V E TE R AN S AFFAI R S & M I LITARY M E D I CI N E O UTLO O K
INTERVIEW
GEORGIA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD PHOTO BY MAJ. WILL COX
JAMES McCORMICK
National Commander, Military Order of the Purple Heart By Chuck Oldham James McCormick was born in West Virginia, the son of a Vietnam veteran. He spent 22 years in the Army and Army National Guard. He served as an enlisted man for 16 years before deciding to become an officer, and retired as a captain. McCormick is a combat veteran of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. During combat operations in Iraq during 2004-2005, he was wounded on three separate occasions. He has been a Life Member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) since 2008. Among his awards are the Silver Star, three awards of the Bronze Star with Valor, three Purple Hearts, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with three service stars, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medal, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal, and the Combat Action Badge. His civilian awards include the Congressional Medal of Honor Society “Citizen Service Above Self” Medal and the Jefferson Award for civic service.
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James McCormick: Well, [it was] because I was qualified to join the organization as a Purple Heart recipient, number one, but also the fact that I was seriously looking at trying to get involved
COURTESY OF MOPH
Veterans Affairs and Military Medicine Outlook: Was it your personal experience that motivated you to become a part of this organization or was it a combination of things?
Top: The Purple Heart Medal is linked to the Badge of Military Merit established by George Washington during the Revolutionary War, and has since been awarded to those wounded or killed while serving in the U.S. military. Above: James McCormick, National Commander, Military Order of the Purple Heart.
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