(U.S. Air Force graphic/Corey Parrish) Stop loss pay application window closing March 4 2/17/2011 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- The deadline for eligible members or legally designated beneficiaries to apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay is coming to a close March 4. Nearly 6,000 current and former Airmen have received a total of more than $19 million in special pay since Air Force Personnel Center officials here began accepting claims in September 2009. Airmen who were involuntarily held on active duty between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2009, may be eligible for the special pay compensation of $500 for each month they were affected. Eligibility includes active, retired and former service members, as well as members of the Reserve component who served on active duty while their enlistment or period of obligated service was involuntarily extended, or whose eligibility for separation or retirement was suspended as a result of stop loss. Claims are being evaluated based upon historical records as well as any supporting documents the applicant may submit. Officials here have received more than 10,500 claims to date with approximately 3,000 of those still pending review or approval determination. Due to the large volume of applications received in the past few months, officials from the separations branch here are asking claimants to allow 12 weeks for processing their claims before following up. For more information or to file a claim, eligible members or legally designated beneficiaries may download a stop loss claim application at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss. Applicants who were serving in the Reserve or Guard at the time of stop loss may find an application by visiting the Air Reserve Personnel Center website at https://arpc.afrc.af.mil/vPC-GR/. For more information on program criteria and application instructions, visit the Air Force personnel services website or call the Total Force Service Center at 800-525-0102. (Courtesy of Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs)