Each award comes with a story, and it's never easy for the Purple Heart recipient to share it. Yet they live with the story every day.

"It's now a matter of pride that I can stand with other veterans and say, 'I've been there with you,'" C. Ray Athey said.

He is a Vietnam War Veteran and the current department commander for the Colorado Military Order of the Purple Heart.

With recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and countless Purple Heart recipients throughout the United States, you would expect Purple Heart organizations to be growing. On the contrary; many of the organizations are aging, even shrinking in size.

"A lot of us are feeling our age," John Toth, a Korean War Veteran and former POW, said. "We're full of World War II guys, my generation [of Korean War veterans], [Ray's] generation ... we need these young people to come in and get involved and make sure it never dies and goes away."

For many reasons, perhaps because young veterans aren't ready to share their stories, or because the organizations are primarily made up of older veterans, younger Purple Heart recipients aren't joining the organizations.

"We are trying to increase public awareness about what we can do to help them," Athey said. "We can file VA claims, connect them to a network of service officers across the country or in Denver, help them with health care and education needs or a grant ... the list goes on."

It's why Iraq War Veteran Jason Reid, who served two tours of duty with the Marine Corps, joined the Aurora chapter of the Order of the Purple Heart. Reid hopes to continue his dedication of service by joining.

"I thought of the VFW and Purple Heart [Order] and immediately thought of older guys and veterans from older wars," Reid said. "But I would like to get in and help them out and help out the community more than them simply helping me."

"A lot of us may not be able to relate to our spouses or family members because of what we've been through. Having a network here, especially other Purple Heart recipients, helps us stay connected and get through the stuff that happened overseas," Reid said.

To get in touch with Colorado chapters of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, contact Athey at 303-682-4385 or by e-mail at crathey01@sprynet.com.