AUSTIN, TEXAS — Over President’s Day weekend, Big Spring’s current Man of the Year Mike Tarpley was recognized as Patriot of the Year for Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), Chapter 1919, out of Austin, Texas.
This nationwide organization for combat-wounded veterans is chartered by the Congress of the United States. This Texas Capital Chapter has nearly six hundred members throughout the state, but most live in the greater Austin metropolitan area.
“To me it’s a pretty good honor because I’m out here all by myself, and they keep up with what’s going on in Big Spring, Texas. They actually call me their subchapter,” said Tarpley.
This is the second time that Tarpley has received Patriot of the Year from Military Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 1919. He was a previous recipient in 2010. Since then, he’s also received Patriot of the Year for the State of Texas for MOPH, and received it for Region 5 MOPH.
When asked how he felt about the amount of recognition he’s received over the years, Tarpley told KBest News when he was first recognized as Patriot of the Year in 2010 he told the organization that he didn’t need the award but a man with MOPH insisted he did.
“With the gentleman that insisted I take it, he said ‘You do need it, because with what you’re trying to accomplish with your life those awards open a lot of doors’,” said Tarpley. “With the last two [awards] Man of the Year [for Big Spring] and Patriot of the Year I’m thinking about what doors that will open and how we can make that help more people.”
Tarpley told KBest News that award presentation was held at the Austin Club in Austin, Texas. The guest speaker was a 42-year retired four-star general, a West Point graduate, who admitted that he had never received a Purple Heart but had presented many. The speaker also had lineage back to George Washington, and had ancestors that had been freed by President George Washington.
As commander and chief of the Continental Army, General George Washington created the Purple Heart in 1782 to recognize meritorious service — basically, bravery in combat — but back then it was called “Badge for Military Merit”. Over the years it faded away and was eventually revived by the U.S. War Department as the “Order of the Purple Heart” on Feb. 22, 1942 – Washington’s 200th birthday.
The Purple Heart is the oldest American military decoration for military merit, and is awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces who have been killed or wounded in action against an enemy. It is also awarded to soldiers who have suffered maltreatment as prisoners of war.
(courtesy photos)
(Photo: Mike Tarpley with wife Barbara.)
(Photo: Mike Tarpley presented with Patriot of the Year, 2023)
(Photo: Mike Tarpley speaks with guest speaker, 2023)
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