Posted on 12/10/2004 12:33:46 PM PST by Fyscat
Middletown – He lost his arm serving his country in Iraq. Now this wounded soldier is being discharged from his company in Fort Hood, Texas, without enough gas money to get home. In fact, the Army says 27-year-old Spc. Robert Loria owes it close to $2,000, and confiscated his last paycheck. "There's people in my unit right now – one of my team leaders [who was] over in Iraq with me, is doing everything he can to help me .... but it's looking bleak," Loria said by telephone from Fort Hood yesterday. "It's coming up on Christmas and I have no way of getting home."
(Excerpt) Read more at recordonline.com ...
This won't stand.
I hope not.
There is an update right at the link you posted:
Middletown – Outrage over Army Spc. Robert Loria's struggle to get home after losing his arm in service for his country prompted the Army today to take action.
Responding to pressure from Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-Saugerties, and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, the Army said it would release Loria on medical discharge beginning immediately, both men said.
The Army has also agreed to waive most of the debt against Loria and to help him file proper paperwork for the rest of it.
Aides to Hinchey and Schumer said the Army was going to forgive the $2,408 in excess Family Separation allowance the military erroneously paid Loria as well as a $310 charge for equipment issued to Loria that was damaged or lost in the attack in Iraq. And the Army was also going to help Loria refile his travel papers to make sure he does not get saddled with paying back advance travel money used to travel from the base at Fort Hood, Texas, to a follow-up visit to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
"The Congressman was pleased that the Army recognized its mistakes and has worked to fix those," said Dan Ahouse, Hinchey's aide. "However, a man who has made such an extreme sacrifice for his country should never have been in this situation to begin with. This situation begs the question of how many other Spc. Lorias are there?"
Schumer, speaking to the Times Herald-Record, said he was outraged when he heard of Loria's predicament.
"It broke my heart. I was both sad and angry," Schumer said. "The first thing is to help him, and then to see if it is happening to anybody else."
An outpouring also came from people across our region and across the country. A fund is being set up by the Loria family for all those offering assistance as Loria tries to rebuild his life after such an ordeal.
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It sounds like a screw up. I am sure he will be able to get disability benefits for the rest of his life, free medical care, and so on. While obviously this is terrible, this is not the norm, these are just things that some people latch onto, to make the US military look "evil and heartless".
WOW! The first time in a looooooong time that I agree with Schumer. Good on ya!
Is there any way we can raise the money here at The Free Republic and get him home for Christmas.
This is disgusting. The Army doesn't need this type of publicity. I am sure it's a SNFU that will be rectified, but until then, can we assist this soldier?
I will contribute $100.00.
Great comeback
I don't know if this is the full story or not and I've often stuck my foot in my mouth by jumping first and asking second, but if this is true, we should all be ashamed of the government and military leadership over this matter.
See how this works? One question (suggested by a reporter who also made sure his guy got the mike--not that I have a problem, per se, with the ONE question) is now morphing into "soldiers" plural "peppering" (as in one after the other after the other) Rumsfeld.
Chrissy Matthews said the same last night, using the plural and making it sound like many questions were asked and leaving the impression no answers were given.
You'll have to pardon me for waiting to hear more details on the main subject of the story you posted before weighing in with an informed opinion.
I am so glad to see the situation has been addressed and rectified. I certainly agree this man has made a great sacrifice for his country.
Someone messed up the paperwork, as mentioned in the article in the Times Herald Record (An ultra-liberal communist rag by the way).
My question is: Why go to the paper instead of going to the JAG or a similar representative?
Outraged about Army Spc. Robert Loria's plight? Speak your mind. Below are contact numbers for federal legislators and defense officials.
U.S. Senate: Hillary Clinton: 202-224-4451; Charles Schumer: 212-486-4430 email U.S. House of Representatives: Maurice Hinchey: 845-344-3211; Sue Kelly: 845-897-5200
From the article
http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2004/12/10/dcloriaw1.htm
Benefit Fund for Robert Loria
Bank of New York
440 route 211 East
Middletown, NY 10940
No response from "Sen. Clinton's" office? Color me shocked!
not
I am pleased that the error was forgiven but folks just gotta remember, your paycheck is still the company's money and if they overpay in error, you are legally bound to repay them.
If it looks like to much, contact payroll immediately and don't spend it!
Please look at #15.
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