Posted on Aug 2, 2016
A retired soldier gave Donald Trump his Purple Heart. Here's why
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This story was originally published on August 2, 2016 at 3:18 p.m.
A veteran gave Donald Trump a Purple Heart medal during a Tuesday campaign stop after the Republican presidential candidate spent a week taking flak over his criticism of a Gold Star family and a retired military general.
Trump was given the award, which is designated for American service members injured in combat, at an event in Ashburn, Virginia, the Washington Post first reported. It was presented by retired Army Lt. Col. Louis Dorfman, who received the medal after being wounded in action in Iraq, according to Politico.
"That's my real Purple Heart," Trump said Dorfman told him, calling the moment an honor. "I have such confidence in you."
Trump is taking some heat for his response, though, after he said he "always wanted to get the Purple Heart — this was much easier," before placing the medal in his suit jacket pocket, Politico reported.
U.S. House candidate Sean Barney, a Marine veteran who was severely injured after a sniper shot him through the neck in Iraq, issued a statement calling Trump's comments "flippant and repugnant."
"As someone who fought for our country in Iraq, was injured, and was awarded a Purple Heart, I can tell you, no one should ever 'want' to get a Purple Heart," said Barney, a Democrat from Delaware.
Others took to social media to sound off on the event.
A veteran gave Donald Trump a Purple Heart medal during a Tuesday campaign stop after the Republican presidential candidate spent a week taking flak over his criticism of a Gold Star family and a retired military general.
Trump was given the award, which is designated for American service members injured in combat, at an event in Ashburn, Virginia, the Washington Post first reported. It was presented by retired Army Lt. Col. Louis Dorfman, who received the medal after being wounded in action in Iraq, according to Politico.
"That's my real Purple Heart," Trump said Dorfman told him, calling the moment an honor. "I have such confidence in you."
Trump is taking some heat for his response, though, after he said he "always wanted to get the Purple Heart — this was much easier," before placing the medal in his suit jacket pocket, Politico reported.
U.S. House candidate Sean Barney, a Marine veteran who was severely injured after a sniper shot him through the neck in Iraq, issued a statement calling Trump's comments "flippant and repugnant."
"As someone who fought for our country in Iraq, was injured, and was awarded a Purple Heart, I can tell you, no one should ever 'want' to get a Purple Heart," said Barney, a Democrat from Delaware.
Others took to social media to sound off on the event.
A retired soldier gave Donald Trump his Purple Heart. Here's why
Posted from armytimes.com
Purple Heart
Donald Trump
Soldier
Posted >1 y ago
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I don't know about others but it was very humbling and hard to find words that expressed the gratitude I felt when as a boy Paul Dovhaluk gave me his uniforms from WWII, his Silver Star, one of his Bronze stars and one of his Purple hearts and my uncles Dick and Gramp gave me their medals and uniforms for my collection (in the late 60s and early 70s it wasn't the norm for kids to like the Army).
Some people are just flippant in their personalities and it doesn't mean they don't appreciate others gestures. As a Soldier I wasn't a glory hound and the Purple Heart was way up there on my list of things "NOT" to receive. The fact that the veteran gave his to Trump is a pretty strong statement of his support and that should be the story.
If Trump knows what the significance of the medal is, both historically and for that Soldier, he may damn well have always wanted one; like me as a boy for my collection.
Some people are just flippant in their personalities and it doesn't mean they don't appreciate others gestures. As a Soldier I wasn't a glory hound and the Purple Heart was way up there on my list of things "NOT" to receive. The fact that the veteran gave his to Trump is a pretty strong statement of his support and that should be the story.
If Trump knows what the significance of the medal is, both historically and for that Soldier, he may damn well have always wanted one; like me as a boy for my collection.
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I was invited to this event in Ashburn, VA by several local elected officials and veterans groups. I was unable to attend because of medical condition flare-up which affect me from time to time. SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
I recognize that many on RallyPoint despise Donald Trump. That is a personal right.
Here is what was posted at Military times a little while ago.
"Trump was given the award, which is designated for American service members injured in combat, at an event in Ashburn, Virginia, the Washington Post first reported. It was presented by retired Army Lt. Col. Louis Dorfman, who received the medal after being wounded in action in Iraq, according to Politico.
"That's my real Purple Heart," Trump said Dorfman told him, calling the moment an honor. "I have such confidence in you."
Trump is taking some heat for his response, though, after he said he "always wanted to get the Purple Heart — this was much easier," before placing the medal in his suit jacket pocket, Politico reported."
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/election/2016/08/02/retired-soldier-gave-donald-trump-his-purple-heart-heres-why/87955898/
LTC Louis Dorfman looks familiar but that makes sense since I have lived in this area for decades.
If he chose to give his earned purple heart medal to somebody else he admires that is his prerogative. If it were the Medal oh Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star or another medal for heroism I would take issue.
As far as Donald Trumps comment "always wanted to get the Purple Heart — this was much easier" seems reasonable. Many young boys dream of being military heroes who never go down the path to war. To them war can be idealized into what is seen on movies, etc. I expect Donald Trump was being brutally honest when he said "always wanted to get the Purple Heart — this was much easier"
It wasn't that many years ago when their was controversy about Secretary of State John Kerry's first purple heart award in the Vietnam war.
Kerry served in war and Trump was deferred. Hillary Clinton never served but that is not a big deal to most because what are considered by some to archaic gender roles are still with us :-)
I recognize that many on RallyPoint despise Donald Trump. That is a personal right.
Here is what was posted at Military times a little while ago.
"Trump was given the award, which is designated for American service members injured in combat, at an event in Ashburn, Virginia, the Washington Post first reported. It was presented by retired Army Lt. Col. Louis Dorfman, who received the medal after being wounded in action in Iraq, according to Politico.
"That's my real Purple Heart," Trump said Dorfman told him, calling the moment an honor. "I have such confidence in you."
Trump is taking some heat for his response, though, after he said he "always wanted to get the Purple Heart — this was much easier," before placing the medal in his suit jacket pocket, Politico reported."
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/election/2016/08/02/retired-soldier-gave-donald-trump-his-purple-heart-heres-why/87955898/
LTC Louis Dorfman looks familiar but that makes sense since I have lived in this area for decades.
If he chose to give his earned purple heart medal to somebody else he admires that is his prerogative. If it were the Medal oh Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star or another medal for heroism I would take issue.
As far as Donald Trumps comment "always wanted to get the Purple Heart — this was much easier" seems reasonable. Many young boys dream of being military heroes who never go down the path to war. To them war can be idealized into what is seen on movies, etc. I expect Donald Trump was being brutally honest when he said "always wanted to get the Purple Heart — this was much easier"
It wasn't that many years ago when their was controversy about Secretary of State John Kerry's first purple heart award in the Vietnam war.
Kerry served in war and Trump was deferred. Hillary Clinton never served but that is not a big deal to most because what are considered by some to archaic gender roles are still with us :-)
A retired soldier gave Donald Trump his Purple Heart. Here's why
A veteran gave Donald Trump a Purple Heart medal during a Tuesday campaign stop after the Republican presidential candidate spent a week taking flak over his criticism of a Gold Star Family and a retired military general.
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