Army veteran awarded Purple Heart 13 years after being wounded in Afghanistan

The Army honored retired Staff Sgt. James R. Czekalski during a Purple Heart ceremony at Fort Bliss, near El Paso, Texas. Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, left, the commanding general of 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss, speaks to retired Staff Sgt. James Czekakski, right, during a Purple Heart ceremony at Fort Bliss, Texas, Oct. 27, 2026. (Russell Savage V/U.S. Army) A retired Army soldier was awarded the Purple Heart on Tuesday for wounds he sustained in combat in Afghanistan 13 years ago. Staff Sgt. James R. Czekalski received the medal during a ceremony in front of family members, veterans and soldiers at Fort Bliss, near El Paso, Texas, according to a service news release.

“We gather this morning to perform one of the most sacred duties of military leadership: to pause, bear witness, and formally honor the blood, the courage, and the sacrifice of an American combat veteran,” said Maj. Gen. Curtis D. Taylor, the commanding general of the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss, who presented Czekalski with the medal. Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, right, the commanding general of 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss, poses for a photo next to retired Staff Sgt. James Czekakski and his family during a Purple Heart ceremony at Fort Bliss, Texas, Oct. 27, 2026. (Russell Savage V/U.S. Army) Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor,