PENTAGON SUSPENDS EFFORTS TO COLLECT HEFTY BONUSES PAID TO CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS

[mystery-ak]

Published October 26, 2016

DEVELOPING: The U.S. Secretary of Defense said Tuesday that he is ordering the Pentagon to suspend its effort to recover the decade-old reenlistment bonuses paid to thousands of California Army National Guard soldiers who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

About 2,000 soldiers were recently told they had to repay the cash bonuses that, in some cases, amounted to $15,000 or more.

Ash Carter, the secretary, said in a statement that there is a process in place to assist soldiers who seek relief of such obligations, and in this case, “hundreds” of Guard members have already sought and have been granted relief.

“But that process has simply moved too slowly and in some cases imposed unreasonable burdens on service members,” the statement read. “That is unacceptable.”

Carter did not mention any timeframe that the suspension will expire, but he insisted that it will be in place until he is “satisfied that our process is working effectively.”

more
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/10/26/carter-suspends-pentagon-s-demand-return-cash-bonuses-to-california-soldiers.html

[driftdiver]

They offered these people a bonus if they reenlisted.   The people accepted and went to war.  Some probably died, some were injured.  All served their coutry in a time of war based on the promise of this bonus.

Now, 10 years later, the govt wants the money back because the people didn't meet the requirements.

The Secretary of Defense should be thrown out of office for letting this happen.

[SZonian]

They offered these people a bonus if they reenlisted.   The people accepted and went to war.  Some probably died, some were injured.  All served their coutry in a time of war based on the promise of this bonus.

Now, 10 years later, the govt wants the money back because the people didn't meet the requirements.

The Secretary of Defense should be thrown out of office for letting this happen.

To be honest, this happened under Bush...the recruiters, base career advisors, personnel specialists who were directly responsible for granting these bonuses are responsible.  I read where one was actually imprisoned for falsifying the documents needed to authorize the bonuses.  Many others were disciplined for their roles in granting/authorizing the bonuses and some in knowingly accepting bonuses they knew they weren't qualified for.

CNN actually has a pretty thorough article on this mess...http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/25/us/national-guard-recruitment-bonus-repayment/index.html

Typical DoD finance BS though...some REMF fouls up and the troops are forced to suffer...I saw it and experienced it during my service.

[rangerrebew]

The government gives that much and more to illegal aliens who have done nothing for this country.

[geronl]

but but but they're giving 6-figure bonuses to drone pilots... where will the money come from.... surely not from the money vital to America's security, transgender operations...

[mystery-ak]

If you notice the key word in this announcement is *suspends*...not stop....If I was one of these soldiers I wouldn't relax.

[Frank Cannon]

If you notice the key word in this announcement is *suspends*...not stop....If I was one of these soldiers I wouldn't relax.

They did that so they don't have to pay back the people who they already bankrupted.