Military Demands Bonus Money Back from Soldiers with Arms, Legs Blown Off

[dajoki]

U.S. Military Demands Bonus Money Back from Soldiers with Arms, Legs Blown Off
Sunday, June 22, 2008 by: David Gutierrez
NaturalNews
http://www.naturalnews.com/023488.html

<<snip>>

The policy came to light after Jordan Fox, who was injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq and sent home three months early, received a letter asking him to repay $2,800 of his signing bonus. Fox had been hospitalized for several months, and still has an injured back and a blind right eye.

"I was just completely shocked," Fox said. "I couldn't believe I'd gotten a bill in the mail from the Army."

<<snip>>

But according to CBS affiliate KDKA in Pittsburgh, the military has asked "thousands" of injured troops to return part of their bonuses.

In response to the KDKA report, a military spokesperson replied that the bill sent to Fox was a mistake.

<<snip>>

But the military has refused to comment on charges that thousands of soldiers have received letters similar to Fox's. In addition, the military has only specified that wounded soldiers will not be asked to repay any of their bonuses -- it has not promised to pay full bonuses to injured soldiers in cases where the bonus was not paid up front.

"I am disappointed that the policy does not go further by stating that wounded soldiers will also receive the remaining balance of future bonus payments," said Rep. Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania. "It is preposterous for our government to have a policy that says that a soldier who has sustained serious injuries in the field of battle has not fulfilled his or her service obligation."

[babylonsister]

1. Jeeze! Now there's a title. I'm about to be ill and will rec'd for fuckedupness. nt

[Ian David]

2. See also

The Nation: Veterans' Health-Care System Does Not 'Support The Troops'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x313476

Pentagon: Mental Illnesses 'Pre-Existing'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1977673

[Bozita]

3. I wonder if those bikers in SF gathering to 'support the troops' over the weekend knew about this.

Same goes for all the folks driving around with those magnetic ribbons on their vehicles.

[Canuckistanian]

4. With the stroke of a pen, this BS could all end

But it doesn't, does it?

They keep asking vets to pay for their meals in hospital. To live with untreated PTSD. To keep committing suicides AT RECORD RATES. To be electrocuted in their showers, with no recourse. To come home to a rat and cockroach-infested hospital.

I really have NO CLUE why these young men and women CONTINUE TO VOLUNTEER for this abomination, this so-called "war in Iraq".

And I have NO CLUE why their loved ones would ever CONSIDER VOTING REPUBLICAN AGAIN.

:rant:

[csziggy]

8. You left off the wounded soldiers who were billed for the inadequate armor

left on the battefield... http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/08/soldier.payment/

[Canuckistanian]

16. That's just bizarre

Still, the soldier got A DEAL by agreeing to pay for the armour and accepting a discharge.

AND he got reimbursed through donations of clear-thinking people.

[silverojo]

5. This is how Bush "supports our troops"!

:puke:

[dajoki]

6. kick

[malaise]

7. WTF????

These people are shameless.

[indepat]

9. Unconscionable criminality: there is the usual garden-variety criminality, then there's

unconscionable criminality such as this which could be a source of funding more no-bid contracts for Halliburton et al. :D

[Supersedeas]

10. and the Media wants to portray military families as supportive of the 'War' President

[dajoki]

17. But they do not cover type of this behavior n/t

[uppityperson]

11. k&r for wtf?

[dysfunctional press]

12. they need the money to pay halliburton and kbr for all their "cost-plus" work.

nt

[libodem]

13. I'm spinning around my room like a dervish

That is God-awful! What a position to be in. No arms to even blow you own head off, after a person becomes so desperate, from debt incurred to your own government. What are they going to do? Garnishee their disability payments? Seems to be enough money to pay off Iraqi's for killing their relatives.

[tbyg52]

14. Still? This has been going on more or less forever. Disgusting. nt

[jus_the_facts]

15. "He's a product of YOUR profession....not MINE."

Metallica's ONE ~ Featuring scenes from the movie "Johnny Get Your Gun"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j39ABZyzek

[razors edge]

21. great link. n/t

[jus_the_facts]

25. Thanks!

[razors edge]

18. Chew em up,

Spit em out.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

19. Recently I was going through my husband's late grandfather's paperwork...

...he was a WWII vet, and the government asked for over nine hundred dollars from him.

[lonestarnot]

22. Well I think we need to ask all those fucking warmongers for our money back they stole!

[razors edge]

23. I was fortunate enough to only serve in peace time.

(If you can call Reagan's time peace)

They still hit me up for the cost of gear I was never issued.

I just chalked it up to them being pissed that I turned down the re-enlistment offers.

It cost me two grand to get out of the corps, and I was an aircraft mechanic. I was charged for a flak vest, 782 gear, (all the gear a grunt packs) and I never was issued any of the stuff. They took it from my income tax returns for the next three years.

Semper Fi! :sarcasm:

[PeaceNikki]

20. Disposable Heroes

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LU1gpboHUV8

Bodies fill the fields I see, hungry heroes end
No one to play soldier now, no one to pretend
Running blind through killing fields, bred to kill them all
Victim of what said should be
A servant `til I fall


Soldier boy, made of clay
Now an empty shell
Twenty one, only son
but he served us well
Bred to kill, not to care
Do just as we say
Finished here, Greeting Death
He's yours to take away

Back to the front
You will do what I say, when I say
Back to the front
You will die when I say, you must die
Back to the front
You coward
You servant
You blindman


Barking of machinegun fire, does nothing to me now
Sounding of the clock that ticks, get used to it somehow
More a man, more stripes you wear, glory seeker trends
Bodies fill the fields I see
The slaughter never ends



{Why, Am I dying?
Kill, having no fear
Lie, live off lying
Hell, Hell is here} x2

I was born for dying

Life planned out before my birth, nothing could I say
had no chance to see myself, molded day by day
Looking back I realize, nothing have I done
left to die with only friend
Alone I clench my gun

[City Lights]

24. Meanwhile, McCain continues to receive $58,000/year in disability.

:mad:

[dajoki]

26. That is SHAMEFUL!! n/t