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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Three Fort Carson soldiers were awarded the Purple Heart Thursday for wounds they received in action.  For one soldier, it was his second award.

Private Rickey Laughlin, Sgt. Jonathan Badertscher, and Lt. Galen Peterson were given the award in a special ceremony.

The Purple Heart was established by George Washington and given to three soldiers during the Revolutionary War. It is now the oldest award still given in the army.

In 2006, Peterson was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED). He returned to war, and this year he was injured again. In spite of all he has been through, he still wants to return to his fellow soldiers.

"It is really frustrating and painful to be here when they are still over there," he said.

Peterson is now in rehabilitation for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and a shoulder wound. "Being safe and spending time with my family and even though I'm in rehab every day, I still don't feel like I'm doing my job. I feel like I'm letting them down," he said.

"Their willingness to go back into harm's way is really very humbling," said Brig. Gen. Allen Batschelet. He said the camaraderie is difficult to understand for those who haven't been there. "I think it is even more intense for someone who has been wounded fighting alongside his buddies."

It's something Peterson has now gone through--and been awarded for--twice.

"Most soldiers are satisfied with one and they'd prefer not to have any. Two is fairly unusual," said Batschelet.

Peterson and two other soldiers were given a standing ovation for their sacrifices, but Peterson still gives credit to those he left behind. "If you met them, you'd know they are the heroes, not me," he said.

The ceremony included a taped greeting from Maj. Gen.Jeffery Hammond in Baghdad. Hammond told the soldiers they are making progress in Iraq, and to focus on taking care of themselves and each other.

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