Robert P. Casey Jr.
Clinton, Casey To Protect Troop Bonuses
December 5, 2007
Source: The Bulletin
By Joe Murray
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.), with strong bipartisan support, is attempting to prevent the U.S. military from demanding injured soldiers return their signing bonuses due to their inability to fulfill their military obligations.
The signing bonus, which can reach upwards of $90,000, is used to attract military recruits, but soldiers that have lost legs, arms, or eyesight have been forced to pay back the bonus.
"Tens of thousands of troops have been injured in Iraq with many of them struggling to support themselves and their families. We owe these troops our word and we must not drop our commitment to them at the U.S. shoreline," said Mr. Casey.
The legislation, which was introduced in the Senate Monday, would guarantee the full payment of bonuses and incentives to those soldiers injured while fulfilling their duty. The measure would also force the Pentagon to undergo an audit so previous soldiers forced to repay their bonuses could have their rightful payments restored. The audit would go back to 2001.
"Requiring soldiers who are being medically discharged to return their bonuses is outrageous. It dishonors their service and undermines the Army's solemn commitment to soldiers and their families," stated Sen. Hillary
Clinton (D-N.Y.), a co-sponsor. "If the administration does not reverse this misguided policy, Congress should pass legislation to set this right."
The controversy, however, does not focus solely on those troops being forced to return their signing bonus, as the typical solider is given half of his bonus at the time he signs and half at the completion of his obligation. Thus, current law does not require the military to pay the remaining bonus to injured soldiers.
"It is unthinkable that the Department of Defense would fail to provide the financial compensation promised to those willing to serve, particularly when those same soldiers have suffered serious injuries in combat," said Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), a co-sponsor. "This legislation underscores the principle that the Department of Defense must make good on promises made to new recruits.
The controversy surrounding the military's payment practices first surfaced with the Dole-Shalala Commission, an independent investigatory group organized by President George W. Bush to ensure the quality of health care for those soldiers returning from oversea tours of duty. While Col. Gary Keck, a spokesman from the Department of Defense, stated the DoD's current policy does not recoup bonuses from injured soldiers, there is no legal requirement to provide soldiers with their full bonus. This measure, along with a similar measure introduced in the House, would close this loophole.
