Paralyzed and Brain-damaged Soldiers must return Enlistmnt $

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by GaryBrun, Feb 13, 2007.


  1. GaryBrun

    GaryBrun Monkey+++

    Soldiers Back From War Fight Different Battle

    POSTED: 4:20 pm EST February 13, 2007


    PITTSBURGH -- Soldiers who were paralyzed, suffered brain damage and lost limbs owe the government enlistment bonus money.

    They must pay the money back because they didn’t fulfill their tour of duty.

    Bob Truska, who was in the Navy, got an honorable discharge for what the Navy calls a personality disorder.

    One year later, he got a bill for more than $3,000, part of his $7,000 enlistment bonus.

    Bob said, “I didn’t know of anything I had to pay back after I got out of the military.”

    The Navy said his honorable discharge “does not exempt him from recoupement of the unearned enlistment bonus, and his personality disorder is not a disability but could interfere with assignment or performance of duty.”

    According to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, each month from October 2005 through October of 2006, at least 600 members of the military and as many as 1,100 have owed bonus debts totaling anywhere from $2.5 million dollars each month to $4 million.

    The money comes from skyrocketing enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses being offered to lure recruits and keep experienced troops in uniform.

    Just this past year, the Army doubled its top bonus from $20,000 to $40,000.

    Linky
     
  2. Devildog3531

    Devildog3531 Monkey+++

    Re: Paralyzed and Brain-damaged Soldiers must return Enlistm

    That's bullshit... what a screwed up world. "I'm sorry you're jacked up, hey... we need our money back. It's not like you're getting screwed by the VA or anything."
     
  3. Devildog3531

    Devildog3531 Monkey+++

  4. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++

    Re: Paralyzed and Brain-damaged Soldiers must return Enlistm

    Just very very very wrong.
     
  5. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Re: Paralyzed and Brain-damaged Soldiers must return Enlistm

    That is wrong, one of my BIGGEST complaints with our Gov. is the way they treat our soldiers. The VA is a joke. Our men and women who serve deserve better.
     
  6. Tango3

    Tango3 Aimless wanderer

    Re: Paralyzed and Brain-damaged Soldiers must return Enlistm

    Commonsense would say a "reenlistment bonus would provide a lure for the act of reenlisting...to be injured because of the enlistment and required to reimburse the gov?????? I don'twant to believe some "a&&hat" civilian could make such a cruel,riotic, unpatriotic backwards legal determination here. I would think if it went to court his lost wages and earnings versus his bonuses` he would come out ahead and the gov would owe him for lost earnings over his lifetime??
     
  7. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Re: Paralyzed and Brain-damaged Soldiers must return Enlistm

    Nobody should take that bet, the Articles of Enlistment are pretty tight. However, if appealed by the ACLU or some other alphabet, it could be reversed. In the meantime, I'd love to see an ombusdman's office set up to cover warrior's issues (among others.) I would hazard a guess that money to support that would not come out of DOD budgets.[soap]
     
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