Wounded soldier followup story.....Wounded GI to keep pay.

[Historic NY]

http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2004/12/11/soldier1.htm

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1060442

Responding to pressure spearheaded by Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-Saugerties, and pursued by New York Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton, the Army yesterday released Loria on terminal discharge. He was free to leave, but would continue receiving pay for 68 more days. The Army also has agreed to waive most of the money it was charging Loria and to help him file proper paperwork for the rest of it, Loria and the officials said.

snip

"They could see this was a terrible black eye and this was a condition that was completely unacceptable and had to be corrected immediately," said Hinchey, who had contacted the secretary of the Army. "When you have someone who has made an enormous personal sacrifice for this country that will remain with him for the rest of his life, being treated in this very cavalier and disrespectful way, it's outrageous."

snip

By the time the Times Herald-Record hit the newsstands yesterday with Loria's picture on its cover, Hinchey's efforts had reached the secretary of the Army. Clinton, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Schumer were also making calls.
"It broke my heart. I was both sad and angry," Schumer said. "The first thing is to help him, and then to see if it is happening to anybody else."
The Army has agreed to allow Loria to keep the family separation allowance he received during his recuperation and has waived his responsibility for lost equipment. And it has also helped Loria refile his travel expense papers.
"I wish I could tell you this is the only story like this I have heard, but it's not," Clinton said yesterday.

[Liberty Belle]

1. I'm glad to hear they helped this guy, but what about the rest?

Air America ran a story on this soldier yesterday. If the rest of our so-called free press would start doing its job, we could correct more of these injustices.

We have to keep leaning on the mainstream media to be more repsonsible about covering stories like this one, which isn't a liberal/conservative issue.

[Brundle_Fly]

2. I fear...

we have lost the Mainstream Media.

[MADem]

3. Most Americans have NO idea

...how often this shit happens. It happened in the last jaunt in the sandbox as well, again and again, but without the happy ending of citizen outrage.

Quite frankly, if the clowns at DFAS can't keep this shit straight, they need to be fired. And if Congress can't tailor the pay manual to except these situations (but they do have time to pass bullshit resolutions), THEY should be called to account--they make the damn rules, and it is fine to take advice from the military in the crafting of the rules, but they need to ask the tough questions and insure that the appropriate exceptions are written into the regulations. And ANYTIME a person is medevac'd, they ought to put a hold on any recoupment efforts for gear. When your shit is blown up, how are you then responsible for it? Also, any travel for leave from a combat zone ought to be fully funded (not just to the borders of the continental US) as well as all travel for medical treatment--even after the service member is discharged. It's the right damn thing to do.

What happened to this kid is nothing short of egregious, but sadly, it is all too common. Our pennywise and pound foolish government makes sure of that. And these kids are powerless to complain, unless they have a gutsy spouse like that brave wife this kid has. He's fortunate to have her...what a strong, brave woman.

[steely]

4. Awesome, but they can't stop there (helping one guy)

It sounds like the systems need a personal touch, like some sort of counselors who would take a little more responsibility in the interests of the separation / outprocessing of special cases like these - but I may be dreaming.

I wasn't injured but I remember my outprocessing something like: didja turn in all of your stuff?, good - now get out of here.

[SoCalDem]

5. How much is HIS "lost equipment" worth.. What's the going rate for an arm?

I am sure that while he's bleeding to death from the loss of his arm, he should have been a "good soldier" and demanded that his "equipment" be sent with him..:eyes:

Whatever "equipment" he left behind, is surely being used by another soldier anyway..sheeeez.. what a bunch of shortsighted nitwits we have ....

[aquart]

6. When a soldier is wounded, the debt is OURS.

We owe HIM, not the other way around.

Any other policy is obscene.