KTKA

Adjutant General Todd Bunting awarded three Kansas National Guard soldiers with Purple Hearts.

The Purple Heart signifies sacrifice and represents blood shed in defense of liberty.

The medal was pinned on Staff sergeant Thomas Tavtigian , Specialist Eric Bulla and Specialist Scott Hajek.

Staff Sgt. Thomas Tavtigian, 44, of Manhattan, was serving as a patrol leader with the Battery A, 1st Battalion, 161st Field Artillery the night of August 14, 2008 while deployed to Iraq. Tavtigian was injured during the patrol when a pressure plate Improvised Explosive Device detonated.

Spc. Eric Buila, 39, of Springfield, Missouri served with the 714th Maintenance Company in Iraq. On July 14,2007, Buila was injured while providing convoy security as the gunner in the lead gun-truck when an IED detonated.

Spc. Scott Hajek, 30, of Cimarron, Kansas, deployed with 714th Maintenance Company. He was injured while serving as the lead vehicle gunner on a convoy security patrol during a complex IED ambush and direct fire engagement July 2, 2007.

Bulla says he is honored to receive the purple heart, but says the real heroes are the ones who don't return from war.

"I would rather the war to go a little differently and for it to already be over and for everybody to have come back alive and safe," Bulla said.

The Purple Heart is the oldest military decoration currently in use anywhere in the world.