He received replacements for his Purple Heart and Bronze Star last week, more than a year after his daughter requested them. I didn't think it was going to be so much trouble because I had all the original papers. For all its high-tech weaponry, the Pentagon still is in the Stone Age when it comes to handing out medals. The Army is now converting from an all-paper system to one with computers in an effort to reduce the average wait for a medal from a year to three months. The Army receives 5,000 requests per month, more than the other military branches combined.
Most requests are for replacements.
Requests go to the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, where 30 million records are warehoused. The current system has not been updated for 30 years. Do not republish or frame without permission. Click here to contact us .