Posted on 10/26/2016 8:15:12 AM PDT by ColdOne
DEVELOPING: The U.S. Secretary of Defense said Tuesday that he is ordering the Pentagon to suspend its effort to recover the decade-old reenlistment bonuses paid to thousands of California Army National Guard soldiers who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.
About 2,000 soldiers were recently told they had to repay the cash bonuses that, in some cases, amounted to $15,000 or more.
Ash Carter, the secretary, said in a statement that there is a process in place to assist soldiers who seek relief of such obligations, and in this case, “hundreds” of Guard members have already sought and have been granted relief.
“But that process has simply moved too slowly and in some cases imposed unreasonable burdens on service members,” the statement read. “That is unacceptable.”
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
What about the people who mortgaged their houses to pay it back?
Translation: Election day Nov 8
ISSUE another Cash Bonus for the soldiers’ pain and suffering on this.
Probably suspended until Nov 9 or so.
...and who’s stupid idea was this? Barky’s? He needs more money to give to Iran???...
If I were the Military, I would walk into the Oval Office, put hand cuffs on him and march him to Git-Mo where he should be in the first place!!!
Anywhere else, i.e. private sector; the participants would have been quietly “grandfathered” and keep the bonus.
This sounds like low-level bureaucracy to me. Some colonel in the Pentagon who is in charge of accounting, and is afraid of being accused of wasting government money.
After that they will all be sent to Leavenworth.
Another example of how demoCraps hate the military and it’s members.
What happened to the recruiters and their superiors who approved these improper bonuses? How about the financial corps types who allowed these bonuses to be paid out in the first place. That needs to be cleaned out to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Has the California National Guard officer corps be swept clean, revoke some pensions, give out some dishonorable discharges. If the guys who got the bonuses were somehow in on it, get rid of them too, but that is a small part of the problem.
Did Ash Carter approve this fiasco in the first place ?
...What about the people who mortgaged their houses to pay it back?...
The obvious.
Well, we may be F’n over the troops and the SECDEF could give a damn, but by God the Secretary of Defense Ash Carter is pleased to announce that transgender individuals will now be able to openly serve in the U.S. armed forces.
So, at least the troops have got that going for them.
Because transgenders being allowed to openly serve in the U.S. armed forces makes the US military a more fierce and feared fighting force.
About time. Congress has known about this for at least two years.
No recruiters were involved.
These were people already in whose enlistment were up therefor unit retention officers would have tendered the offers.
And it appears to have been widespread, so it came from high up the chain of command.
In other words, Give us back the money we gave you by accident BUT we can't revoke the accidental citizenship we gave to a 800 + illegal immigrate that were supposed to be escorted to the opposite side of our border.....
un-f---ing believable!
This asshole should be fired for sheer stupidity. The Pentagon loses billions and he wants to go after our vets for government pocket change.
UNDER 10 USC 2774 ERRONEOUS PAYMENTS OF PAY AND ALLOWANCES CAN BE CONSIDERED FOR WAIVER (FORGIVENESS) ON BEHALF OF A MEMBER OR FORMER MEMBER OF THE UNIFORM SERVICES WHEN COLLECTION WOULD BE AGAINST EQUITY AND GOOD CONSCIENCE AND NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE U.S. GOVERMENT.
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE OVERPAYMENTS OF THE CALIFORNIA GUARDSMEN (RESERVISTS), THEY RE-ENLISTED INTO THE REGULAR ARMY AND WERE ERRONEOUSLY PAID ENLISTMENT BONUSES. GENERALLY, ENLISTMENT BONUSES ARE ONLY PAID TO FIRST TIME ENLISTMENTS, NOT PRIOR SERVICE MEMBERS. THUS THE PAYMENTS WERE ERRONEOUS, AND NOT RECOUPMENTS OF BONUSES THEREFORE THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR WAIVER UNDER 10 USC 2774.
FURTHER, THE AGENCY (DOD, ARMY, AND DFAS) COULD APPLY FOR WAIVER ON THE MEMBERS’ BEHALF WHEN IT’S CLEAR THE MEMBERS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE OVERPAYMENT. ACCORDINGLY, DOD, THE ARMY AND OR DFAS COULD OR SHOULD PUT TOGETHER A GROUP/BLANKET WAIVER AND SUBMIT IT TO THE CONTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES FOR WAIVER.
ALSO, IF ANY OF THESE MEMBERS ARE CURRENTLY ON ACTIVE DUTY (ENLISTED) THEY WOULD ALSO QUALIFY UNDER THE SERVICE REMISSION LAW, 10 USC 6161 (FOR NAVY AND MARINES CORPS MEMBERS)
WHY DOD, THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY AND DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE (DFAS) DID NOT CONSIDER THIS OPTION, IS BEYOND ME, PERHAPS, THEY HAVE TO MANY ACCOUNTANTS AND LACK THE MILITARY PAY EXPERTISE TO DEVELOP THIS TYPE ON PLAN, EVEN WHEN THERE IS PAST PRACTICES FOR DOING A BLANKET/GROUP WAIVER ON CERTAIN TYPES OF GROUP DEBTS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MR. DAVID E. MCDERMOTT IS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS, WITH THE DEFENSE FINANCE ACCOUNTING SERVICE, AND THIS SHOULD BE WITHIN HIS SCOPE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
SINCERELY
HARRY E MCGOWAN
( Former USMC Payrolls Officer)
They fly a plane full of cash to Iran, but demand payment for their screw up from soldiers who many served and paid the ultimate price in their foreign wars.
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