Military Wants Bonus Back From Wonded Troops

[las47032]

The U.S. Military is demanding that thousands of wounded service personnel give back signing bonuses because they are unable to serve out their commitments.

To get people to sign up, the military gives enlistment bonuses up to $30,000 in some cases.

Now men and women who have lost arms, legs, eyesight, hearing and can no longer serve are being ordered to pay some of that money back.
One of them is Jordan Fox, a young soldier from the South Hills.

He finds solace in the hundreds of boxes he loads onto a truck in Carnegie. In each box is a care package that will be sent to a man or woman serving in Iraq. It was in his name Operation Pittsburgh Pride was started.

Fox was seriously injured when a roadside bomb blew up his vehicle. He was knocked unconscious. His back was injured and lost all vision in his right eye.

A few months later Fox was sent home. His injuries prohibited him from fulfilling three months of his commitment. A few days ago, he received a letter from the military demanding nearly $3,000 of his signing bonus back.

"I tried to do my best and serve my country. I was unfortunately hurt in the process. Now they're telling me they want their money back," he explained.

It's a slap for Fox's mother, Susan Wardezak, who met with President Bush in Pittsburgh last May. He thanked her for starting Operation Pittsburgh Pride which has sent approximately 4,000 care packages.

He then sent her a letter expressing his concern over her son's injuries, so she cannot understand the U.S. Government's apparent lack of concern over injuries to countless U.S. Soldiers and demands that they return their bonuses.

While he's unsure of his future, Fox says he's unwavering in his commitment to his country.

"I'd do it all over again... because I'm proud of the discipline that I learned. I'm proud to have done something for my country," he said.

But Fox feels like he's already given enough. He'll never be able to pursue his dream of being a police officer because of his wounds and he can't believe he's being asked to return part of his $10,000 signing bonus.

KDKA contacted Congressman Jason Altmire on his behalf. He says he has proposed a bill that would guarantee soldiers receive full benefit of bonuses.

Source: kdka.com - Military Asks Wounded Soldiers To Return Portions Of Signing Bonuses

[Woodmonkey]

Is this serious?

[redtanker]

I hate to say I think it could be serious. I don't belive that he government has any right to ask for the money back. Thats out of control. I have had soliders of mine injured and to my knowledge none of them has been faced with this problem but I will check it out.

[Caldric]

It is serious. I would like to think it was just an administrative FUBAR and will wait and see. Otherwise we should all just ring the congress and senators phones off the hook until their ears bleed.

If I was him I would wipe my arse on it and send it back to them.

[BrianK]

What needs to be done is find out who generated this & who approved of it.

Then fire them.

Maybe the GAO could help by making all those that generated fraud in all forms after hurricane Katrina be made to pay back what they took. That money should cover this sick request to return the bonus money.

[Chrisj]

I thought it was just the British government that treated its wounded service personnel like cr*p.

[sabadgeman]

Just an aside in WWI if a person was buried by the British Military the family or next of kin was charged for the blanket that they were buried in! Until Churchill put a stop to it the MOD was trying to make soldiers pay for the kit they "deliberately abandoned" at Dunkerque, this is what happens when fat cat government employees become involved in the military's affairs.