Retroactive stop-loss payments temporarily halted
Jim Higgins
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=66851
ARLINGTON, Va. � The Army and Air Force have temporarily stopped
payments to soldiers and airmen who were held under stop-loss between
September 2001 and September 2008 because a provision in the recently
passed Defense Appropriations Bill makes fewer servicemembers eligible.
The bill makes clear that troops who re-enlisted or extended their
contract and collected a bonus while being held under stop-loss do not
qualify for the compensation.
The temporary halt will last until the Army gets a list of soldiers who
received a re-enlistment or retention bonus while being stop-lossed,
said Army spokeswoman Jill Mueller.
�The services didn�t decide this,� Mueller said on Wednesday. �This was
decided by the legislature and we are executing their will.�
Mueller declined to estimate how long this might take, noting the
holidays are approaching.
In the meantime, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service has returned
to the Army 1,700 claims for retroactive stop-loss pay that were in
processing to be paid out, she said.
�We were thrilled that we put in 1,700 claims in the last week, but this
provision is a game-changer, albeit temporary,� she said.
The Air Force is now working with DFAS to see how the new rule affects
people who have applied for retroactive stop-loss pay, said Daniel
Elkins, a spokesman for the Air Force Personnel Center.
Elkins could not say how long the temporary suspension will last, but he
said the Air Force and DFAS would work to resolve the matter as quickly
as possible.
About 120,000 soldiers and 39,000 airmen are eligible for $500 for every
month they were held beyond their initial end of service.
When asked if the Army and Air Force would try to recoup any payments to
soldiers and airmen who no longer qualify, both Mueller and Elkins
deferred to the Defense Department.
The Defense Department is reviewing the legislation, said department
spokeswoman Eileen Lainez on Tuesday. She added, �More to follow soon.�
�We know there will be many servicemembers and veterans who will be
disappointed because they no longer qualify for this special pay, but
they need to know that this was a decision made by Congress,� Mueller said.
--
Civis Romanus Sum