HOW THE SYSTEM THANKS THOSE
WHO HAVE FAITHFULLY SERVED IT

 

Disabled soldiers forced
to repay military bonuses

 

 

Soldiers Back From War Fight Different Battle
WPXI 13 February 2007 / 4:20 pm EST

PITTSBURGH — Soldiers who were paralyzed, suffered brain damage and lost limbs owe the government enlistment bonus money.

They must pay the money back because they didn’t fulfill their tour
of duty.

Bob Truska, who was in the Navy, got an honorable discharge for
what the Navy calls a personality disorder. One year later, he got
a bill for more than $3,000, part of his $7,000 enlistment bonus.

Bob said, “I didn’t know of anything I had to pay back after I got
out of the military.”

The Navy said his honorable discharge “does not exempt him from
recoupment of the unearned enlistment bonus, and his personality
disorder is not a disability but could interfere with assignment or
performance of duty.”

According to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, each
month from October 2005 through October of 2006, at least 600
members of the military and as many as 1,100 have owed bonus
debts totaling anywhere from $2.5 million dollars each month to
$4 million.

The money comes from skyrocketing enlistment and re-enlistment
bonuses being offered to lure recruits and keep experienced troops
in uniform.

Just this past year, the Army doubled its top bonus from $20,000
to $40,000.

http://www.wpxi.com/news/11002564/detail.html

They didn't see the shyster clause when they signed up!