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WASHINGTON, March 4, 2005 – The Army's senior civilian vowed to push efforts to resolve soldiers' pay issues during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing March 3.
Responding to one senator's concern about a constituent who'd been wrongfully docked for travel and other expenses after he'd lost an arm during military duty in Iraq, Secretary of the Army Francis J. Harvey noted, "it's disturbing that these things happen, and they shouldn't happen." The goal and intent during distribution of any soldier's pay, Harvey said, "is perfection," noting he "didn't want to see any wounded soldier have any problems with pay." Harvey said the Army has expanded its telephone assistance hotlines to help soldiers resolve pay problems. He cited recent statistics that say 75 percent of soldier pay issues are resolved in one day. "Our objective is 90 percent the first day," Harvey said, noting the end state goal is "zero" pay problems. Harvey also said he'd support an initiative that would allow wounded Guard and Reserve members to keep their combat pay while they're hospitalized. Harvey emphasized that the Army was "taking actions" to fix any soldier pay problems. "We're going to take care of this," he secretary said.
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