Bill Overview
Title: Honoring Purple Heart Recipients Act of 2022
Description: of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Defense to include individuals who are awarded the Purple Heart for qualifying actions that occur after the date of the enactment of this bill on its publicly accessible website that lists individuals who are recipients of certain military awards. Under the bill, the individual or their next of kin must elect to have the individual included on the list and the public release of the individual's name must be determined to not pose a security risk.
Sponsors: Sen. Toomey, Patrick [R-PA]
Target Audience
Population: Future recipients of the Purple Heart
Estimated Size: 10000
- The Purple Heart is awarded to U.S. military personnel who have been wounded or killed as a result of enemy action.
- Historically, hundreds of thousands of Purple Hearts have been awarded, but this bill impacts those who are awarded the Purple Heart after its enactment.
- The population directly affected by this bill includes the future recipients of the Purple Heart, who will have the option to be listed on a public website.
- As the rate of Purple Heart awards can vary depending on military engagement and operations, it's challenging to precisely estimate future numbers.
Reasoning
- The policy mainly affects future Purple Heart recipients and their families, providing them with public recognition.
- The policy may also indirectly influence non-military individuals who value veterans' recognition and maintaining military records.
- The primary impact is expected within the military community, particularly those who are injured or whose family members are injured or killed in combat.
- Potential downsides include privacy concerns and security risks associated with publicly listing military awards.
- The budget limits suggest this affects 230 to 350 individuals per year (assuming administrative costs etc.), thus only a small fraction of all military personnel.
Simulated Interviews
Active Military Personnel (Fort Bragg, NC)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a nice gesture, especially for families who might want public recognition of their loved one's sacrifice.
- I would not personally opt to be listed because I value my privacy and anonymity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Civilian Military Contractor (San Diego, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's crucial to honor our veterans, and this is a step in the right direction.
- However, I am concerned about privacy and security implications of having personal information posted online.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Former Marine (Dallas, TX)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- For those of us who have received the Purple Heart, public recognition is a complex issue. I appreciate the acknowledgment but there are risks involved too.
- This website listing idea sounds like a potential source of pride for my family.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Veterans Affairs Liaison (Washington, DC)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a wonderful initiative for public acknowledgment, but individual choice is important as every family may not want this.
- Could potentially increase the visibility of the sacrifices made by military personnel.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Veteran (Salem, OR)
Age: 38 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Public acknowledgment through this policy could be healing emotionally, but has potential privacy downsides.
- I would be cautious about opting into public lists due to potential security risks.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Military Historian (Chicago, IL)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy provides a valuable resource for historical records and acknowledging the sacrifices of soldiers.
- It maintains the dignity of military awards by allowing families to choose privacy if desired.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Active Duty Air Force (Houston, TX)
Age: 21 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies like this make me think about the ways our service is recognized, which can be important for morale.
- Concerns about privacy are significant, especially considering current cyber threats.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Military Family Member (Norfolk, VA)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My husband received a Purple Heart. While proud, I am cautious about publishing his name online.
- It is nice that acknowledgment can be public, but I'd want the ability to choose.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cybersecurity Specialist (Miami, FL)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Listing military awards publicly requires careful handling to avoid potential security risks.
- The idea is noble, but safeguards against misuse are critical.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired Army Nurse (Austin, TX)
Age: 63 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Recognizing Purple Heart recipients is important for healing and closure, particularly for family members.
- The policy's opt-in feature is considerate.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000 (Low: $1000000, High: $2000000)
Year 2: $1200000 (Low: $800000, High: $1600000)
Year 3: $800000 (Low: $500000, High: $1100000)
Year 5: $600000 (Low: $400000, High: $800000)
Year 10: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 100: $50000 (Low: $30000, High: $70000)
Key Considerations
- The main cost driver is the IT infrastructure for the public website and administrative processing of recipient inclusion and security assessments.
- There could be a slight increase in demands on military records offices for verifications.
- The ongoing maintenance cost could be optimized with existing DoD IT resources.