Help two Arkansas soldiers denied Purple Hearts after being shot by jihadist

UPDATE (4/16/2015): After several years and a change in legislation regarding the way Purple Hearts are awarded led by Arkansas Congressmen, Private Long and Private Ezeagwula were awarded the Purple Heart. You can read more coverage here.

A friend and colleague of ours is representing the families of soldiers who were shot by a Yemeni-trained terrorist in Little Rock in 2009. This trial lawyer is representing the families pro bono (without pay) because the Department of Defense is denying a purple heart to these soldiers, and this lawyer is trying to get the federal government to change its mind. Please support these military families by emailing or Facebooking your congressional team. Here is the contact information for my district:

Mike Ross' Facebook page
John Boozman's Facebook page
Mark Pryor's email contact form

Here is Channel 7's news coverage of the event:

Now, here is the letter from my friend and colleague, Tre' Kitchens:

Dear Mates,

I am proud to represent the families of the two soldiers who where gunned down by a terrorist outside the Army Recruiting Center in Little Rock on 6/1/09. Private Long lost his life and Private Ezeagwula still carries a bullet on his spine and will for the rest of his life.

The man who shot them was a Muslim terrorist who had traveled to Yemen from the US for terrorist training, was arrested in Yemen and interviewed by the FBI while in a Yemen jail, brought back to this country and interviewed again by the FBI, was able to walk into his local Wal-Mart and purchase a gun legally, and then shot these two soldiers as declared act of war for American "aggression" in the mid-east. He entered a guilty plea in State Court and the Feds never charged him.

The federal government has decided that these two soldiers were the victims of a drive by shooting, a "street crime", and not a terrorist act. Therefore, they are not entitled to a Purple Heart or other medal. This is important to the memory of Private Long who comes from a military family (mother, father, brother, grandfather, uncles, have all served or are serving our Country), and the continued care and treatment of Private Ezeagwula at the VA.

Tomorrow night on Channel 7, at 10, their story will air. I encourage you all to watch. Private Long's father, a life long Marine, has testified before Congress on this issue. Not recognizing these young men is wrong. It should be fixed.

If you know your Congressman or Senator, or anyone else in Washington, I encourage you to make a call. If you need more information let me know.

I am representing these families without a fee. I am doing it because its right and I anticipate that most of my friends on this list would do the same thing, and probably do a better job. I am grateful I work with someone who allows me to do these kind of things when it really matters, and that I'm part of an organization that cares.
Thanks.

Tre' Kitchens

The Brad Hendricks Law Firm
(501) 221-0444