More head injuries rate Purple Hearts

More U.S. troops who sustain combat-related brain injuries could soon be eligible for the Purple Heart.

More battlefield concussions will be eligible for a Purple Heart, reports the ArmyTimes. The Army is expanding the definition for concussions. Army Vice Chief of Staff, General Peter Chiarelli, says that many people believe you must be bleeding to be eligible for a Purple Heart. He has pushed for a clarification on awarding a Purple Heart for combat-related brain injuries. More than 80,000 GIs have suffered concussions since 2001, often from exposure to roadside bomb blasts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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