St. Cloud VA holds ceremony to honor Purple Heart recipient who received medal by mail

The St. Cloud VA Medical Center in Minnesota organized a ceremony to formally honor Army veteran Clyde Christian as a Purple Heart recipient after he received the award in the mail, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said.

According to the VA, Christian joined the Army in October 2022, was stationed at Fort Drum, New York, and deployed in July 2023 to support operations in the Middle East. During the deployment he sustained a blast injury and was treated at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for a traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. The department said continuing symptoms, including memory loss, migraines, speech challenges and chronic pain, led to his medical retirement.

The VA said the timing of his separation meant he left Fort Drum before receiving the Purple Heart in person. Months later, the medal arrived in a package, which Christian said "felt isolating." After he shared those feelings with a Post-9/11 Military2VA case manager, the medical center arranged the ceremony, attended by VA employees and former service members.

Christian described feeling "remembered" by the recognition, the VA said. According to the department, he continues to receive VA care, including treatment for chronic pain, and is involved with the Magnus Veteran Foundation, a local peer support group. The VA said every VA medical center has a Post-9/11 Military2VA case management program for transitioning veterans.

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/506