ExecutiveOrdersEO
EO 13758Executive OrderObama · D

Executive Order 13758

Amending Executive Order 11016 To Update Eligibility Criteria for Award of the Purple Heart

Defense & SecurityDefense & SecurityFederal WorkforceFederal Workforce

In simple terms

This executive order updates Purple Heart eligibility criteria to include attacks motivated by foreign terrorist organizations (post-9/11), friendly fire incidents during armed conflict, and clarifies that wounds must be severe enough to require treatment by a medical officer. It also explicitly excludes wounds or deaths resulting from a service member's willful misconduct.

Federal Register Open PDF 82 FR 5321

Record & deadlines

  1. Signed

    Signed by the President

  2. FR published

    Published in the Federal Register · 82 FR 5321

    Federal Register PDF

  3. Friendly fire eligibility retroactive to December 6, 1941

  4. Eligibility for foreign terrorist organization-motivated attacks effective

Key directives

  • Award Purple Heart for attacks motivated/inspired by foreign terrorist organizations after September 10, 2001 when targeting member due to military service (10 U.S.C. 1129a)
  • Award Purple Heart for friendly weapon fire after December 6, 1941 while directly engaged in armed conflict
  • Require wound severity to have 'been of such severity that it' required treatment by medical officer
  • Explicitly prohibit Purple Heart for wounds/deaths from willful misconduct
  • Posthumous awards extended to new categories with specific date thresholds

Who is ordered

Prior policy

  • amendExecutive Order 11016 of April 25, 1962

Related orders

  • amendsEO 11016

What to expect

Immediate

  • New eligibility criteria take effect for future awards
  • Friendly fire and foreign terrorist organization attack provisions become active

Near term (90d)

  • Military departments update award procedures and guidance
  • Secretaries establish recognition processes for new categories

Long term

  • Retroactive applications for previously denied claims possible
  • Potential increase in Purple Heart awards for post-9/11 and historical friendly fire incidents

Risks & tensions

  • Secretary discretion on recognizing 'international terrorist attack' may create inconsistent application across departments
  • Retroactive friendly fire provision could generate significant backlog of claims dating to WWII
  • Severity standard ('been of such severity') vague—may require further regulatory clarification
  • Willful misconduct exclusion could lead to disputes over characterization of incidents
Executive Order 13758: Amending Executive Order 11016 To Update Eligibility Criteria for Award of the Purple Heart · Executive Orders