The decoration known as the Purple Heart (authorized to be awarded pursuant to Executive Order 11016) may only be awarded to a person who is a member of the armed forces at the time the person is killed or wounded under circumstances otherwise qualifying that person for award of the Purple Heart.
10 U.S.C. § 1131
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTExecutive Order 11016, referred to in text, is Ex. Ord. No. 11016, Apr. 25, 1962, 27 F.R. 4139, which is set out as a note under section 1129 of this title.
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
EFFECTIVE DATE Pub. L. 105-85, div. A, title V, §571(b), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1756, provided that: "Section 1131 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to persons who are killed or wounded after the end of the 180-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 18, 1997]."
- armed forces
- The term "armed forces" means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard.