Wounded soldier billed to repay sign-up bonus

[unhappycamper]

Wounded soldier billed to repay sign-up bonus
The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Nov 24, 2007 7:20:59 EST

MOUNT LEBANON, Pa. — A soldier whose injuries in Iraq forced him to leave the military early “inadvertently” received a letter from the Army asking him to repay a portion of his sign-up bonus, the military said.

Former Pfc. Jordan Fox got a letter asking him to repay $2,800 of his $7,500 enlistment bonus, and officials were checking to see if other injured soldiers were sent similar notices, the Army said in a statement Wednesday.

Soldiers who are injured or become ill while on active duty can keep all sign-up bonuses due to them, the Army said. But the Army hasn’t decided whether to pay Fox his unused leave, Army spokesman Maj. Nathan Banks said.

The statement came after Fox appeared on local and national TV and radio shows to talk about the letter.

Fox, 21, from the Pittsburgh suburb of Mount Lebanon was partially blinded in his right eye and sustained a back injury in a roadside bomb explosion in Baqubah in May. He returned to the U.S. two months later and received a discharge.

In late October, Fox got a letter from the Army seeking repayment of part of his enlistment bonus because he had only completed about a year of his three-year service.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/11/ap_signupbonus_071123/



uhc comment: Expect to see a lot of stories about this practice in the upcoming months.

[babylonsister]

1. Supposedly, that was just a wee snafu that's been corrected:

I think when this story broke there was so much outrage that they changed their story.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=2334285

[unhappycamper]

2. I know 'sister.

I was away for a few days & wanted to get this Army story in the Veterans forum. Expect to see a few more 'old' stories like this today.