Pentagon Renegs On Enlistment Bonus Contracts Affecting Thousands
The Pentagon has been admonished for reneging on enlistment bonus contracts for thousands of soldiers and veterans putting many into collections.
Last week, the Pentagon was outted for enacting a disgraceful scheme to recoup enlistment bonuses. Those payments were based on contracts numerous state National Guard units used to increase enlistments.
The Pentagon agency responsible for the mishap is the National Guard Bureau, which oversees enlistment bonuses of this type nationwide. Apparently, the overpayments occurred in every state at the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
This means those payments went to soldiers ten years ago, from 2006-2008, and the Pentagon is the piggybank seeking repayment of the overpayments.
Now, after serving their tours, many servicemembers and veterans are being tracked down to repay those enlistment bonuses. In California, over 9,700 National Guard members are affected.
According to the LA Times:
“Audits of soldier records began five years ago and were completed last month. Although the problem surfaced in other states, it was worst in California, which has 17,000 troops and is one of the largest state Guard organizations.
“California Guard officials in Sacramento say federal law bars them from wiping out the debts, insisting that only the Pentagon can do so and that it may require an act of Congress.
“’We didn’t have authority to waive any debts,’ Col. Peter Cross, a spokesman for the California Guard, said Sunday.
“California Guard officials emphasized that the Guard is helping troops file appeals. But the vast majority of soldiers who the Guard claims received the improper bonuses are still facing collection efforts.
“Only 1,200 soldiers have sent the Pentagon appeals asking for forgiveness of some or all of their bonuses and other payments. About half of those have received reduction in their payments, officials said.
“That leaves the rest facing large bills — and the threat of wage garnishment, tax liens and interest payments — if they refuse to pay, officials said.”
The timing of this scheme is certainly questionable given the proximity to the election. Democrats would be well served to resolve this quickly at risk of having the shameful practice add another scandal to this election cycle.
As far as I can tell, the soldiers were unaware of any wrongdoing and accepted the funds in a legal manner after signing a contract. The soldiers honored their end of the agreement.
Now, ten years later, the Pentagon finally figured out some of its recruiters gamed the system to increase enlistments around the time of the surge in Iraq – – back when we were losing ground in Iraq.
Even if the soldiers are victims of a scam, the Pentagon should use some common sense on this one and the White House should take immediate action to resolve the matter.
Maybe they can increase taxes on a couple corporations like GE or Facebook or Goldman Sachs to make up the difference. There can be no question corporations like these benefit from the sacrifices our soldiers make worldwide by protecting their capital investments overseas while earning pennies and risking their lives.
Let’s hope President Obama does the right thing moving into this election by waiving any perceived debt. As far as I can tell, these servicemembers should owe nothing.
For veterans and servicemembers caught up in the mess, be sure to appeal the determination that you owe a penny. Do not ignore calls from collectors. Tell them you earned that money and adhered to your end of the contract. No takebacks.
There is also a class action lawsuit in California you may be able to join to enjoin the Pentagon from taking action against you due to their senior officers’ fraud.
I plan to dig in on this topic, so check back in the future.
Source: https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-calif-guard-bonus-20161023-snap-story.html
Keep up the pressure on the Administration, Congress, and the DOD to rectify this wrong. Please sign and share this petition to stop the repayment attempts and return money to the veterans who already paid it back. It has 34,000 of the 100,000 needed in 30 days to get an official response from President Obama. https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/reverse-decision-forced-thousands-military-veterans-repay-bonuses-they-received-going-war
Feb 2, 1994 I left the Navy instead of retiring and took an exit bonus of 32K. Clinton was downsizing. I had an injury from Desert Storm….left foot/toes numb…but never went to medical. I started a family and got out. In 2009 I became hearing impaired and given 10% on tinnitus. It wasn’t until 2014 I finally was awarded 50% for hearing impairment. Before I could get my ANY disability compensation, I was FORCED to repay my exit bonus of 32K even though after taxes, I only received 24k. I sent in a waiver and of course, DENIED. Now what’s right with this picture?
Tonight, on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he did an entire opening lambasting of the VA, Pentagon, USA Public, and on Veterans getting the “One Finger Salute” from Uncle Sam…and made sure to say there’s a special place in hell for Congress because they KNEW at LEAST for last TWO YEARS of cries for HELP from Veterans and were IGNORED. He also made a point to mention of the 10 billion $$ sent on pallets to Iraq, only -1- Billion was found a day later…,aking sure people see how losing 9 billion but for same war demanding reenlistment bonuses back…the hypocrisy.
He also made a point to share the Ash Carter ordered the suspension of collection efforts…until June, 2017 when investigation is over. Was a really great piece that showed a lot of passion and hope we can get a link eventually from you tube on here of it to support this story.
I saw that, too. As usual, he nailed the issue square on the head and is on the right side of this fight. Keep up the pressure on the Administration, Congress, and the DOD to rectify this wrong. Please sign and share this petition to stop the repayment attempts and return money to the veterans who already paid it back. It has 34,000 of the 100,000 needed in 30 days to get an official response from President Obama. https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/reverse-decision-forced-thousands-military-veterans-repay-bonuses-they-received-going-war
Ben…You’re KIDDING ME…RIGHT?!
We give BILLIONS to Israel…We gave CASH to Iraqis to ‘Buy’ their support during the 03 invasion…and scumbag officials in the pentagon are insisting they receive it back, by the very souls that risked “Life and Limb”?
Just now on ‘CBS This Morning’, they said both Trump and Hillary agree that powers that be should intervene and eliminate these demands of reenlistment bonuses back by Pentagon. “Powers That Be”…would that be VA Sec. McDonald and the President of USA? Commander-In-Chief?
What about those Vets/Soldiers that have died? Going after the family’s estates, probate? Liens on homes/businesses?
I am glad to see this taking traction and remaining in news. We need to keep the pressure on because these two weeks before election, more Americans are actually paying more attention.
Lastly, if the POTUS and VA Sec. McDonald do nothing about this, what about a National GO FUND ME for all these Vet’s hardship…even if it does not get the $$ needed, it would bring even more daylight on this atrocity. I say atrocity because a friend of mine in Germany, a German citizen asked me on a music forum what the deal was with this because (and I quote him), “it makes the USA look hypocrites when your President wants hundreds of thousands of poorly vetted refugees in your USA…how much does that cost? Oh that’s right, didn’t some of your VA Budget get taken away and go for refugees? Doesn’t this make it appear the USA takes better care of refugees that your Veterans and Military?” I had to say yes to all.
Yes, people in other Countries are taking notice at our entire Federal Gov’t’s incompetence. Many “joint force” countries are still pissed at the pull-out of Iraq and nobody listening that the indigenous people simply did not want to fight. They want to come to…USA.
Rant Out.
With this illegal claw back of reenlistment bonuses violating the term of the reenlistment contracts happening just before an election. It most certainly seems that Democratic California Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein are now trying to capitalize on the issue and of course Hillary is also capitalizing on it. All displaying a bogus concern for Veterans and National Guard members.
They certainly had no concern about the men and women of the National Guard and other military members when they were sending them to wars they started in Iraq and Afghanistan. Wars to search for imaginary weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and for the boogieman Osama in Afghanistan even though he was really in Pakistan.
This new manufactured crisis by our government harming the men and women who have served our country is just beyond belief.
This is a manufactured crisis for political gains by incumbent politicians period.
Democratic California Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, Hillary Clinton, and Democratic California Representative Nancy Pelosi. All War Hawks who have not only supported all of the conflicts in the middle east but are now even supporting actions that would take us to war with Russia.
Truly this latest manufactured crisis for political gains needs to back fire on these bitches. Vote against them.
I agree with you about this being a manufactured crisis. These vets have been fighting this for 5 years when the audit started…why now is it an issue? I’ve seen news headlines every day for the past few days on it, and again today. Just like someone pushing an agenda for some savior politician to swoop in and fix.
I disagree with you about WMDs in Iraq being imaginary. Do a search on UNSCOM and look at their Wikipedia entry. It’s quite surprising to see how much detail they provide there on Iraq’s bio weapons program.
Bottom line is that after UNSCOM was booted out of Iraq because Clinton was preoccupied with boinking an intern, they had evidence of Saddam having tons of chemical and bio material in the country, but no evidence of where it went. The story that there was no WMD In Iraq came from the same people who said a video caused 4 deaths in Benghazi.
Ps. Ben, thanks very much for fixing the comment alerts. Its nice getting an email again whenever a new comment is posted.
Hey, Seymore,
Have you seen the Utube video where there’s a “Worldwide Arrest Warrant for Obama, Bush and Cheney” ????
It’s about time!
Seems the “Hague” has had enough!
Just watched it and I hope that it is the real deal.
THIS IS NOW ON NBC NATION AL NEWS 6 9M PST.
Ok. What’s pissing me off is this seems to not be possessing any teeth and holding-on as a story in the mainstream media. Pissing me off because you all know if this were the NFL reneging on a signed contract it would have even members of congress and the President weigh-in…but Veterans, not so much.
Where’s VA Sec. McDonald?
I may be stepping-out far on the limb here but does this give you maybe the sense that the USA’s actual liquid assets are lower than reported, also considering the ‘down-payment-not-a-ransom’ to Iran, with more to come. Is the VA and Pentagon being micromanaged to bleed the turnips?
It just seems even low for the Pentagon to do this WHILE in active wars with no end in sight. Maybe I am reading too much into it, but these reenlistment bonuses seem more of a way to somehow vilify Vets for trying to get something not entitled to…Has the VA held-up it’s ‘contract’ to ‘assist vets’? I think not, at least not even close to full potential.
Oh…the Fall breezes bring out that which lives under the bridges or in padded saddles of VSO seats. Traps are being designed to look like Veteran cookie jars. Watson still working on it.
This looks like business as usual for the Fed. Enlistment contracts have always been dirty. Once you raise your right hand you’re fucked buddy. I was screwed by my recruiter and so was millions of other vets. I was screwed while in the service. I got screwed upon my discharge and now I’m getting screwed by the fucking VA. Joining the military is the single biggest mistake of my life to date and I’m 60 years old. My son didn’t understand why I forbid him from joining during the second Gulf War. I’d never before or since forbid him from doing anything concerning his major life decisions and he was pissed. He understands now that he has to do a lot of the upkeep and maintenance on my home because I can’t. I’ve got a Great Man in my son and I’m glad that his heart doesn’t have the weight that mine has.
There was a suggestion in the comments about increasing taxes on large corporations to pay for the bonuses. Besides jailing those responsible in the government for losing billions of dollars, how about stopping the resettlement funds paid to poorly vetted refugees.
I would consider filing a class-action lawsuit under fraudulent inducement, with a few other things thrown in. You know there is no contract if there is fraudulent inducement.
Sounds like Vietnam all over again! We were promised a number of things but everything was taken back! Then an insult to injury when I was denied a neurological exam years ago then they said it wasn’t in writing! Well I have 30%+ brain damage what is a guy to do! For others got retroactive disability $ from not having qualified personnel do them well I was declared 100% disabled years later for some of the same & more issues. So I loose out again! Loss of over $250K for those years & I am too disabled to fight it! Sound like cannon fader to me!
The bean counters to do similar to SSA recipients in the SSA after being deemed totally disabled and then after receiving benefits, the SSA will ask for an “over payment” of about 3,000. There is never an explanation. Since vets collect SSA, thought you might want to be aware, it’s another scam on the totally disabled and SINCE the SSA deems you, the vets, totally disabled, THEN so must the VA/DOD. The international insurance codes for diagnosis, treatment, prognosis is the same throughout the world for insurance purposes so it is the same for VA/DOD as it is in the SSA. The same applies to WC and regular medical care.
Why the VA/DOD fights vets on benefits when the SSA already give totally disabled is one of another scheme, let the SSA pay smaller benefits than the VA/DOD higher paid benefits. Same goes for those injured on the job in private or govt employment. We’re all paying for our injuries or illnesses brought on by the employer, all out of our own mandated wages via FICA and the employers pay nothing from the comp or SSA benefits and laughing all the way to their bank in the Cayman and other 50 offshore accounts. Another reason we don”t need the TPP, or then you’ll be trying to find your benefits in China!
Hey Seymore, I need you to watch a Utube video. It’s about what you put on here last week. It’s from the
“MichaelTrimmShow.com”
Titled:
“Hillary Clinton Moves $1.8 Billion to Qatar Central Bank”
Oct. 19, 2016
(18:51 minutes long)
There’s quite a few revelations you didn’t mention in what you wrote. He goes into a lot more detail, concerning the Clinton Foundation and the American Banking System.
Pay close attention to who was POTUS when the banks started to illegally invest monies again! Which led to the ‘meltdown’ in 2008!
namnibor
You might want to watch it also. Remember that “letter” you received from your bank last week!?
And Seymore, this just out today.
“Congress Re-Empowers Banks to Gamble with Your Life Savings”
by Damon Gellar
If y’all thought the “Crash of 2008” was bad ———–+
Hey Elf,
I did notice the Trimm show after after I had posted the info. While he seems to have some good information I wasn’t able to confirm a some of what he said. But it is definitely worth check out.
Oh and Elf, are you ready for Obama’s Christmas present to us all. The December interest rate hike when he is going to crash and burn our economy?
Also Elf,
Have you seen the new Project Veritas Video that went online today? It is on utube titled “Rigging the Election – Video III: Creamer Confirms Hillary Clinton Was PERSONALLY Involved”
Definitely a must see.
Elf,
Another must see Video on U-tube titled: “Comey’s days at the FBI numbered”
It is Judge Napolitano on the $690,000 bribe paid by the Clinton Foundation to the lead investigator who controlled the Hillary Email investigation.
Seymore,
Yep, seen and read a lot of things on what you’ve commented on.
Have you heard about Obama wanting to start it (war) with Putin before he leaves office?
There’s sure going to be a lot of crap happening before 20 Jan.
I also read where the Army, the military, has “plans for anti-war demonstrators”! Some high ranking asswipes are really pulling out all the stops to see our country go down in flames!
In the state of Ohio….you go to JAIL if you ROB some one……Get the PICTURE…………..shame…………..shame ……shame
Since when does the Pentagon worry about contracts with soldiers . I know I signed one with the Army when I went in, and they never lived up to it . I know they never fulfilled their end. Hogwash. Appears that every organization in the United States is corrupt in one way or another.
Sorry, I don’t agree with supporting this one. And I’m a hardcore supporter of veterans rights and benefits.
The problem as I see it is not so easily solved. This scandal points to inequities if some soldiers received these benefits, whether they legally and knowingly or unknowingly didn’t qualify for them, while other soldiers who received no bonuses whatsoever in the same ranks and situations deployed repeatedly nonetheless. Aren’t those soldiers deserving of similar bonuses with interest ten years later? If you argue for these veterans to keep the funds, then other veterans who never received such funds should receive them now. Otherwise, the system was and is being gamed by what some were able to get away with.
The Army Captain’s case cited in the article is the most egregious, but rightfully he has already paid back his debt. Since when did officers qualify for reenlistment bonuses or student loan repayments? He never should have received those funds, yet now he is the poster boy for the alleged scandal? I’m sorry, but the Pentagon is right on this one. Only the California National Guard could have concocted and allowed such a scandal to have occurred. The Cal Guard has quite a history of such scandals as well, so it’s no wonder that is where most of the cases were found. Where the Pentagon is dead wrong, however, is that they should also be agressively going after the senior guard leadership/mafia/officers and senior NCOs that allowed this to happen under their very noses. Take away their pay and their promotions over the last 10 years. Take way their Bronze Stars doled out like candy. Make the senior leadership accountable. But don’t hold your breath because it will never happen.
Full disclosure. I deployed three times between 2005 and 2012 as an officer (Captain and Major). I recall I did receive a retention bonus administered the US Army/DOD designed to keep company grade officers in for which it was clearly designed for. The DOD announced the bonus and those qualified via the Defense messaging system. I did look into student loan repayments at the time and I was clear that officers were not eligible. Officers not being qualified for enlistment bonuses was a no brainer. Officers don’t enlist.
In all due respect, “as you see it” obviously comes from an officer’s point of view and perhaps not using real critical thinking here in realizing a contract is a contract. You are dicing a selecting the context for your view, which also seems to have a grudge towards enlisted folk. That is what’s a no brainer here. Your somewhat lofty view would make you a great VSO if not already in the padded saddle.
With all due respect I was an enlisted member before becoming an officer and then being wounded and medically retired.. Your insults aside, I fail to see the point you are making. All soldiers, officer or enlisted should be treated equal.
Namnibor,
Have to agree with you in regards to Paul. With the disinformation he posted on my prior comment and now this post.
Even his closing words of disinformation on my comment were “The best thing to do is contact a veterans right advocate for help with gaining access to benefits.”
Been down that road named “Wasted Time” already. The VA, County Veterans Services rep, VFW all say the same thing I did in my post. Long before ever posting anything about it here.
I have even emailed Ben about the situation several weeks ago but no reply.
Again regarding Paul from his two comments here it seems he is confused on weather he was enlisted or a officer.
There is that bad odor again I know you have to be smelling it too.
I seriously fail to see the value the two of you bring to discussion when you spend a lot of your effort attacking others and being just plain rude. Just maybe vets come here looking for perspective and workable solutions. How about some civility and respect for others? Or is your point to just shut everyone down and wallow in defeat and cheapen a very important service this website offers? No need to reply. You’re welcome.
Namnibor,
I was right about that smell.
Rosebud, Oppps, I mean paul,
You stated “Just maybe vets come here looking for perspective and workable solutions. How about some civility and respect for others?”
Good question why don’t you show civility and respect for others?
Clearly no one is going to learn anything from you between your BS statements and disinformation it is clear you are not here to help anyone or to add to any conversation. Your goal is to prevent the sharing of ideas and communication between actual disabled Veterans.
There is nothing you have said that anyone on this site would care to hear. That said go ahead and create a few more fake names and continue posting.
Why the heck doesn’t DOD go back to Iraq and get the billions of dollars that they left floating around over there?
Pretty sure that made it’s way out in pockets like fire ants to a picnic. Fearful it was the same bag of money tricks with recent hundreds of billion$ given to Iran….but we want our Troop’s reenlistment bonuses back, damn it!
What morons!
I am thinking there’s much more nefarious steaming poo to this story and whose pockets and mattresses got stuffed.
As I see this, the U.S. Gov’t. outright LIED to these Vets in order to get them to continue fighting and no DRAFT would come to the MSM surface….make the wars look “SUSTAINABLE”, yeah, THAT was the word used…Sustainable. WTF?!
All of us KNOW in order for these wars to come to a finale, it’s going to be at possible great loss, and more broken Vets. Have to wonder if this why they have dragged this entire set of wars on and on without no real cohesive strategy; to save $$ in taking care of damaged human vessels/Veterans fighting same wars? Again, WTF?
As far as I’m concerned, if they signed a contract and fulfilled it, these guys don’t owe a single dime.
Why the he’ll is it that bureaucrats can spend millions to claw back thousands from soldiers or veterans, yet shrug their damn shoulders when they find out some contractor overbilled or committed outright fraud? This pales in comparison to that theft.
The federal and state governments can hand out welfare, medical, housing and other benefits to illegal aliens or refugees like they have a money tree, but when it comes to the military who are providing a contracted for service, they pull out all the stops to screw them.
This reminds me of the first Gulf War when the pay system was so screwed up that soldiers weren’t getting paid, took advances, and either didn’t have to pay them back, or were screwed royally on what they had to pay back.
Bureaucrats moved with lightning speed to force repayment, but took years to act on a clear mistake they made.
Ps. Like the layout of the site Ben. Looks very professionally done.
What is happening to these Veterans is so wrong in so many ways. Not only is our government going after these veterans for reenlistment bonuses but also they are forcing them to repay money they received for educational Benefits.
For me this has become personal. Currently I am helping someone I have known for over 40 years that grew up in the same area of a small town I lived in. After 4 deployments to the middle east in both Iraq and Afghanistan he has suffered 7 strokes and is currently undergoing chemo for a cancer that is stage 3.
About the only good thing the government is doing for him is because he is now retired from the National Guard he is eligible for Tricare and they are covering his medical expenses.
Although he has served our country honorably and did receive a 6-thousand-dollar reenlistment bonus he has never been eligible for any veteran’s benefits. Although he had been deployed for a period of 322 days in a one year period to the middle East. His unit was deployed for first a 179-days deployment then returned to the states for less than 40 day and then redeployed back to the middle East for a second deployment.
For National Guard troops to become eligible for Veterans Benefits they have to had served a continuous deployment of 180 days in the middle east. So, to prevent the members of his unit from receiving the rights to Veterans Benefits they returned his unit to the states for about a one month period after being deployed for 179 days, just to prevent them from being eligible for Veterans Benefits, then redeployed them back to the middle east in under 40 days because they were needed.
He is only in his 50s and after 7 strokes and now going through a stage 3 cancer with chemo treatment. He is barely able to speak and when he isn’t in the bathroom getting sick from the chemo he is still up beat.
It being a small town a person notes that other members of the same National Guard Unit are having the same health problems. No one else in the town is having the same problems.
These men and women have risked their lives and served our country honorably only to be faced with deployment games to cheat them out of Veterans Benefits and now are being faced with the possibility of having to repay reenlistment bonuses they earned. Some of whom are suffering and unable to work because of the effects their honorable service to our country has had on their health.
This is just so wrong in so many ways.
One thing I would like to point out that it was a Wisconsin National Guard Unit they played the deployment game on and “didn’t get the Memo” Russ Feingold was a senator in Wisconsin when this all happened. He lost his office but is now running to try and get it back using a platform of “I didn’t get the Memo”, when people repeatedly reached out to his office for help while the CandyLand at Tomah was up and running.
That is it for now have to go give a friend a ride to his appointment with Chemo
It’s shocking how the Pentagon and our esteemed politicians can just ignore the games they play with days of active service.
Clearly some bean counting bastard played those games with the sole intention of eligibility for benefits.
Clearly Congress has no problem with it.
It reminds me of coming back from the Gulf War. Any Reservist or National Guardsmen on medical hold to have medical problems addressed prior to being released from active duty has a big red magic marker for at the top of every page of medical records.
They did this to tell anyone looking at the pages that that person was a Reservist or National Guardsman, was not to be believed, and was to be removed from active duty as soon as possible.
I saw a lot of soldiers get screwed hard by fellow soldiers and civilians who didn’t give a damn about those who served.
You may be confusing things here. The trick that some commands were using regarding deploying soldiers for less than 180 days has to do with not providing them full and additional allowances while on Active Duty and perhaps not running out their calendar days of allowable Active Duty service under certain types of orders tied to certain types of federal funding. These are very different things than what you describe. The soldier should be eligible for veterans benefits as along as he has a claim with records to prove a medical condition that occurred or resulted from such periods of service. However, in many situations, proof of a medical condition is the most difficult to prove if the veteran has no records. As the other reply above indicated, there was a systematic system it seems to keep soldiers in the dark about their rights upon being released from Active Duty without full documentation of any medical conditions that existed. The best thing to do is contact a veterans right advocate for help with gaining access to benefits.
My son-in-law never saw active duty for 180 days while serving in the National Guard. However, while on his two weeks annual training he injured his back. I filed a claim for service connected disability for him. Received his medical records, etc. filed the claim with our Regional Office ~ He was awarded 10%. Appealed that for him and he is currently rated at 50%. With that said, “any” N/ Guardsman who was injured or wounded while they were deployed during the disputed 180 day period is elgible to file a claim with the VA as long as they submit copies of their medical records and those records will show he was treated for said injury/WIA. Additionally, to help with the claim process, find a civilian Doctor that will write a letter that supports or backs up the military medical records. I used this method for over 20 years as a veterans advocate and in that time frame, I have never lost a claim. I’m a Nam vet who filed my own claims for which I am 100% P&T with SMC pay. View the VA as a brick wall ~ find a way to go over or under it and ways to go around it. Prevail and you will overcome.
Paul,
I assure you that I am not confused here. An article post from The Military Advantage Blog at “Military.com” states it clearer than I can. Below is the title of the article.
“Reserve and Guard Retirees Near to Becoming ‘Veterans’”
Below are several paragraphs quoted from the article.
“On the eve of Veterans’ Day, the Senate passed a bill with language to grant “honorary” veteran status to as many as 200,000 Reserve and National Guard retirees — those not deemed veterans now because they did not serve a qualifying period of active service under federal orders.”
“Both the Senate-approved language and the House bill would make clear that bestowing veterans’ status on this category of retiree would not in any way expand their benefits beyond what federal law now allows. How states view them for state-provided benefits already varies state-to-state.”
My Friend who has retired from the National Guard after 20 years of Honorable service. Who has also been deployed overseas numerous times in service to our country prior to the conflicts in the Gulf and has also been deployed 4 times to Iraq and Afghanistan during the recent conflicts. My friend who is also suffering the same consequences to his health as many other Gulf War Veterans. Has not even been eligible to say he is a US Veteran let alone receive Veterans benefits.
As stated in the first paragraph there has been a qualifying period of active service under federal orders to be consider a Veteran. For my friend, that period of qualifying service under federal orders would be a deployment for a period of 180 continuous days during the conflicts ongoing in the Middle East. His records clearly show that he in fact was deployed for a period of 179 days in the middle east and that he was returned to the states for less than 40 days before he was returned to the middle east to serve an additional 172 day deployment.
Thank fully he is retired National Guard and receiving Tricare. Else he would have been left without Health care as a number of other National Guard Veterans were that did not retire.
NavInfPO6,
Thank you for the info I hope others on here can use it. But in my friends case he wasn’t injured while in service through the National Guard his declining health immediately followed his service.
!. I’m with Namnibor, I like the new look…
2. If the pentagon needs to recoup this money, it needs to get it from the people who committed the fraud, IE the recruiters and their superiors…Not the people who were the victims of the fraud…
Good point on how they need to recoup the money and I fully agree.
Benjamin- Do not see a “Donate” option anymore on this new website. FYI. It it’s anywhere, it’s quite buried and I am used to deep menus, so thought important enough to post here. Nice otherwise.
Here’s a couple of articles out on “Military.com” y’all should read.
1.)
“WHY IT MATTERS: Veterans”
23 Oct. 2016 | A/P by Mathew Daly
This article shows how important our vote counts.
_______________________
#2)
From, “Personal Liberty”
“Truth is the enemy of the State”
Posted Oct 24, 2016
by Bob Livingston
This article puts into perspective, what is transpiring throughout the world, by a select few!
This matter is very much like many scandals at the VA. Upper Management making the dire fraudulent schemes that affect all Veterans being schemed but when caught red-handed, it’s never the managers at the VA that pay but Veteran’s pay with continued crappy medical and adversarial claims process.
Here we have upper management recruiters and officers that did not just use word of mouth, no, these were actual “CONTRACTS”, of which, 10 years later the Pentagon decides to go after the low-hanging fruit; the very Veterans/Military Members who were NOT *just* weekend warriors, no, these Guard were “ACTIVATED” and served MULTIPLE TOURS….to only come back and USA screw them in the worse way possible and this would be more than enough to activate any residual back-burner PTSD with any Vet and this would be enough to want to just move away from the USA…have the affluent fight their own wars from hereon.
I will be very surprised if Obama does anything about this. However, if any of these Veterans or Active Military decide to kneel or sit for the American National Anthem, the President has YOUR backs, but not those that fought for everyone else’s “freedoms”!!! They want your bonus back but sorry, the POTUS is either too busy campaigning for Hillary or he is playing golf…RAT BASTARDS!
Benjamin–nice reboot of website. Really cool Pentagon photo. Was that the ‘chrome effect’?
Thankfully, this is still in the National News Cycle…was just on news a few seconds ago.
Note: All it will take for this story to disappear forever is a Kardashian getting stung on it’s ass by a bee. We all need to forward this story over and over to all political dinosaurs and presidential candidates.
If Trump does not use this story and atrocity towards Vets in his campaign, then I know of no other opportune time to get this out…even if we are used as props in the process.
I wonder how many politicians shrugged their shoulders over the 5 years this audit was going on, leaving their constituents to fend for themselves against the bureaucrats.
Seems to me this only got someone’s attention after a class action suit was filed.
Just like when I joined the Army during the Vietnam War. The recruiting officer tells a lot of bull sh!t. Just to get ya in.
Once your “in”, you find out everything you were told was ————-!!!!!!!
Is this any big surprise? Didn’t the pentagon mislay something like $5.2B last year? Of course they are going to rob from the servicemen. Poop rolls down hill.
@IrateVet24601
Don’t forget about the $6 BILLION the State Dept. “LOST”!
If I understand this correctly the recruiters as usual made pie in the sky promises to these guard personnel,recruiters get a big bonus when they sign them up and they should pay back the overage,IMHO!!
This blows on so many levels!
USMC Ret.
Semper Fi
MOST of these “bonuses” were to KEEP them going back to Middle East Wars because of “troop shortage”, as many of these Activated Guard had been Activated a few times before and never much longer, and most times before, the minimum of continual 24 months Activated…in order to qualify for full VA Benefits.
How about the “bonuses” these recruiters and officers likely received? I also recall in that same time-frame, specifically the Army, enlisted quite a few ‘gang members’ and waived many previous obstructions to entry to military because again, of “troop shortages”. Not just in California.
Anyone get the feeling that they were doing everything possible to avoid what was actually needed, a DRAFT for these “Wars”, in order for true sacrifices felt and maybe these wars would not have lasted this long?
How can we have just sent $100’s of Billions of $$$$$ to Iran, but…we want our Troop’s reenlistment bonuses back?
WTF?!!!
I can only imagine the VA turning away any of these affected Vets by saying since they owe the U.S. Gov’t., until resolved, SOL…just guessing. Can only see this as benefiting the VA if it hurts Vets.
Rant out.
WTF, is the expression of the day. Oh….where’s VA Sec. McDonald on this….where is our fearless leader?