University of Arkansas Student Veteran Receives the Purple Heart

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Murphy McCrary, right, shakes hands with Anthony Guadagnini after receiving the Purple Heart.

University of Arkansas student veteran Murphy McCrary was honored with the Purple Heart for his service and sacrifice for the United States.

McCrary received the Purple Heart during a ceremony at the Union Theater of the Arkansas Union on the University of Arkansas campus on March 14. Murphy asked that his unit leader and friend, Staff Sgt. Anthony Guadagnini pin him with the medal. McCrary served for three years in the United States Army and received the medal for injuries sustained on April 23, 2012, after an improvised explosive device exploded his MRAP vehicle near Ghazni, Afghanistan.

“I’m honored to receive this on the U of A campus,” McCrary said. “And having my good friend pin it on me just makes it mean that much more.”

“It was an honor to pin the Purple Heart on McCrary,” Guadagnini said. “He's the definition of a soldier and I'm glad to call him friend.”

Erika Gamboa, director of the Veterans Resource and Information Center, helped ensure that the ceremony take place on campus after it was originally planned for the Northwest Arkansas Mall.  “Our students have made many sacrifices, and we are honored to be involved in their transition.” The Veterans Resource and Information Center staff has done much to help veterans transition into student life at the University of Arkansas and have been instrumental in moving the University to the top of several lists of the best universities for veterans to begin or continue their secondary education.

McCrary, an undeclared major from Collierville, Tenn., described his college experience as different than most students, and that the university's veterans center provided him with everything he needed to launch his collegiate experience. “Obviously, its different coming into college at 25,” McCrary said. “The Veterans Resource and Information Center really closed the gap for me and helped me immensely to succeed as a student.”

Any member of the Armed Forces of the United States, who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after April 5, 1917, has been wounded or killed, is awarded the Purple Heart. The Purple Heart differs from all other decorations in that an individual is not “recommended” for the decoration; rather he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria. The criteria to justify the award include: injury caused by enemy bullet, shrapnel, or other projectile created by enemy action; injury caused by enemy placed land mine, naval mine, or trap; injury caused by enemy released chemical, biological, or nuclear agent; injury caused by vehicle or aircraft accident resulting from enemy fire; and, concussion injuries caused as a result of enemy-generated explosions. The Purple Heart is not awarded for non-combat injuries.

While the Purple Heart is considered automatic for all wounds received in combat upon the recommendation of the serviceperson’s chain of command, each award must still be reviewed to ensure that the wounds received in combat fall under the categories listed above.

The Purple Heart is the oldest military award still given to U.S. military members, replacing the Badge of Military Merit officially in 1932, although the Purple Heart had been awarded since 1917. The design currently in use was issued on the 200^th anniversary of George Washington’s birth, Feb. 22, 1932, out of respect to his memory and military achievements.