The Army will award the Purple Heart to dozens of additional soldiers injured when Iran struck their airbase in Iraq with ballistic missiles in January 2020.
The shift comes after alast month found these same soldiers had not been recognized with the award and denied the medical benefits that come with it, despite appearing to qualify.
"It rocked everything," said Platoon Sergeant Daine Kvasager, who received the award on Wednesday after initially being denied it. Kvasager told CBS News in November that he was knocked over by a shockwave after one of the missiles hit about 150 feet from him. "The whole earth shook."Though no American troops were killed, Kvasager and members of his team, called Taskforce Scarecrow,or TBIs.
Among those who received the Purple Heart was 22-year-old Jason Quitugua, who took his own life last month. Quitugua, who was promoted to sergeant posthumously, defended the base when the missiles struck and was diagnosed with a TBI. the Secretary of the Army to "expeditiously" award the Purple Heart to soldiers injured in the missile attack, citing the CBS News investigation.With the latest additions, the military has now recognized 68 soldiers injured in the attack with Purple Hearts, including soldiers from other units who were on the base.
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