Bill would give wounded vets full re-up cash

[unhappycamper]

Bill would give wounded vets full re-up cash
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Oct 12, 2007 11:51:06 EDT

Injured combat veterans would receive full payment of any re-enlistment or retention bonuses, even if they are unable to fulfill their service obligation, under a bill introduced by Rep. Jason Altmire, D-Pa.

The bill, HR 3793, is called the Veterans Guaranteed Bonus Act, is aimed at what Altmire described as a flaw in bonus policy uncovered by the Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors.

Defense Department rules require installment payments for re-enlistment bonuses to be terminated if someone cannot continue their military service. As a result, someone hurt in combat after re-enlisting would receive their initial down payment, typically half of the total bonus, but may not receive the annual installments if their war wounds make it impossible to continue service.

Under the bill, the full bonus would be paid to a veteran within 30 days of his separation from active duty if he was unable to continue serving as a result of combat injury or illness. This would not change the military’s policy of denying full bonuses to those unable to fulfill their service obligation for other reasons.

The fate of the bill, which was introduced Wednesday, is not clear. Congress is just starting to review the recommendations of the Wounded Warriors commission, but lawmakers have warned that the issues of medical treatment, disability review, benefits for the wounded and their families, and transition from military to civilian life for the severely injured are so complex that it will take time to come up with a legislative plan.

“Early discharge from the military due to a combat-related injury should not result in the loss of an enlistee’s bonus,” Altmire said in a statement. “These brave men and women fight for us, so we should fight for them and guarantee that they receive the bonuses that they have earned and to which they are entitled.”


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/10/military_retentionbonuses_071012w/



uhc comment: Gimmeafuckinbreak. These guys re-upped and were hurt in the course of duty. Pay them. Period.

[fasttense]

1. I think anyone who was in the military during the Iraq war should

get a free ride to any college or technical school they qualify for.