Comments on: Believe It, or Not

by: joanr16

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 15:05:42 +0000

Back in 73, the military restructured the formula used to calculate the bonuses….

American combat troops left Vietnam in early 1973. We’re now ending the fourth year of another very unpopular war. Time to raise hell about what is a grossly inappropriate “precedent” under the current circumstances. Hold the yellow-ribbon crowd’s feet to the fire.

by: Doug Hughes

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 13:10:24 +0000

Screwing enlistees out of their bonus is a military tradition. Back in 73, the military restructured the formula used to calculate the bonsus, which cut it to a fraction of what the recruiters showed before we signed a contract.Changing the formula was legal but as a class-action case made it to the Supreme Court, the Navy lost because the bonus, and the manner it was calculated was part of the recruiters manual. In other words, there is precident that the military is bound not only by the letter of the contract, which no one has the chance to read, but by the spirit of the agreement and that could get the Army in trouble in a class-action suit if no one mentioned you have to survive to the end of your contract to collect.

by: erinyes

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 12:39:26 +0000

I sent Chuck Hagel a letter several years ago in protest of the Iraq war. He actually sent me a favorable response. Imho, Hagel is one of the few honorable Republicans, as was Lincoln Chaffee

by: joanr16

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 02:40:03 +0000

I’m so pissed off over this that I emailed my senators. Ben Nelson is on the Armed Services committee, but of course his head is filled with wood chips and hamster dooty, so that email was probably a waste of time.

My other senator, though, is Chuck Hagel. I’ll keep you all posted.

by: Chief

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:38:56 +0000

here’s a link

http://kdka.com/kdkainvestigators/Iraq.veteran.bonuses.2.592432.html

by: Bonnie

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 23:14:47 +0000

Don’t forget that (it appears to me) more and larger bonuses have been offered in this illegal and immoral war because the armed forces are not meeting their recruiting quotas. So, they entice poor young men with lots of money; but take it back when they get injured.

by: k

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 21:58:43 +0000

this is not new policy and has been happening for years now. it just floated up to the top of the pile again.

by: joanr16

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:10:37 +0000

Tim at Balloon Juice summed up my reaction perfectly. The rightie shriekers are a pack of flamin’ hypocrites. Not that I didn’t already know.

Billions for Halliburton, but screw the maimed soldiers. Obscene.

by: erinyes

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:00:09 +0000

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/11114
Perhaps that explains this.

by: PurpleGirl

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 15:58:21 +0000

Yes, this administration sure does support the troops… This is outrageous. And in the new WH budget, the Veterans Administration is scheduled for less money and to continue getting less money every following year. Again, just when the wounded troops will need the most support this administration is planning for it not to be there. Faceless bureauracy, my eye… What is Congress going to do about this issue?