans of conflicts such as the Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, and the post-9/11 campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.