The Purple Heart is the most powerful symbol that a soldier has sacrificed for his or her country. For generations, the military has awarded Purple Hearts to soldiers wounded in action. But an investigation by NPR and ProPublica has found that Army commanders routinely deny Purple Hearts to soldiers who've suffered concussions from explosions -- even though Army regulations say they merit the award. Four soldiers have struggled to get Purple Hearts -- and medical help.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.