Nickel-and-Diming Our Wounded: Iraq Vet Forced to Pay Back Army Bonus

Former Private First Class Jordan Fox was injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq. He suffered a serious back injury, and he lost sight in his right eye.

A few short weeks after his honorable discharge from the Army, a letter came by mail from the Defense Department. Was it a letter informing him of local veterans' clinics where he could receive vocational rehabilitation or counseling? No. A signed "thank you for your service" from the Secretary of Defense, or perhaps the President? No.

It was a bill for nearly $3,000.

Since Fox was too severely injured to complete his military service, the Defense Department was demanding that he return part of his enlistment bonus. In the Army bureaucracy, his wounds didn't matter. The Army machine wanted its money back.

Sadly, he is not alone. Some troops seriously wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan are being denied their full enlistment bonus by the Pentagon, while others are being asked to return money they have already received.

In July, the Dole-Shalala Commission exposed the Department of Defense policy that prohibits bonuses from being paid in full to service members unless their entire military commitment is fulfilled. Wounded troops, unable to continue to serve, are forced into an early military discharge, and thus, can be denied their full bonus.

However, new legislation gaining momentum in Congress promises to put an end to this loophole. The "Veterans Guaranteed Bonus Act" (H.R. 3793) would prevent wounded warriors from being unfairly penalized by requiring the Department of Defense to provide veterans discharged with combat-related injuries with full payment of any and all remaining enlistment bonuses within 30 days of discharge.

The men and women in uniform in Iraq and Afghanistan have served our nation proudly. Denying them their full enlistment bonus is a terrible way to welcome them home. The Veterans Guaranteed Bonus Act would ensure that all of our nation's wounded warriors receive the bonuses they have unquestionably earned.

Help us send the message to Congress that we cannot continue to nickel and dime these men and women who have given so much to serve our country.

UPDATE: Watch Jordan and his mother on CNN Headline News, along with IAVA's Todd Bowers, here.

And I was on Headline News with Glenn Beck last night to discuss the issue. You can see the video of that here.

Follow Paul Rieckhoff on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PaulRieckhoff

Comments

[wrabbitt]

Wow, give that man a bonus! he found another way to rip off our Veterans. Being a vet is not what it was now we are called crybabys because we ask for what was promised us.We served our country honorably, and now we are disgraced by telling us that the VA Officials make money with bonuses for holding back needed health care. Our country needs to be held responsible for these atrocities . bonuses replaced with jail time. Impeachment of all VA. appointed criminals. what happened to the pride of service we had? Veterans,government employees should have the same benefits. Royalty don't belong in America. we lived up to our half of the deal,now its the governments turn.

[QFE]

Rome tried to screw their vets too, and look what it got them - Caesar is constantly viewed as a foe of democracy, but when the supposed friends of democracy continually screw the helpless to prop up their own lifestyles and corruption then if you're lucky you end up with the rise of populism - which I used to think was a dirty word.

This administration has opened my eyes to so many things - I went from lifelong reluctant conservative to angry liberal.

[Levittown]

Since we have become the USA,Inc. chaired by the Bush/Cheney run corporate board the Walter Reed fiasco and the lack of military supplies for our troops is how big business is trying to run the world. I can understand the need for the return of bonus or" lure " money. They operate on big bonuses for the " suits " that run at a profit and not the uniforms who put their lives on the line for this scary, scummy bunch. I hope that this is not lost in 2009 when we expect a return to some honesty and fairness in how our government is run.

[BoulderSue]

This policy dfies all reason! Injured vets, if anything, should be getting more help! My generation (Boomers) was accused of spitting on returning vets from Vietnam, though I never did and never saw it, even had friends who were Vietnam vets. I was just glad when they got home! Now the government itself is worse than spitting. It is ruining people's lives even further than they have been ruined by injuries. I cannot begin to imagine how these vets must feel about their "welcome home" letters, aside from the financial hardship. Who doesn't support the troops? Remind me. I think I must have heard it wrong the first time

[Bob Egan]

When this administration says "Support the Troops" they actually mean "Support the War".
Dumbya and cohorts have complete disdain for our troops and just like to use them as a backdrop for photo ops!

The way our young people are enlisted with the misleading statements by recruiters and without complete disclosure of what they are really signing up for is a disgrace!

The enlistment practices are worse than the practice of the heartless brokers in the sub-prime lending market!

This administration, with the aid of ALL the ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES have brought this country down so far that I am no longer "proud"
to be identified as an American!

[Texashogfan]

My son began his 15 TDY in Iraq in May. It was understood that the soldiers would receive $1000 for each month over 12 months of deployment, i.e. $3000. That has been changed. They have been told that instead of $$, they will receive 1.5 days leave/month over 12 months, i.e. 4.5 days extra leave. Tell me if you think this is 'fair and equitable'.

Thanks

[Tankan]

Fair minded people must be shaking their heads in disbelief at this obscenity! Israeli vets are taken care of and not required to repay their bonus, and, I believe, the Iranian vets are in like manner, and so it is in most every country throughout the world. What are our glorious leaders doing, they who profess to care so much about servicemen and women, by allowing this gross insult and injustice to continue? The shame of America!

[MsTweetie]

When I first heard of this story it made me want to vomit. Gigantic steroid-using athletes receive millions upon millions of dollars in cash and cars as signing bonuses when the greedtard pro-sport teams want to lure a player to their teams, and if one of those athletes is injured in his first season and can't play anymore (baseball or football for instance), he gets to keep his millions in signing bonuses as isn't it surely put in his CONTRACT.
The stinking armed forces can't get many 'volunteers' to enlist in the military to get sent over to Iraq or Afghanistan for fear of getting their heads blown off. Or, should s/he survive a tour without getting killed, will come back minus some limbs, vision, or even his mind in many cases I'm sure. So the Shrub/Cheney Administration decides to provide incentives to recruits. Aren't they signing contracts when the military offers them bonuses for signing up? Why aren't these contracts honored?
And they aren't told they may become another Pat Tillman statistic or 'collateral damage' if they speak out about the war while over there, even though they may not be as famous as he was. Greedtard Cheney's Blackwater has a hidden agenda over there and aren't just 'contractors' helping out the troops either. They are murderer's, paid a huge salary, and I'd like to see statistics on how many of THEM have to return any signing bonuses. But hey, they are well equipped with the best that Cheney's blood money can buy so I doubt many come back in body bags or dismembered.
Our troops deserve much more than any signing bonuses. And, with even a month or two left to serve in a life or death situation they unfortunately suffer massive injuries that they will NEVER recover from both physically and emotionally, the least the damn government could do is leave them the hell alone and let them keep whatever is given to them because, even then, it's not enough.

[AcitizenNJ]

it is stories like this and others like it that really upsets me. it's a repeated story in that these men and women find a belief for whatever reason to join and stand ready to do what they are told to do (mind you they are told) without question. it's not the military who decides where and what duties these American sons, daughters of American mothers, fathers will take part in. it's our elected officials and those other men and women who conduct there business behind closed doors we rarely see or hear about that make these decisions. but, as this story tells us we should be very concerned when those elected officials standing at the pulpit and shouting about patriotism and you can't be against this iraq conflict while supporting our troops then they have to stop treating them like broken toys to be discarded. it just make me sick, 3 grand what does that tell ya folks when they want money back as if they send the kid to mc d's for a burger.

[The Thinker]

Too Bad the veterans do not pull the pull of illegal aliens in this country; if they did this ALL would have been paid for and then some!

The treasonous politicians we have covered themselves with salaries, benefits, perks, and health care, when are WE GOING TO CALL THEM ON IT?

WISE UP AMERICA TAKE YOUR COUNTRY BACK!

[Eoin45]

Come on 'support our troops' trolls. Step up to the plate and defend this. You're awfully quiet today.

[Driver125]

Sorry, but I have to believe that it is the Democrats who are at least partly to blame for this situation.
Let's be real. This thing was already set up to be the perfect Bush-style scam. Promise them (our vets) everything up front and then short change 'um when it comes time to pay up. He's used it over and over again, right from the start of his administration with No Child Left Behind down to the present.
What I would like to know is "Where are the Democrats?" Why isn't every one of them standing up and running it down every time one of these scum-bag Republicans mentions the phrase 'Support the Troops'? From inadequate equipment to miserable hospital care....the whole litany of non-support that our men and women in the armed forces have received from the Republicans. By this time in the war these people should be afraid to even utter the phrase 'Support Our Troops' for fear of what will be coming right back at them--that being the full story how they have most assuredly NOT supported the troops. Until such time as when the Dems are willing to stand up and throw it back in their faces that phrase will drop from their mouths as easily as "pass the butter".

[Not Blind]

The "Support Our Troops" mantra and justification for continuous funding of the war and industrial-military complex welfare is as fake as were the reasons put out by the administration for getting us into this war.
The troops' average salary is $29,000. Their overseas-duty or hazardous pay has been cut, as has their housing subsidies. Veteran's hospitals nation-wide are in deplorable condition, and many have been closed so veterans must wait longer to get needed treatment for battle-related injuries. Troops are billed for lost or damaged equipment, and now are being forced to forego their enlistment bonuses, if they're injured or killed, as the military deems they did not complete their duty. Recruiters continue to lie to enlistees, promising them training and money for college and other benefits, which they do not receive, even if they complete their full tours. The military has down-graded many war-related injuries and disabilities, so veterans can't get full compensation and treatment for these.
This is the same military that has spent nearly $800 trillion on weapons and gadgets that do not even work or function. I'll bet none of those contractors were forced to repay the military or government for the money wasted.
Most of us know this war is being financed with credit and excessive borrowing, which will cost us and our descendants directly in generations to come. The only winners are the no-bid private contractors (most with direct ties to the cabinet and congressional members). The brave troops on the front are the biggest losers, as are the citizens of both Iraq and the U.S., who are paying dearly for this failed policy.

[Verity1025]

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but it looks to me like this administration is trying to destroy the army and the national guard so they can use mercenaries who will only be answerable and loyal to the people who pay them, not the people of the United States.

I can't think of any other reason why they would treat them the way they do.

The end result---Blackwater patrolling our country . . .

[parryisle]

The more articles I read like this the more I am convinced those who led us into this misadventure in the distant sands have nothing but conempt for our forces servng in their war in Iraq. Why does such disdain exist? Perhaps in the absence of military conscription they know their family members will never pay such a price as have our wounded heros. Steve, USN, WW2