It was made public last week that thousands, formerly a part of the California and Nevada National Guard are going to have to pay the government back bonuses they received years ago.
“These bonuses were used to keep people in,” Christopher Van Meter, a wounded and former Army captain in the Iraq War told Fox News. “People like me just got screwed.”
He is not the only one who accepted enlistment bonuses he was told he was eligible for when he was not. He is one out of nearly 6,500 former guardsmen, according to the Associated Press (AP). Though from Military.com reports that the number in California is higher, 9,700.
The bonuses were given out as a way to raise enlistments numbers during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. It was orchestrated by higher-ups who were experiencing a shortage of soldiers during this time. After audits revealed that their was a spending increase from California’s guard in the last years of the war, the Pentagon demanded their money back with interest.
Master Sergeant Susan Haley served 24 years, her husband served 26, their son lost his leg in Afghanistan and they have to pay “$650 a month. [...] $650 is a quarter of our monthly income. And you just can't all of a sudden come up with that money. We have depleted our savings,” Haley told the Cable News Network (CNN).
The bonuses average to $15,000 or more per person and add up to $20 million in total according to Fox.
Nevada’s military participants are affected as well, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal (Review Journal).
“State military officials said Tuesday that they have so far found a handful of Army Reserve military police serving in Nevada who are being asked to repay bonuses they received for enlisting or re-enlisting,” via the Review Journal.
Aubrei Lucas, a 26-year-old currently deployed sergeant is now experiencing this problem. She received $7,500 of a $20,000 bonus and now has to pay it back.
Provided by the Review Journal, “Now she and four others in the unit are being told to pay the money back with interest. Her bill, counting fees, comes to $10,000.”
In a Los Angeles Times, letter-to-the-editor published in their article, “Opinion Forcing war vets to return enlistment bonuses is disgraceful,” Kathleen V. Williams wrote, “No, the bill should be sent to the four officers who pleaded guilty to this scheme. Our soldiers upheld their end of the contract, and we’ve reneged on our part of it. When will we get it right and treat our soldiers and veterans with respect?”
And Williams is not alone with California lawmakers also speaking out.
On Oct. 24, United States California Senator, Barbara Boxer tweeted, “Our servicemembers and their families shouldn't have to pay the price for the mistakes of others.”
Dianne Feinstein, co-U.S. Senator tweeted, “Members of the National Guard should be allowed to keep all the enlistment incentives that were promised to them.”
And provided by AP, the Pentagon has suspended repayments in light of the anger uproar from Republicans and Democrats alike.
“Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered the suspension in the wake of angry reaction from congressional Republicans and Democrats. They demanded he relieve the burden on Guard members following news reports that soldiers were asked to repay bonuses that in some cases totaled more than $25,000,” according to AP.
“The announcement does not end the reimbursement process, but postpones collection efforts while the Pentagon and Congress look for a long-term solution.”
With thousands in debt to the Pentagon thus far and possibly more to come, many hope a fair conclusion is reached and fast.
