NationStates Jolt Archive

not for me, but for these bastards(Desk/Knob Jockeys).
Wounded US soldiers fighting off military debts: report

WASHINGTON 27/04/2006 06:50


Hundreds of US soldiers wounded in Iraq have been hounded by bill collectors for military debts after coming home, US television reported.

In one case the Army demanded a soldier repay a 2,700 dollar enlistment bonus because he only served two years of a three year tour -- even though it was a mortar blast in Iraq that cut short his service, according to the ABC News report.

In another case, the army mistakenly continued paying a combat bonus to a soldier while he recuperated from a roadside bomb that nearly severed his leg -- then sought to get 2,000 dollars of it back.

"By law, he's not entitled to the money, so he must pay it back," Colonel Richard Shrank, the head of the US Army Finance Command, was quoted as saying.

The cases were unveiled in a report by the Government Accountability Office, which oversees public spending for Congress, according to ABC. The GAO report is to be released Thursday.

The report "found hundreds of wounded soldiers were turned over to collection agencies for military debts incurred though no fault of their own," ABC said.

Call me Eutrusca for the day.:p
http://www.bakutoday.net/view.php?d=20009
http://icasualties.org/oif/

*Discuss*

*Discuss*
I see we are given permission to chat about said topic, very well.

I think it is a bad thing. Anyone agree?

I see we are given permission to chat about said topic, very well.

I think it is a bad thing. Anyone agree?
That is an interesting point of view, how did you come to that?

It would seem that this thread needs a bit of quasi-troll spicing...
:Dallow me.

Personally I think that if you go to war, you get what you deserve. The idea being, "If i join the army, I am happy with a whole bunch of bad things happening to me". Therefore, soldiers deserve no sympathy, because quite simply, they were asking for it. Relating back to the topic, I don't think this is any different to civil debt collection. It sucks, but you signed on the dotted line mate, deal.

Ugh... government money saving schemes.

The first example the government are completely wrong in what they are doing.

In the second example they could be right and they could be wrong. It depends. But they're probably wrong. Seeing as it's an internal communications error that the guy wasn't still in Iraq. Therefore it's their own fault and they can't reclaim it.

Similar thing has happened in the UK (for the second year running). The government has a scheme called child tax credits. And for the second year in a row they have overpaid families by a total of £2 billion. They are trying to recoup this money, which the families obviously don't have any more as they have spent the money. One woman has been asked to pay back a lump sum of £3,000 within a month. However virtually every single instance of overpayment is due to the crap computer system that the government has (as witnessed by the fact that this has happened for the second year in a row).

I will incinerate the next Blairite that claims that tax credits are a complete success of New Labour.

Sorry about the off-topicness, but it's the same kind of thing. Self-righteous and intimidating letters to the worker who sent you the letter normally get the government off your back. The whole thing is just a government tactic to get people to back money which they don't have to by misinforming them.

It would seem that this thread needs a bit of quasi-troll spicing...
:Dallow me.

Personally I think that if you go to war, you get what you deserve. The idea being, "If i join the army, I am happy with a whole bunch of bad things happening to me". Therefore, soldiers deserve no sympathy, because quite simply, they were asking for it. Relating back to the topic, I don't think this is any different to civil debt collection. It sucks, but you signed on the dotted line mate, deal.
heh, i didn't even bother to read what i posted.:p

The first case i read and since he got his term cut short in the line of duty he should keep his bonus.

The second case is rather unfortunate, and is probably regarded as theft.
If you knowingly take money you get in trouble.
maybe the paper trail got lost as they soldier was shifted from hospital to stateside...

In any case I blame Rummy!

support our troops! Please visit Operation Completion (http://www.operationcompletion.org)

I see we are given permission to chat about said topic, very well.

I think it is a bad thing. Anyone agree?
I don't. If you get money that you're not contractually entitled to you should pay it back.

I don't. If you get money that you're not contractually entitled to you should pay it back.

No but you would get a great deal more if the organization put you in a work condition that permanently disabled you.

No but you would get a great deal more if the organization put you in a work condition that permanently disabled you.
Not if you joined the organisation in full breifing of the likelyhood of such a thing happening. If you join the military, and it doesn't kill you, you got less than you were asking.

Prehaps a new incentive policy not to get wounded.There is nothing worse then debt collectors ..Not even iraqi insurgents hitting you in the head with an rpg.

A lot of people are going to go to hell over this war, and not all of them are insurgents/"terrorists".

This seems rather exciting to publicise, no? When I finally get a spare moment, I believe that I will write a brief to CNN. :p

hah,

well it is good to know im not the only one. I owe the DoD just under $5000 Dollars! What they do is if you dont pay them (I chose not to), when you file your tax returns they sieze if from that. I havnt had taxes now for 2 years. It is quite annoying.

However, in your contract, when you enlist, it does say that you must serve a certain amount of time, to own that money. If you depart the services early (for whatever reason), you are required to return the remainind dept back to the DoD (DFAS) from your bonus.

not for me, but for these bastards(Desk/Knob Jockeys).

Call me Eutrusca for the day.:p
http://www.bakutoday.net/view.php?d=20009
http://icasualties.org/oif/


I'm geussing they are eligible for disability or something so it is not like they will be paying it back with their own money anyway.. why not just stipend their disability a bit for a year... etc.. or alow ' require secondary service roles' like desk jobs or photo ops or sceintific teting or DARPA for the disabiled.

I find it screwed up how 'collection' agencies are required for a government department. Essentially they are spending money to collect money.. why not just talk to the IRS etc.. for direct stipend on any tax return etc.. or stipdend ventrens alloance or disability etc.. on some reasonable repayment scheduel.

True if it isn't their money it isn't their money. Although wasting money to get money back is counter productive. Although the funds should be adjusted for various economic factors such as CLI.

Call me Eutrusca for the day.:p

eut's busy being an arse in another thread at the mo so he'll probably thank you for doing his job for him :)

as for the article - that's mental! i can't believe the army accountants can really think they can act in this way, it's appalling. :mad:

hah,

well it is good to know im not the only one. I owe the DoD just under $5000 Dollars! What they do is if you dont pay them (I chose not to), when you file your tax returns they sieze if from that. I havnt had taxes now for 2 years. It is quite annoying.

However, in your contract, when you enlist, it does say that you must serve a certain amount of time, to own that money. If you depart the services early (for whatever reason), you are required to return the remainind dept back to the DoD (DFAS) from your bonus.
Perverse Bastards.