Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Wounded Soldiers told: Pay Up Deadbeats!


Apparently the geniuses at the pentagon are working overtime thinking up ways to save the taxpayer a few bucks.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA)

The U.S. Military is demanding that thousands of wounded service personnel give back signing bonuses because they are unable to serve out their commitments.

To get people to sign up, the military gives enlistment bonuses up to $30,000 in some cases.

Now men and women who have lost arms, legs, eyesight, hearing and can no longer serve are being ordered to pay some of that money back.

One of them is Jordan Fox, a young soldier from the South Hills.

He finds solace in the hundreds of boxes he loads onto a truck in Carnegie. In each box is a care package that will be sent to a man or woman serving in Iraq. It was in his name Operation Pittsburgh Pride was started. Fox was seriously injured when a roadside bomb blew up his vehicle. He was knocked unconscious. His back was injured and lost all vision in his right eye. A few months later Fox was sent home. His injuries prohibited him from fulfilling three months of his commitment. A few days ago, he received a letter from the military demanding nearly $3,000 of his signing bonus back.

I really appreciate all the efforts that the pentagon will go to for me. Chasing after a half blind disabled veteran for 3 large. It warms my heart. Does anyone know if Rumsfeld got a bonus before he got canned? I would be happy to help him find his pockets.

Congressman Altmire (D), of Pennsylvania is sponsoring legislation to stop this bullshit. Please contact your rep. to ask them to help move it out of committee.

(via TPM)