Thousands of California soldiers forced to repay enlistment bonuses a decade after going to war

Short of troops to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan a decade ago, the California National Guard enticed thousands of soldiers with bonuses of $15,000 or more to reenlist and go to war.

Now the Pentagon is demanding the money back.

Nearly 10,000 soldiers, many of whom served multiple combat tours, have been ordered to repay large enlistment bonuses — and slapped with interest charges, wage garnishments and tax liens if they refuse — after audits revealed widespread overpayments by the California Guard at the height of the wars last decade.

Investigations have determined that lack of oversight allowed for widespread fraud and mismanagement by California Guard officials under pressure to meet enlistment targets.

But soldiers say the military is reneging on 10-year-old agreements and imposing severe financial hardship on veterans whose only mistake was to accept bonuses offered when the Pentagon needed to fill the ranks.

“These bonuses were used to keep people in,” said Christopher Van Meter, a 42-year-old former Army captain and Iraq veteran from Manteca, Calif., who says he refinanced his home mortgage to repay $25,000 in reenlistment bonuses and $21,000 in student loan repayments that the Army says he should not have received. “People like me just got screwed.”

In Iraq, Van Meter was thrown from an armored vehicle turret — and later awarded a Purple Heart for his combat injuries — after the vehicle detonated a buried roadside bomb.

People like me just got screwed. — Christopher Van Meter, former Army captain

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http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-national-guard-bonus-20161020-snap-story.html

Gov't loves nothing.
Gov't doesn't have feelings.
In no way is that the purpose of gov't.


That's pretty much the purpose of gov't.


That's what happens.
IRS gave you too big of a refund?
Ooops, gotta give it back. So what if you used it for cancer meds.
Defraud the welfare system out of food stamps and get caught?
Gonna pay it back. So what if it means your kids starve.

The government is an unforgiving system.
Not a daddy.

It's why voting is so important.
You're voting in who controls and expands that system.

You want to give special dispensation to soldiers to avoid the system?
Why not.
We've already given it to politicians and those they appoint, with the occasional scapegoat thrown off the bus to appease the masses so they can pretend the system works.
Let's just make everyone a special circumstance based on our feewings.

yep, and i am afraid we are getting another liberal sob for prez....she has

already cost to many lives......should be in jail for taking money from foreign

government agents and the list goes on........they do not care about us

vets......

The short answer is.. no they do not care.

One of my son's just finished up 10 years in the Marine corp. two years ago, he got injured.. bad.

All we wanted was for him to be put back to normal.. that's all. nothing more.

But dealing with the V.A. and their hospitals and surgeons was a nightmare.

To the credit of the Marine Corp, they were as frustrated as we as to the cavalier attitude of a agency which was formed to serve military personnel who were hurt during action.

My son was put in the wounded warrior platoon and the Marines did everything they could to stay on the V.A. They really care about their own. The V.A. does not

Out of pure frustration I reached out to a U.S. Senator and then "walla" things changed.

But it took that.. to get a serviceman what he deserved. That is wrong.

The V.A. is a disgrace and the Government knows it.. and allows it

So no... the Government does not care.

Like I said......if those scum can't affort their dirty life..... Then be gone ! Who the hell is that over wise man? boys to earn such blood money is not Gona be easy also girls.....if they do want to do so..... Then send them to to the battle field. Godamn.......knuckle drivers......I've been wondering about how many debates of militant consist in the federal wide red numbers......only those bifoly dogs can tell......

you know Nailcap.. I have seen the barracks and living conditions for the regular Chinese army personnel.

Not too impressive. They told me that it really sucked being in the Military... really.. really sucked

And I believe them.

This is an example of why I am very unhappy with both major parties. Both have neglected the veterans and the serving military alike. I am slightly more annoyed with the Republicans, only because they put on a big show of caring for our people in uniform, and make lots of self-righteous complaints against the other party about them...and then they cut the budget for veteran support, outsource military jobs to the private sector for more than double the pay, and play games such as the infamous "stop loss program," to keep them serving when times are especially hard.

But politically, BOTH parties seem to think that they are nothing more than a line item on a budget, when it comes time to actually follow through on all the verbal praise they heap on them.

The military is run by the government its no surprise they are screwing people over. I've known many people that signed up and promised they would go into a certain field or area and ended up doing something different. But for the last 40 years people can choose if they want to join or not. Its up to the people to research and decide what they are getting into before they sign the dotted line. Some go in because of family tradition,many go in because they are not in a good place in life and want a change. The Military offers a chance to see new places and learn a skill. And in return they do get certain benefits,and they also have the risk of being injured or killed. I think the V.A. could do a lot better if people didn't use it for their everyday healthcare,is it supposed tobe that if you do four years in the military you have health care for life? Let's take care of our injured. Its coming to a point where many veterans are saying hey look at me, I'm a vet, and really they did very little in the military. May be I'm just sick of people saying look at me I'm gay. Or look at me I'm black. Get over it and quit trying to get everyone's attention. People that signed up knew what they where getting into, but if they were promised , and given money, then there is no reason for them to have to give it back, that is just wrong.

Too bad "I don't recall" or 'I plead the fifth' only works for certain people....

You know what's the different between the west militant and the east? some time I do believe they should exchange their position......and that's for sure.....yea~sweet dream....do you like it?....... for the shirff......

Outrage..

But, I expect nothing different, from a state governed
by the whim of dirty hippies, still protesting a war that
ended 43 years ago.

government is an entity, therefore not capable of love

some people love vets and some dont

some of those work in government and some do not

will you fear the civiliance? they eat they consume they popo they peepee......and they can sick any sistituation..........and these things are what Mao didn't seen.....but don't blam him.....he was old....but why....then that's how.......

Well I think our military people would hate that and yours would love it.

Our rice sales would sky rocket.. that's for sure.

The current administration does.....if they're trannies.....

""17 OCT 2016
Military .com | by Oriana Pawlyk
U.S. airmen changing genders can now seek temporary exemptions from gender - specific
physical fitness tests, uniform requirements and bathrooms , according to a new policy .""
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/10/17/transgender-airmen-now-seek-temporary-exemptions.html

...no such love if you're an actual Purple Heart recipient though.

USGOV is a globalist owned corperation. So is the Chinese gov, and all the world powers.

Maybe we've woken up to late.
Early voting is on till Friday.
VOTE TRUMP SAVE THE WORLD FROM GEORGE SOROS

Btw..Hillary has spewed her pre election rhetoric on this subject.....

""“These troops deserve our support and our deepest gratitude,” she said. “They served admirably and upheld their part of the bargain. It is unacceptable to now subject them and their families to undue financial burdens thanks to mismanagement from the California National Guard and rigid bureaucracy on the part of the Pentagon."""

Hilarious considering she's part and parcel of that "rigid Pentagon bureaucracy"....absolutely laughable.

Carter suspends Pentagon’s demand of the return of cash bonuses to California soldiers

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/10/26/carter-suspends-pentagon-s-demand-return-cash-bonuses-to-california-soldiers.html/

DEVELOPING: The U.S. Secretary of Defense said Tuesday that he is ordering the Pentagon to suspend its effort to recover the decade-old reenlistment bonuses paid to thousands of California Army National Guard soldiers who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

About 2,000 soldiers were recently told they had to repay the cash bonuses that, in some cases, amounted to $15,000 or more.

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