Posted on 11/21/2007 2:11:37 AM PST by Daffynition
U.S. troops wounded in Iraq are being ordered to repay the bonuses they got for signing up, after war injuries cut short their service. Troops, their families, veterans, and lawmakers are calling the practice disgraceful.
Jordan Fox, 20, a wounded soldier sent home after being wounded by a roadside bomb in Iraq in March, talked with Fox 2 from his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. I talked to a wounded soldier. He said he was supposed to get a $14,000 enlistment bonus for his 3 year commitment to serve. He said at the time the roadside bomb left him blind in one eye and injured his back, he'd already received $7500 of the bonus.
"I tried to do my best and serve my country," Fox said. "Unfortunately I was hurt in the process. Now they're telling me they want their money back."
He recently got a letter demanding the repayment of more than $2800 of the bonus.
(Excerpt) Read more at myfoxstl.com ...
Just say, “NO.”
You keep that bonus money.
HAS and SASC should call SecDef and CJCS for testimony on this subject. It’s disgraceful. Probably some minor civil servant running amok, but minor civil servants have supervisors who should be taken to task.
100% agree. Call your representatives and your friends on this on.
HAS=HASC
Just say, “NO.”
You keep that bonus money.
That won’t happen. They garnish the tax refunds and employment checks. Believe me they will get their money one way or another. It is pitiful that is for sure.
Yes, it’s outrageous and that’s an understatement.
You can’t allow stuff like this and then complain if you have an image problem. Geez.
This is an insult. Sounds like a Dem somewhere in the Pentagon is trying to stir up a commotion.
Laura Ingraham was all over this last night. She had a soldier on that had it happen to him. They wanted $2400 and that had been cut down from $5000 as that “credited” him with unused leave time. The soldier said he has been told that it is a “glitch”.
Terrorists in Gitmo get treated with kid gloves, and our soldiers get treated like sh*t. This is wrong.
This is some idiot bureaucrat somewhere in the depths of the Pentagon making an absolutely idiotic decision. It’ll get corrected, just like the case of the Minnesota National Guard unit’s education benefits.
For real injuries this is very disgraceful. I just want to make sure they don’t open a door for some to pull Jahn Kerries, i.e. enlist for a $20,000 bonus and then “get hurt”, take the money and run. No mental type disabilities should be allowed, only bona-fide REAL injuries.
Good for Laura to bring it up.
I hope this “glitch” hasn’t sent out letters requesting money from “fallen soldiers” who haven’t fulfilled their obligation by the definition.
God Bless the Troops, all of them.
Ping
From http://www.military.com/benefits/military-pay/enlistment-and-reenlistment-bonuses
“Refund of Bonuses:
Be aware that if you voluntarily, or because of misconduct, don't complete the term of enlistment (or reenlistment) for which a bonus was paid, or are not technically qualified in the skill for which the bonus was paid, (other than a member who is not qualified because of injury, illness, or other impairment not the result of the member's misconduct) , you must refund a prorated portion of the bonus according to the time of service left on your contract.
There should be a caveat in the re-up contract that allows service members to keep their bonus if they have to be separated due to service related injuries. Good question to pose to a candidate.
R,
Good catch. Can’t see how this could be happening given that extract you posted. Must be a glitch. I had many mil pay glitches while in. Always seemed to take forever to fix.
Fox & Friends just announced that the defense dept changed, and they would be allowed to keep their bonus.
Or at least in the case of the injured soldier from Pennsylvania, anyway.
I have to listen to that. Up to now I saw one guy, 13,000 bonus, hurt after three month, who wanted to back and be a cop. I’ve been trying to find the actual recruiting docs on bonus pre-prior enlistment, re-enlistment, to see what it states... no luck yet. I will go by and ask the recruiters here today. From this guys stated injuries, he may be 100% disablitity, but that’s a whole separate issue.
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