Free Republic

WASHINGTON (AP) - National Guard soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are also battling with their own government over long delays and widespread errors in their paychecks, according to congressional auditors. The General Accounting Office says in a study to be released Thursday that some activated Army National Guard soldiers saw delays of up to three months in their pay while others were overpaid an average of $48,000 and told later they had to pay it back. Responding to the study, the Defense Department vowed to correct the problems and conduct a broader review to improve the systems involved. House...

Government goes overseas Jobs contracted in foreign countries to save money By Stella M. Hopkins Knight Ridder Nationwide and in the Carolinas, food-stamp recipients rely on customer service centers in India - a little-known but widespread government use of a controversial cost-cutting tactic. Government agencies, squeezed by tight budgets, are following a growing business trend of using less expensive foreign workers. In 40 states and Washington, people collecting food stamps use foreign help desks, according to a survey by The Charlotte Observer. But help desks are just part of the overseas move. For example, programmers in India are helping revamp...

Click on: www.operationpaycheck.com ------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press Bush program trains unemployed By Harriet Daniels OCALA - The hope of a new job is on the horizon for Kurt Spears, who completed the training to become a commercial truck driver last week. Spears is making a career change after 12 years as a welder. He was laid off last year. Welding jobs were tough to come by, and Spears sought help from Ocala's One Stop Career Center, where he learned about Operation Paycheck, an initiative through the governor's office designed to assist workers affected by the terrorist attacks. "I started looking...