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bonus repayments by wounded vets


Lt_Ripley

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Newsday.com

Sen. Schumer says DOD duns wounded vets for bonus repayments

3:17 PM EST, November 25, 2007

NEW YORK (AP) _ Service members seriously wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan after they received a $10,000 bonus for enlisting are being dunned by the Pentagon to repay portions of the incentive money, says a U.S. senator who calls the practice an example of military policy gone wrong.

"A bill in the mail is not the kind of present our soldiers deserve in this holiday season," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. said. "Our veterans are not being treated with the dignity, respect and thanks that they deserve. It's just a disgrace."

At a news conference Sunday, he said the policy remained in effect despite a report last July by a presidential commission that wounded veterans were being unfairly penalized by a requirement that enlistees must fulfill their entire term of service or lose a pro-rated portion of their bonus.

"This policy and early discharge as a result of service-related injury is now preventing thousands of combat-wounded warriors from getting the bonsues they have earned," Schumer said. "This includes several hundred New Yorkers who suffered wounds or catastrophic injuries before concluding their duty."

He said that when the case of Jordan Fox, an Army sniper partially blinded by a roadside bomb in Iraq, was called to the Pentagon's attention, officials replied that the demand for him to repay $2,800 was a "clerical error" and cancelled the debt.

If the Mt. Lebanon, Pa., soldier's case was an isolated incident, there has been no explanation of why hundreds of other wounded veterans have also received letters demanding repayment, Schumer said. "When you talk to the Pentagon you get different answers from different people," he said.

The numbers of veterans affected by the policy are not known. Schumer said his office had received several complaints, as had the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

"Asking wounded service members to repay part of their enlistment bonuses is an outrage,"' IAVA executive director Paul Rieckhoff said in an e-mailed statement.

"Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is pleased to work with Congress to put an end to this unfair practice," Rieckhoff said. "These injured heroes have made enormous sacrifices for our country and they deserve to be treated with the utmost honor and gratitude."

Standing in front of a World War I memorial, Schumer called on the Department of Defense to conduct an internal investigation and audit to identify recently wounded personnel who received the dunning letters and assure them that repayments were not necessary.

He also said he would support proposed legislation, to be called the Veterans Guaranteed Bonus Act, to require full payment of bonuses to enlistees witin 30 days of discharge from the service due to combat-related injuries.

<a href="http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--militarybonuses1125nov25,0,2491768.story" target="_blank">http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/new...0,2491768.story</a>

So much for the militarys' excuse of it being a mistake. They sat and did nothing. Of course they knew. Just like cons . cry 'support the troops ' to send them to war but won't support them once home. Patriotic would have been not to send them in the first place over lies .

Edited by Lt_Ripley
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Cue Aroces..."Political, Liberal, complaint." Puke.

Burke, Carter J.."It was a bad call Ripley, a bad call"

Someone enabled those letters of demand to be produced. Computers programmed without discretion or heart.

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Cue Aroces..."Political, Liberal, complaint." Puke.

he'll be in...with his slick neo-con, anti christmas messages...takes all kinds..

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so blame the US military and a shoddy policy?

Umm who else would we blame ? Of course it's the military's fault, full payment of bonus's within 30 days of discharge. What a freakin heartless thing to do. Computers don't make mistakes, this was a deliberate human command one that was authorized by many to actually have been put into practice. JFK was so right when he said "ask what not the country can do for you" the last bit of that quote is loosing it's meaning. Now it's should be "Screw the country that screws you I say."

Edited by The Silver Thong
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Cue Aroces..."Political, Liberal, complaint." Puke.

Burke, Carter J.."It was a bad call Ripley, a bad call"

Someone enabled those letters of demand to be produced. Computers programmed without discretion or heart.

This is basically the same stuff as the other forum, Mr. Shumer grabbing the microphone instead of looking at the policy itself and outlining it!

And if it do say wounded get to pay back compensation, then fix it!

By the way, what about those who got killed, they have to pay back compensation too?

I think Lt. Ripley is simply recycling the article, for the first attempt bombed.

Edited by AROCES
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Umm who else would we blame ? Of course it's the military's fault, full payment of bonus's within 30 days of discharge. What a freakin heartless thing to do. Computers don't make mistakes, this was a deliberate human command one that was authorized by many to actually have been put into practice. JFK was so right when he said "ask what not the country can do for you" the last bit of that quote is loosing it's meaning. Now it's should be "Screw the country that screws you I say."

It surprises me that this hasn't been fixed...if they really want to fix it. Those poor soldiers, like they need this on top of everything else.

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All too often when an Presidential administration wants to look sympathetic about a subject without really having to take action, they will produce a Presidential Commission. Which is basically a report stating the so called concerns. That's exactly what happened here. Last year when this subject gained more attention, the Bush administration released their Presidential Commission regarding wounded veterans being treated unfairly. But that was it, they took no further actions to fix this policy gone wrong and swept it under the rug. To this day, the Bush administration and Pentagon refuses to take any action in changing this policy and continues to bill wounded veterans.

...if the President wants to avoid taking action but still look concerned about an issue, he can convene a commission and then let it slip into obscurity...

Source

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What points to the military blame ? They knew in July this was happening and chose to do nothing !!!!! If this hadn't come up in the media nothing still would have been done.

was this part of military policy that vets who could not finish their term of service repay ? I wouldn't doubt it . Trying to recoup the funds they paid out begging for people to serve. And of course with an economy with crappy jobs that go nowhere without benefits and housing being the mess it is , poor people are taking the chance . All for a war built on lies.

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This is basically the same stuff as the other forum, Mr. Shumer grabbing the microphone instead of looking at the policy itself and outlining it!

And if it do say wounded get to pay back compensation, then fix it!

Your adored troop loving Bush administration nor Pentagon want to fix it. This has been going on for years. And someone is trying to fix this if you would have taken time to read the entire original article that you are so strongly opinionated about;

Congressman Jason Altmire(D) has proposed a bill that would guarantee soldiers receive full benefit of bonuses.

We need more politicans like Schumer and Altmire to direct attention to important issues such as this. The more they speak up, the more likely the bill will be made a law(since the current administration is incompetent). And all you do is try to make a fool out of him. I got news for you AROCES, you are the foolish one here.

I can tell this story bothers you AROCES. Are you scared of being out of your comfort zone? :P

Edited by thewho?
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Your adored troop loving Bush administration nor Pentagon want to fix it. This has been going on for years. And someone is trying to fix this if you would have taken time to read the entire original article that you are so strongly opinionated about;

Congressman Jason Altmire(D) has proposed a bill that would guarantee soldiers receive full benefit of bonuses.

We need more politicans like Schumer and Altmire to direct attention to important issues such as this. The more they speak up, the more likely the bill will be made a law(since the current administration is incompetent). And all you do is try to make a fool out of him. I got news for you AROCES, you are the foolish one here.

I can tell this story bothers you AROCES. Are you scared of being out of your comfort zone? :P

Still trying to capitalize on it huh? You just have to use the incident to score points and show Bush bad and the Liberals truly care for the soldiers not the GOP.

A bill that would gurantee to receive full benefit, all you have to do is sign up and then quit after you got your check? Your hero politicians better explain what they mean by guaranteed.

I still am waiting for Shumer and Altmire to show us the policy that the Army wants you to give back the compensation if you get wounded in battle and can't serve no more.

And then let's find out who approved such policy and aside Mr. Fox anyone else with a name other than saying many or others too ???

Edited by AROCES
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Being a 9 year Army vet, I know this happens all the time. You are promised one thing, follow through on your end of the contract only to be screwed in the end. Thank God I am on the other end of it now and part of the vast right-wing military-industrial complex. Making money off the government is much better than giving them your life and getting nothing except heartache in return

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A bill that would gurantee to receive full benefit, all you have to do is sign up and then quit after you got your check
lol, I doubt that would be possible. Where did you hear such things? Back up your words chump.
Your hero politicians better explain what they mean by guaranteed.
Damn you are lazy;

H.R. 3793: Veterans Guaranteed Bonus Act of 2007

To amend title 37, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Defense to continue to pay to a member of the Armed Forces who is retired or separated from the Armed Forces due to a combat-related injury certain bonuses that the member was entitled to before the retirement or separation and would continue to be entitled to if the member was not retired or separated.

Sponsor:

Rep. Jason Altmire

Cosponsors:

Rep. Shelley Berkley [D-NV]

Rep. Robert Berry [D-AR]

Del. Madeleine Bordallo [D-GU]

Rep. Nancy Boyda [D-KS]

Rep. Robert Brady [D-PA]

Rep. Bruce Braley [D-IA]

Rep. Corrine Brown [D-FL]

Rep. Christopher Carney [D-PA]

Rep. Charles Dent [R-PA]

Rep. Joe Donnelly [D-IN]

Rep. Michael Doyle [D-PA]

Rep. Brad Ellsworth [D-IN]

Rep. Barton Gordon [D-TN]

Rep. Phil Hare [D-IL]

Rep. Tim Holden [D-PA]

Rep. Darlene Hooley [D-OR]

Rep. Henry Johnson [D-GA]

Rep. Walter Jones [R-NC]

Rep. Patrick Kennedy [D-RI]

Rep. Harry Mitchell [D-AZ]

Rep. Patrick Murphy [D-PA]

Rep. Donald Payne [D-NJ]

Rep. Jon Porter [R-NV]

Rep. John Sarbanes [D-MD]

Rep. Carol Shea-Porter [D-NH]

Rep. Heath Shuler [D-NC]

Rep. Clifford Stearns [R-FL]

Rep. Bart Stupak [D-MI]

Rep. Betty Sutton [D-OH]

Rep. Ellen Tauscher [D-CA]

Rep. Edolphus Towns [D-NY]

Rep. Timothy Walz [D-MN]

Rep. Zach Wamp [R-TN]

Rep. David Wu [D-OR]

Rep. John Yarmuth [D-KY]

You just have to use the incident to score points and show Bush bad and the Liberals truly care for the soldiers not the GOP.
I'm starting to believe it's true. :hmm:Only 5 out of 35 cosponsors are Republican. Edited by thewho?
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Yes. Looks like AROCES is avoiding this thread now after my post. :lol:

Guess who's back? ;) It's an introduced bill. It says right there. This bill is the first step in the legislative process.Introduced bills go to committees that deliberate, INVESTIGATE and reveise before they go to genenral debate. Majority of introduced bill never make it out of committee.

Is this the best you got???

I would say you will never hear this bill again and the MIlitary will fix the errors and that there is no such policy that state soldier who can no longer serve because of battle injury have to repay back the Army of any paid compensation.

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