<P> The ribbon is 1 and ​ ⁄ inches (35 mm) wide and consists of the following stripes: ​ ⁄ inch (3 mm) white 67101; 1 ​ ⁄ inches (29 mm) purple 67115; and ​ ⁄ inch (3 mm) white 67101 . </P> <P> Additional awards of the Purple Heart are denoted by oak leaf clusters in the Army and Air Force, and additional awards of the Purple Heart Medal are denoted by 5 / 16 inch stars in the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard . </P> <P> Current active duty personnel are awarded the Purple Heart upon recommendation from their chain of command, stating the injury that was received and the action in which the service member was wounded . The award authority for the Purple Heart is normally at the level of an Army Brigade, Marine Corps Division, Air Force Wing, or Navy Task Force . While the award of the Purple Heart is considered automatic for all wounds received in combat, each award presentation must still be reviewed to ensure that the wounds received were as a result of enemy action . Modern day Purple Heart presentations are recorded in both hardcopy and electronic service records . The annotation of the Purple Heart is denoted both with the service member's parent command and at the headquarters of the military service department . An original citation and award certificate are presented to the service member and filed in the field service record . </P> <P> During the Vietnam War, Korean War, and World War II, the Purple Heart was often awarded on the spot, with occasional entries made into service records . In addition, during mass demobilizations following each of America's major wars of the 20th century, it was common occurrence to omit mention from service records of a Purple Heart award . This occurred due to clerical errors, and became problematic once a service record was closed upon discharge . In terms of keeping accurate records, it was commonplace for some field commanders to engage in bedside presentations of the Purple Heart . This typically entailed a general entering a hospital with a box of Purple Hearts, pinning them on the pillows of wounded service members, then departing with no official records kept of the visit, or the award of the Purple Heart . Service members, themselves, complicated matters by unofficially leaving hospitals, hastily returning to their units to rejoin battle so as to not appear a malingerer . In such cases, even if a service member had received actual wounds in combat, both the award of the Purple Heart, as well as the entire visit to the hospital, was unrecorded in official records . </P>

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