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Defense secretary orders Pentagon to stop seeking repayment of California National Guard bonuses


WestVirginiaRebel

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WestVirginiaRebel
la-na-defense-chief-pentagon-repayments-20161026-story.htmlLos Angeles Times:

Moving to quell widespread criticism, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter on Wednesday ordered the Pentagon to suspend efforts to claw back enlistment bonuses improperly given to thousands of California National Guard members during the height of the Iraq war.

 

Aides made clear they didn’t intend to issue a blanket waiver for tens of millions of dollars in irregular bonuses and other payments given to California Guard soldiers, however, as some members of Congress have urged.

 

Carter said he had ordered an expedited review and aimed to resolve all outstanding claims by July 1.

 

Carter’s abrupt order to suspend the effort follows a Los Angeles Times report Saturday that said the Pentagon was demanding repayments from about 9,700 California Guard members who had received enlistment bonuses, student loans or other payments, mostly between 2006 and 2008.

 

Soldiers argued that it was unfair to require them to repay the money — often $15,000 or more per soldier — when their only mistake was to take financial incentives that recruiters offered. Many served multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and some were badly wounded.

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Putting the brakes on the shakedown.


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