Vets to Payback Military??

[MA-Caver]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/20/military-demanding-bonus-pay-back-from-wounded-vets/
Military demanding bonus pay back from wounded vets.

“The U.S. Military is demanding that thousands of wounded service personnel give back signing bonuses because they are unable to serve out their commitments.” Jordan Fox of Pittsburgh was injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq, cutting his service short by three months. “A few days ago, he received a letter from the military demanding nearly $3,000 of his signing bonus back.”

So apparently giving all isn't good enough anymore. This is ridiculous legislation and definitely needs to be tossed out on it's ear along with the one(s) who wrote it up.
How in the hell is an American soldier going to feel good about fighting for his country when he has to give up the incentives that got him to sign up just because he didn't finish out his full commitment(s) on account that he lost part of his body in performing that commitment?
It was bad enough that Vets from Vietnam got shafted in many ways upon their return home and that other vets don't do as well either but this just gotta be protested.
Thoughts, opinions, outrages?

 

[theletch1]

Heard an interview this morning with a Brig. Gen. about this subject. Policy is that there is no attempt to recoup bonus/sign on money in these situations. It's a paperwork SNAFU and a 1-800 number has been set up for any member of the military who gets one of these letters to contact and get the ball rolling on putting an end to the problem. It sounds to me like the contract would say "If you do not fulfill your contractual obligation then your bonus is forfeit" without taking into account being wounded. The wounded soldiers aren't supposed to get those letters but are. I'll be following this story.

 

[Jai]

This is a paperwork mix up. The payback is supposed to be for those that do not serve out the time they signed for for reasons other then combat injury. It's a big PITA, but that's our grand military red tape screwing up again.

 

[Cruentus]

It is just a mixup. I would still be furious if I got such a letter if I was in that situation, but it is good to know that big army isn't actually DOING that!

 

[tellner]

If it were policy they'd be covering and backfilling like crazy to deny it :shrug:

I know someone who got such a letter. He'd developed cancer while in the service and was medically discharged. And they tried to take away his veteran's benefits on the grounds that the cancer might have been pre-existing. Loud noises by a congressman and a couple senators changed the Army and VA's tune.

 

[Jai]

that is a different animal all together. The army or really any branch will spend YEARS trying to prove pre existing conditions, no matter how open and shut the case is.

 

[terryl965]

Mistakes happen even witht he government, it just seems alot more with them than anybody else.

 

[MBuzzy]

Mix ups like these also have a lot to do with the state of the medical administration system within the military. The care is good....but the tracking and administration leaves something to be desired. It is possible that the systems just aren't talking to each other.