Supporting The Troops: Army Billing Vets For Damaged Equipment...

[BlooInBloo]

Fuckers.

"Army Billing Vets For Damaged Equipment

Servicemen and women who made huge sacrifices fighting in the war and now paying yet another price, even after coming home.

One soldier in particular is currently battling against a new “debt of service.”

Brian Rodriguez is a fighter, an honorably discharged soldier who’d been deployed in Iraq.

“I was a combat engineer,” Rodriguez said. “We deal with land mines, explosives.”

He fought for his nation, only to return to his homeland and wage a fresh battle.

Former Army Specialist Rodriguez started getting bills for $700 for lost or damaged government property this summer. Although he was discharged some four years ago, bills recently arrived demanding payment, but giving no details on what or why — nor do they offer a way to dispute the charges.

“For doing my job you’re going to bill me?” Rodriguez said. Read more…"


What was it Cheney campaigned on? "Help is on the way". Fuckers.


EDIT: Forgot linky: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/07/26/army-billing-vets-for-damaged-equipment/

[sanskritwarrior]

1. Actually John Kerry campaigned with the message

"Help is on the way"...........I think he did.......

[BlooInBloo]

3. It was Cheney...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/08/02/politics/main221310.shtml

"For eight years, Clinton and Gore have extended our military commitments while depleting our military power. Rarely has so much been demanded of our armed forces, and so little given to them in return. George W. Bush and I are going to change that, too. I have seen our military at its finest, with the best equipment, the best training, and the best leadership. I'm proud of them. I have had the responsibility for their well-being. And I can promise them now, help is on the way. Soon, our men and women in uniform will once again have a commander in chief they can respect, one who understands their mission and restores their morale."


Mebbe Kerry said the same words in a different context, dunno.

[sanskritwarrior]

8. I thought it was Kerry

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/29/dems.main/index.html

[BlooInBloo]

10. Cool. That would be the different context.

[aquart]

2. No bills to soldiers. None.

They don't owe us. We owe them.

[happyslug]

5. It has been the law since the Revolution.

If a soldier lose a piece of equipment, and the lost is NOT combat related or otherwise accounted for, the soldier is liable. If the Soldier does NOT pay for the lost equipment his company commander will pay. That has been US law since Von Steuben imposed it on the troops in Vally Forge. It is how the military accounts for the Equipment it gives its troops, from the boots he wear to the rifle he shoots. IT can extend to any other piece of equipment he is issued, trucks and even Tanks.

Now he should have been accessed this cost before he left his unit, let alone the US Military, not years later.

[sanskritwarrior]

9. Agree on last point

As for paying for gear........In my 13 years I have probably shelled out close to 3000 dollars in gear I lost due to Iraq, training accidents, etc........If you signed for it, you are liable, no matter what.........

[mmonk]

11. I was not aware of that. Thanks for the information.

[JFN1]

4. This is sickening

I hope the guy can fight it.

[mmonk]

6. "Ownership society"?

[Captain Angry]

7. They tried it with my brother.

He put a piece of equipment on the back of a parked vehicle while they were waiting to deploy.

Somebody decided to move the vehicle without permission, my brother's equipment hit the ground and was run over.

He was informed that he'd be charged about 10% of his annual salary for the damage incurred because he let his equipment be damaged by accident.

My dad wrote to Senators, Representatives, the Secretary of Defense, etc.

My brother will not be billed.

Not for lack of trying on their part though.

Now all we have to do is get him home safe, with his medical records so we can get his Purple Heart medal taken care of. His CO didn't submit the documentation of the incident where he became eligible for a Purple Heart because "We've been doing too many of those recently."

[sanskritwarrior]

12. In both of these stories wrong was done

If your bro signed for it and wasn't accountable for the damage, he should have been. Not a slam on your brother, just a case where the Army didn't enforce egalitarian uniformity......too bad

and the Purple Heart issue, by failing to get one he will rated differently as a Vet, it is called Self Identifying, basically if you ever file for VA benefits, a Purple Heart moves you a little higher up the list than a guy without one. Never, never turn down an award or a decoration, you might need those "points" later if you are dealing with VA..........

[Captain Angry]

13. I disagree about charging a soldier.

When in a warzone, all equipment is a write-off. If it was negligence on the part of a soldier that causes damage to a piece of equipment, you make an example of them and make them clean the latrine.

You DO NOT charge that soldier 10% of their annual salary for something like this.

If a soldier sabotages or purposely damages something, THEN you start looking at charging for the equipment.




On the Purple Heart, since his CO won't go to bat for him, we'll wait for my brother to get out, and we'll submit it then. He'll get the service he earned, not the service his CO felt like letting him have to save paperwork.

[TahitiNut]

14. This has been Army policy for as long as I know.

It was sure the policy during Viet Nam - and I recall my father and uncles saying it was so in WW2, too.

[WinkyDink]

15. I highly doubt it. Was JFK billed for PT-109? Poppy for his plane?

Who kept track of "damaged equipment" during the Battle of the Bulge? The Normandy Invasion? Iwo Jima?

[TahitiNut]

16. For battle-damaged equipment, there's a form to fill out.

:shrug: Every company clerk has them in a combat zone.

[trouble97018]

17. Combat Losses Always Written Off

Just checked with a former Combat Engineer vet of WWII and
Korea.  If it was lost in a combat zone it was written off. 
All of it.  It didn't get charged to the soldiers.  This is
just crap.

Susan