Veteran Awarded Purple Heart After Congressman's Effort
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - A military veteran received a long overdue honor this week.
Colorado Congressman Rep. Doug Lamborn presented a Purple Heart to Retired Army Staff Sgt. Marzell Parchment on Thursday.
Parchment was injured in 2007 when an improvised explosive device blew up his convoy in Iraq.
"If you go back and look at the history of the Purple Heart, people have done some heroic things to get the Purple Heart," said Marzell.
"It's definitely a special moment, so I'll probably go home later tonight and probably cry some more."
Lamborn, a Republican who represents Colorado's 5th Congressional District, and his staff worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs to get the honor for Parchment.
Parchment also served in Afghanistan, Korea, Kuwait and other locations. He now works as an armed security officer at the El Paso County Courthouse. Earlier this week, he helped stop a criminal who was trying to run from the courthouse after being sentenced to jail.
The Purple Heart is awarded to those wounded or killed while serving in the military.