Schumer: Bills sent to wounded soldiers The Associated Press
NEW YORK — 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 offi ce 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.
Well, that's what you got when you have the government running things. This is just a forewarn of what universal health care will bring to ALL of us!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I just looked at Chuckie's rap sheet on votesmart.org, at the link below. And now we're supposed to believe that he supports the troops? Yeah, he does...about as much as McNulty...if THAT much.
There's many other things on there that should be brought to light, but I just pulled out the military related information.
Senator Charles E. 'Chuck' Schumer REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY RESPONSES TO CITIZENS ON ISSUES THROUGH THE 2004 NATIONAL POLITICAL AWARENESS TEST
Senator Charles E. 'Chuck' Schumer REFUSED TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION WHEN ASKED TO DO SO BY:
Major News Organizations and key national leaders of both parties including,
John McCain, Republican Senator Geraldine Ferraro, Former Democratic Congresswoman Michael Dukakis, Former Democratic Governor Bill Frenzel, Former Republican Congressman Richard Kimball, Project Vote Smart President
Congressional Election 1992 National Political Awareness Test
Revenue Priorities/Program Spending Please evaluate the following general program areas and indicate the level of federal funding that you will support if you are elected to Congress.
Decrease Spending Defense
National Debt
If you are elected to Congress, how will you confront the issue of the national debt? X Reduce governmental defense spending.
Defense Which of the following defense proposals do you support or oppose? Strongly Support Reduction of the number of American military troops. Oppose Continued funding of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI).
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