| Nov 20, 2007 @ 8:15 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back
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Bj864
Posts: 3,110
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Get ready to feel really angry or downright sick!
http://kdka.com/local/military.signing.bonuses.2.571660.html
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| Nov 20, 2007 @ 8:33 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back |
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lefthandedluckie
Posts: 5,023
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Bj....I expect "nothing less" from the Bush Administration! He has shown his care for the veterans by vetoing legislation that would have helped them! Inadequate medical care, incompetent Doctors and filthy hospitals!
Mission Accomplished!!
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| Nov 21, 2007 @ 10:50 AM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back
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Bj864
Posts: 3,110
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Where is all the outrage from the people on here that are always talking about "Supporting the Troops"? Is is just lip service only?
Now the military is saying it is a mistake, but they won't say that others haven't gotten the same letter.
http://kdka.com/kdkainvestigators/Iraq.veteran.bonuses.2.592432.html
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| Nov 24, 2007 @ 6:04 AM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back |
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midnightthunder
Posts: 235
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Doesn't surpise me considering, some private troops make over 100 grand a year, while our troops come home, and some have to live homeless. Or that Bush in 2003 wanted to cut imminent danger pay for our troops, now thats supporting the troops.
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| Nov 24, 2007 @ 4:25 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back
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steveemac
Posts: 2,336
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Where is all the outrage from the people on here that are always talking about "Supporting the Troops"? Is is just lip service only?
You're just now figuring that out? Here's my support for the troops, which I'm sure will get me labeled as a Terrorist Sympathiser or some such thing:
I support our armed services brave men and women-so much so that I'd like to make it known that I firmly believe that these Heroic Americans might be able to serve this nation in other ways than coming home in a body bag.
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| Nov 24, 2007 @ 4:56 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back |
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eastham
Posts: 6,317
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I wrote a blog on just this topic.
For those regulars, months ago there was a lengthy discussion on this forum about the Army meeting its recruitment goals and the various means it put into place to secure it. The Army was offering $20K bonuses for individuals who not only volunteered, but agreed to be deployed to Iraq following their stint in boot camp. This new offer pushed recruitment levels up to quota. These cannon fodder are now being asked for this money back.
What also galls me...Several weeks ago, the evening news, the papers, etc ran a story about President Bush visiting young men and women horribly injured in Iraq. He had a lovely photo-op at the same time his administration was sending out letters to members of the military asking for them to return their signing bonuses. The mother who contributed to the story I posted on my blog had also posed for pictures with GWB.
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| Nov 24, 2007 @ 5:12 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back
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SweetNapaGuy
Posts: 4,526
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And keep in mind, to get the recruiting leves up as high as they were, the military has had to accept more high-school drop-outs (up to 20%) and more criminals (up to 16%).
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| Nov 24, 2007 @ 6:23 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back |
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Bj864
Posts: 3,110
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The silence is deafening from the Bush supporters about this issue. Guess they can't find anyway to rationalize is as ok yet. They haven't come out with any talking points for them to use.
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| Nov 24, 2007 @ 6:30 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back
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SweetNapaGuy
Posts: 4,526
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As I posted on eastham's blog, I'd say the whole affair reeks more of bureaucrats in uniform pursuing a course to its logical conclusion rather than some perfidity on the part of the Bush administration or the Pentagon bigwigs.
Given the amount of money that is being shoveled at the Pentagon, does anyone think they'll really miss $3,000 x 40,000 wounded = $120,000,000? That's nothing to them, just another supplementary procurement from Congress.
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| Nov 24, 2007 @ 11:01 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back |
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Nightowl001
Posts: 4,087
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The silence is deafening from the Bush supporters about this issue. Guess they can't find anyway to rationalize is as ok yet. They haven't come out with any talking points for them to use.
I think even the usual ardent arch-neocons realize this behavior on the part of the administration is indefensible. It truly is a case of if you support our fighting men and women, you have to be against what the administration is doing to them (on more than one level). Since they can't admit they're critical of the administration for anything whatsoever, and they can't blame it on the Democrats, they have to sit in embarrassed silence.
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| Nov 24, 2007 @ 11:17 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back
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SweetNapaGuy
Posts: 4,526
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I suppose the only defense of this policy is to see if it happened during the Clinton presidency. During the Yugoslavian crisis, we must have had some injured soldiers who did not complete their tour of duty. Did this happen back then, as well?
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| Nov 24, 2007 @ 11:17 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back |
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MusicMonster
Posts: 2,954
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Disgusting as it all is, it isn't anything new really.. It's their well-established MO. One of the first things Bush did was increase co-pays for Vet Medical services and their medications by almost 300%, just out of the blue. He also made it a lot harder to qualify for medical services and shut down several Major Medical Centers, while laying off a ton of VA medical staff, all around the country. He has never shown support for the VA or for returning troops. In all reality it seems he despises his own military. Of course these things aren't usually widely publicized. But they are in the public record.
He has since taken a number of stands against benefits for Veterans, and very recently even threatened a Veto of a new and very needed Vet's Benefit Bill, if Congress didn't give him what he wanted on a separate, completely unrelated matter. (I don't quite recall the details now, but I remember posting about it here, and urging folks to write their representatives). It's nothing short of despicable!
So he has no problem at all playing poker with the lives of those who have given everything, including their entire future, to his personal war, and who, as a result of their military service, are now unable to help themselves.
Where's the outrage is a fair question. But I think most of us are beyond outrage..
-MM 
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| Nov 25, 2007 @ 3:10 AM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back
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Novalite
Posts: 3,009
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Where is the outrage? Get real!
Guy get bonus for signing on, gets hurt then gets bonus taken away for signing on. Wondering, here is bonus or benefit for being incapacitated?
I think that somewhere in the benefit for being hurt is where you will find his missing $3000.
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| Nov 25, 2007 @ 3:49 AM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back |
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SweetNapaGuy
Posts: 4,526
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So they're charging ALL soldiers $3000 if they're injured?
Are they charging just those who signed up for those large bonuses, or do they charge the people who have been in the service for years as well? After all, they get the same disability benefits, right? So why should one soldier be charged $3000 for doing their duty, and the next soldier be charged nothing for doing the same duty?
I'd say the "disability benefits" excuse does not seem valid to me. The signing-bonus soldier shouldn't be treated any different than the 15-year-veteran soldier laying in the next hospital bunk.
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| Nov 25, 2007 @ 9:40 AM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back
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eastham
Posts: 6,317
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That's a good question, Napa, because in order to boost sagging retention numbers, the DOD has also upped the reenlistment bonuses as well.
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| Nov 25, 2007 @ 11:44 AM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back |
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Bj864
Posts: 3,110
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The way I understood it is this;
They are given a bonus for going back in say for 2 years. If they are injured during that 2 years and cannot serve any longer, they have to pay back some of the bonus. I suppose they divide the bonus by 24 months and deduct the months remaining. So everyone would be different according to how much time they have left. The more time left the more you would have to return.
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| Nov 25, 2007 @ 4:30 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back
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Gallows_Humor
Posts: 7,784
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I think that somewhere in the benefit for being hurt is where you will find his missing $3000.
this needs clarification.. I am not sure..but all the while that a hurt soldier is being treated..he is still on the payroll..and if he is disabled..he will be getting a monthly stipend for the rest of his life..
but.. in the cold hard world of dollars, cents and accounting practices.. he cannot perform as agreed...and so therefore ..He owes back a portion of the bonus...
but..he should be/ will be still taken care of ...
where is the problem??
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| Nov 25, 2007 @ 6:33 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back |
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Bj864
Posts: 3,110
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where is the problem??
I have a BIG problem with it.
They got a sign up bonus. If they get injured, in the line of duty, they shouldn't have to pay back one cent! How many of them do you think has any of that money left?
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| Nov 25, 2007 @ 6:37 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back
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kjac
Posts: 5,484
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Is this any different than any of the other tragic ways our armed services have been treated the last 7 years?
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| Nov 25, 2007 @ 7:28 PM |
Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part of Bonus Back |
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Gallows_Humor
Posts: 7,784
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1st..
... let me state that I think anyone getting seriously hurt is a tragedy..
...getting hurt in an unnecessary war ...is criminal..
but that does not change the fact that a sign on bonus is just that..a bonus to be paid by a government/company to an individual ..for agreeing to work for them
....all have a performance clause attached ..(and sometimes it is in the fine print...) if one cannot perform up to expectations..or, if one quits..the money can be asked for back... end of story
now..think about this...if there was a draft...would there be any bonuses at all????
would there be any mercenaries??
really though..I am more concerned about the treatment of all injured vets for the long term...
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