Lt. Col. David Casey, commander of the 1-214th Field Artillery Battalion, shakes hands with Sgt. Jason Ulin after he received a Purple Heart Medal for injuries sustained in combat during his deployment to Afghanistan in 2013. Spc. Jean Bermudez and Pfc. Sean Kitchens stand behind them shaking hands with other Georgia Army National Guard leadership. The Purple Heart Medal is linked to the Badge of Military Merit established by George Washington during the Revolutionary War when he pinned a purple, cloth-shaped heart on three men’s chests. The Georgia Army National Guard took a moment to honor the courage, commitment and sacrifice of three Guardsmen with today’s Purple Heart Medals in front of their family and fellow servicemen Sunday, March 2, 2014, in Atlanta. (Georgia Army National Guard photo by Maj. Will Cox)