Browsing through the Military Patches section, I stumbled across the Iraqi Freedom Purple Heart patch (there's also a similar patch for Gulf War veterans). When I first saw it I was rather surprised, wondering who would have the courage to wear such a patch unless they had actually earned the medal. Then I realized that's exactly the point.
A Gulf War or Iraqi Freedom veteran who won the Purple Heart certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to wear it on his jacket while he's tooling down the road on his Harley. This patch lets him display his award while keeping the medal safely hidden away.
After thinking about it for a while I think these patches are a great idea. It's a way to honor our vets, while also allowing them to publicly display the honor that was bestowed upon them. If you're not a genuine Purple Heart recipient please don't dishonor those who truly earned it by wearing this patch dishonestly.
One final note: this patch is not designed to be worn on your military uniform. The armed services will give you a specially designed and approved one for that purpose. This patch is for your non-military jacket or shirt. It has an iron-on backing with heat-sensitive glue for easy attachment to most fabrics. If it were me however, I think I would probably use a needle and thread to make sure it stays secure.
To all Purple Heart recipients - Thank you!
