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A Maryland foundation is stepping into the breach to cover death benefits for the families of fallen service members that were suspended during the government shutdown — including the families of five killed in Afghanistan over the weekend.In what veterans call an outrageous slight after the ultimate sacrifice, the shuttered federal government is withholding a $100,000 payment, known as the death gratuity, that is normally wired to relatives of fallen service members.It's typically sent to families within three days to help cover funeral costs or travel to meet the flag-draped coffins of their loved ones."It is upsetting because my husband died for his country, and now his family is left to worry," said Ashley Peters of Springfield, Mo., whose husband, Jeremy, was a special agent assigned to the Army's 5th Military Police Battalion and was among the five killed. "My husband always said if something happened to him we would be taken care of.""I'm a stay-at-home mom, which is what my husband wanted," she said. "He wanted me to take care of our son."As outrage over the lapse built Tuesday, the Fisher House Foundation of Bethesda, Md., offered to cover advance grants until the government can make reimbursements to the foundation.The grants will also cover flights, hotels and other incidentals, it said...Other benefits also suspendedIt isn't the only benefit that's normally paid to families of fallen soldiers but has been stopped by the shutdown.Also suspended is a year's worth of housing allowance, typically paid in a lump sum to the surviving spouse or dependent children. For a sergeant in the Washington area with dependents, it amounts to more than $2,000 per month.And survivors aren't receiving a reimbursement specifically aimed at burial and related expenses. That benefit is $9,000 for burial in a private cemetery and $6,000 for burial in a national cemetery.
The latest disgusting act of the Obama admin designed to make the "shutdown" hurt mostly the general populace. Are there no depths to which this SOB will not sink?These soldiers died in the service of our country with Obama as the Commander-in-Chief who ordered them into harm's way, and this is how he repays them and their families.He is a loathsome POS.http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/08/20871220-military-foundation-steps-up-to-cover-disgusting-delay-in-payments-for-families-of-fallen?lite
