Pentagon Official on Wounded Vet Story: "We're Not Sure What Happened"

Pentagon Official on Wounded Vet Story: "We're Not Sure What Happened"
By Paul Kiel - November 21, 2007, 12:34PM


Yesterday, we noted a story about Iraq veterans who were being asked to return part of their enlistment bonuses because their injuries prevented them from completing their tours. The story focused on one vet in particular, Jordan Fox from Pittsburgh.

Well, the story kicked up something of a firestorm, so Brigadier General Michael Tucker, deputy commanding general of Walter Reed (he was tapped after the scandal broke), showed up on Fox News early this morning.

Reacting to Fox's case, he said, "We're not sure what happened but we're gonna fix it." Here's the clip (AT LINK):

The problem goes far beyond just that one soldier, though. No numbers are available, but the story yesterday quoted estimates by veterans groups that this sort of thing happened to "thousands" of others.

Tucker said that army policy "is that soldiers who are wounded in combat or have line of duty investigation injuries... we will not go after a recoupment of any bonuses they receive." Recouping bonuses, he said, "doesn't pass the common sense test."

But notice that phrasing. While that policy, if implemented, would prevent injured soldiers from having to pay back bonuses they'd already received, they might still not receive their full enlistment bonus. That's because the Army could still withhold parts of the bonus on the basis that the soldiers didn't complete their full tour due to the injury.

more...

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004758.php

Bushco described in one sentance.

Someone forgot to check block 97 V on page 47 of a document and all hell breaks loose. It was a screwup, not an evil conspiracy people...

That's a lot of missing blanks not checked...

I have done that paperwork before and I hate the sheer number of t's that need to be crossed and that i's that need to be dotted. If they are not done perfectly, either the paperwork doesn't get processed, or the paperwork gets processed wrong.



Frankly I'm surprised every time that I get paid on time each month by the military.

It doesn't even have to be a matter of checking or not checking the right box. A simple (or not so simple) unanticipated combination of data can do it.

My brother for several years received a monthly statement for a loan account telling him he was $0.02 in credit. Simply because he overpaid on his last payment. All the computer "knew" was a non-zero balance requires a statement to be issued.

In this case it would appear to be a computer that "knows" non-completion of agreed term requires any "overpayment" be returned.

would entitle the soldier to the full enlistment bonus IMMEDIATELY. Just cut the fucking check.

fundamentally human test either. It's inhuman.

Guess the negative PR got a little much for them.......

have to give back all the bonuses they were promised after they have drove the company to near bankruptcy and are asked to resign or fired?

they know exactly what happened. They tried to fuck the troops out of their money and got caught. End of story. :mad: