PURPLE HEART PRESERVATION
ACT REINTRODUCED HONORING OUR OLDEST MEDAL
Te Purple Heart is our nation’s oldest medal, awarded exclu- sively to members of the armed forces who are wounded by an enemy instrument of war. When service members are killed in action or die of wounds, the Purple Heart is pre- sented posthumously to their next of kin. For those families, the Purple Heart is often the last tangible item they receive in memory of their loved one. In cases where Purple Hearts are subsequently lost or stolen, we believe every effort should be made to return them to their rightful owners. Unfortu- nately, the military memorabilia collectors’ market places a high value on military-issued Purple Hearts, with medals engraved with the names of those killed in action command- ing the highest prices. Te value to collectors is driven up even further if the medal is accompanied by documentation graphically detailing the exact circumstances of the service member’s death. Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA) reintroduced the Private Corrado Piccoli Purple Heart Preservation Act as H.R. 544. If enacted, this AFSA-endorsed legislation would make it illegal to buy and sell military-issued Purple Hearts.
FRONT AND CENTER AFSA TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS
AFSA and eight other Veteran Service Organizations tes- tified before the Joint House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees on March 22, 2017. We urged lawmakers to improve VA health care, preserve and improve the Post-9/11 education benefit, broaden health services for women Veter- ans and many other issues. You can read the entire written testimony and watch a video of the entire proceeding by vis- iting the AFSA website.
GOOD DEALS ONLINE ONLINE EXCHANGE SHOPPING FOR VETERANS
It’s official: Te military exchanges have received the green light to extend online shopping benefits to nearly 20 million honorably discharged Veterans on Nov. 11, 2017. Again, this is an online shopping benefit only. Tere are no plans to open physical stores for shopping to Veterans at this time. Keep an eye on your local exchange for additional information about this change. (Also see our article on page 18.)
2017 GULF COAST SALUTE
Two U.S. Air Force Thunderbird F-16 Falcons fly fin-to-fin over the flightline of Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, April 22, 2017. During the 2017 Gulf Coast Salute, the Thunderbirds entertained more than 80,000 visitors over the course of the two-day event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Solomon Cook/Released)
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www.hqafsa.org
LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND UPDATES FROM CAPITOL HILL EYE ON WASHINGTON
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