Posted on 08/10/2005 4:28:43 PM PDT by Aliska
Milan, IL-Should the biological father of a soldier killed in the line of duty receive death benefits even though he never met his daughter?
Sgt. Jessica Housby of Rock Island was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq in February. The unmarried 23 year old was raised by her mother and step-father.
But the state contacted her biological father Tony Holbrook in his prison cell in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa and informed him that as the biological father of Jessica, he was entitled to survivor's benefits, and is in line to receive more than 137- thousand dollars in the coming weeks.
(Excerpt) Read more at wqad.com ...
The girl must have signed something. Maybe she didn't understand what she was signing. Maybe they military lost the paper the girl signed. If I were the mom I would definately get a lawyer.
I was a 73-C Finance Clerk for 4 years back in 1987-1992 when I was in the active Army. There is exactly one person responsible for this and it is the former servicemember. (May God bless her for her sacrifice)
When you go through reception station before basic training you are given a class on death benefits and are required to choose a beneficiary and fill out a form. Every year every single active duty person was required to update their SGLI form. Every time a person PCS's or deploys to a foreign land they are required to fill out a new form and verify their beneficiary. Now things might have changed since I was a paper pusher but I doubt it, if anything it is probably worse as far as how many times you are required to review these things.
Maybe the young lady didn't like her stepfather much or something? Maybe she just chose the 50/50 option between her biological parents. It was her option and personally it sounds like a reporter just looking for another thing to complain about to make the military look bad.
Thank you for clarifying this. I have no idea what the real life behind this story is but it's her money and I sincerely hope she had the free will to choose.
The national media, definitely. Our three local media do not come across like that in any way.
This is the heartland, and people are very patriotic around here, for the most part. Every time a local soldier or soldiers are killed in Iraq within a 50-mile radius, I never sniff politics entering into the equation when the deaths and funerals are somberly reported. The stations go out of their way to treat the deceased, the ceremonies, and the survivors with the dignity they deserve.
The tv reporters may have their own personal opinions about various wars, particularly the current one, but they would not dare slam the war effort or the military.
We have a large military installation here, a very important part of the local economy that we are currently in danger of losing, and there is a street called Hero Street where legal Hispanic immigrants had way more than their share of deaths and those who survived in the service of this country. There are lots of military burials on Arsenal Island. No, the local tv networks wouldn't dare to insult the military.
Privately, I know of one local father, a Democrat, who was disgruntled that his daughter had to serve in Iraq, so the winds of war blow both ways among the citizenry.
Now for a few of the local newspapers, that might be a different story, but they are hurting for subscribers.
"By law"...how most young folk fill it out..."
Yep, that's probably what this young soldier did too.
I did the same when I went to Nam. Wanted to leave it to my girl friend since I did not get along with my parents. Army said I couldn't do that so I just checked the "by law" box.
The mother gets half, whether by designation or by fiat. Did you read it? You can be mistaken about people, by the way they present themselves on tv, but I didn't get the impression that she wanted all the money; she was indignant that he would get any because of his dereliction of duty. We don't know all that went down between the two of them, but if he deserted her at four months pregnant, refused to acknowledge the child as his on the birth cert, refused to pay child support, never made any effort to contact his daughter, I do not blame her one little bit for her outrage.
All these complaints about the guy not paying child support aren't valid. He wasn't listed on the birth certificate.
Granted that she came along before DNA science took a major leap, but just because he is not on the birth certificate does not relieve him of his moral duty to support his biological child, if she is correction was his biological child. Evidently SHE believed she was because she called asking about family medical history on his side, that being her only contact with him ever except via sperm in utero. Legally it could be interpreted differently, but lots of laws suck now. He most definitely acknowledges her as his daughter now that the green stuff is coming his way.
People can think what they want, the mother didn't look like the sharpest knife in the drawer, looked like she had had a difficult life, the step father could have been scum, but the guy didn't make a good impression on tv either except he did look like he had bathed and put on some clean clothes for his 15 minutes of fame. And, of course, a little digging could probably come up with some unsavory facts about the deceased for people so inclined. She died in the service of her country, whether she wanted to go or not, and that is all that matters at this point in time. Her adult life was over before it started. She gave her all - for us and for every scumbag out there cooking up meth.
Just wanted to clear the air on that.
Where? Your home page has no information as referenced to the above situation.
You were in the military, albeit some time ago, you input on this?
I've read all the pieces here, this girl was in the military, she chose who her beneficiary would be. You would do well to put aside your own personal resentments and give her hers. She chose, she died. Give her that.
Media maggot(s) seldom if ever dwell on good news.
Seem as though some folks are unhappy unless they find something to bitch about.
Maybe if you do a little detective work, you can figure it out. I don't want a profile page because I only care to share what I choose to share.
That may be, or it could be like other posters suggested she checked a box she wasn't certain what it would mean. Yes, I resent deadbeat dads. I can still post stories, and you people can decide.
If that was her true choice, I would be the first to honor her wishes. I know she died. She gave her life for this country, and may she rest in peace.
Well if so, then that's that, unless some undue influence was in play.
That may be the case. It was the government agency in Illinois that made the final determination which suggests there may have been some lack of clarity as to how she filled out the form combined with the unique circumstances of her life.
Calling the mom greedy is a cheap shot. We don't know her heart. Maybe you can read hearts. I can't. The mom didn't act on tv like it was about getting more money for herself. She just didn't want the man who didn't stand by her to have it.
You don't know the real facts and how the girl felt or why she did what she did. You just don't like the result.
No, I don't know all the real facts, and neither do you. No, I don't like the result because it rewards irresponsible behavior in this situation. I'll live with it. Life isn't fair.
What do you care for anyway? It didn't happen to somebody on your local news, and you didn't see the report on tv.
Chris Minor seems like a decent person, and I resent her being called a media maggot. She always reports sad stories with a compassionate demeanor. There are also some happy stories reported around here. Maybe I'll call the station today and point them to this thread, seeing how it's gone downhill and I didn't violate their sacrosanct copyright laws.
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