Chartered by congress in 1958, The Military Order of the Purple Heart is an organization of military men and women who received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds suffered in combat. Their mission is to foster an environment of goodwill and camaraderie among combat wounded veterans, promote patriotism, support necessary legislative initiatives, and provide service to all veterans and their families. Membership is restricted to those wounded in combat; however, they support all veterans with a variety of programs. In Minnesota, there are currently 13 Purple Heart Chapters across 11 counties.