Posted: 2/17/2006 6:19:11 PM EDT
Senator Clinton Receives Military Order of the Purple Heart Inspirational Leadership Award What's next, Kerry's going to get an award from the Congressional Medal of Honor association? Call and Complain....Phone: 703-642-5360 Hillary Clinton Gets Purple Heart Award
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton has put in for a Purple Heart award - and she received the decoration yesterday.
The former first lady garnered the award without being wounded in combat - or sustaining any kind of injury at all - as is usually the case with Purple Heart recipients.
Neither has Clinton ever served in the military, though she once claimed in a TV interview she tried to join the Marines.
Instead, Mrs. Clinton received a symbolic award from the Military Order of the Purple Heart "in recognition of her inspirational leadership and dedicated service to America’s military service members and America’s veterans."
"I am honored to receive the Inspirational Leadership Award from the Military Order of the Purple Heart,” Hillary said, in a statement posted to her web site announcing the award. "The Purple Heart medal symbolizes service and sacrifice to our nation. I consider it a privilege and duty to work on behalf of combat wounded active duty servicemembers and veterans and I will continue to make them one of my top priorities."
The former first lady's web site also noted that "Senator Clinton has been an unwavering champion in the fight to recognize the heroism of those who have received the Purple Heart" by co-sponsoring legislation for a Purple Heart commemorative stamp.
Clinton's statement went on to explain:
"The Order of the Purple Heart for Military Merit, commonly known as the Purple Heart, is the oldest military decoration in the world in present use. The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to members of the Armed Forces who are wounded in conflict with an enemy force, or while held by an enemy force as a prisoner of war, and posthumously to the next of kin of members of the Armed Forces who are killed in conflict with an enemy force, or who die of a wound received in conflict with an enemy force."
In a 1994 interview with ABC News, Mrs. Clinton recounted her efforts to join the Marines when she was 27-years-old.
"Gee, now it was probably 19 years ago - in 1975," Hillary said at the time. "I decided that I was very interested in having some experience in serving in some capacity in the military."
She remembered telling the recruiter, "I wanted to explore - I didn't know whether I thought active duty would be a good idea, reserve, you know, maybe National Guard, something along those lines."
But leatherneck Hillary's bid to enlist soon crashed and burned, when the Marine recruiter told her: "You're too old."
"Maybe the dogs [Army] would take you," he offered.
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