The Department of Defense (DoD) has sought to recoup wrongly awarded benefits to National Guard soldiers after an audit found that due to faulty paperwork and mistakes by recruiters, soldiers who did not qualify for the bonuses had received them

 

In a letter to Defense Secretary Carter, Klobuchar and Franken, along with a bipartisan group of senators, called on DoD to restore the bonuses and benefits that were incorrectly awarded to the soldiers through no fault of their own; The senators also asked that DoD make the process for considering debt forgiveness easy to navigate for those soldiers who have not already paid back the wrongly awarded bonuses


WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, and a bipartisan group of senators, have urged the Department of Defense (DoD) to restore National Guard bonuses. DoD has sought to recoup wrongly awarded benefits to National Guard soldiers after an audit found that due to faulty paperwork and mistakes by recruiters, soldiers who did not qualify for the bonuses received them. In a letter to Defense Secretary Carter, Klobuchar and Franken, along with a bipartisan group of senators, called on DoD to restore the bonuses and benefits that were incorrectly awarded to the soldiers through no fault of their own. The senators also asked that DoD make the process for considering debt forgiveness easy to navigate for those soldiers who have not already paid back the wrongly awarded bonuses.


“Current reports allege that most, if not all, of the rank and file members of the California Guard simply accepted a bonus which they should not have been offered. If this is the case, then we believe these debts should be forgiven,” the lawmakers wrote. “For those who have already undertaken the burden to repay them, the Department should return the amount recouped, along with appropriate compensation.”

 

Joining Klobuchar and Franken in sending the letter to DoD were Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Burr (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Patty Murray (D-WA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Jon Tester (D-MT), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tom Udall (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Gary Peters (D-MI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Edward Markey (D-MA), Corey Booker (D-NJ), Robert Casey (D-PA), Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).


Klobuchar has worked in a bipartisan manner to modernize G.I. Bill benefits for our troops and to strengthen funding veterans’ health care. She is a co-sponsor of the Veterans Education Relief and Restoration Act of 2015, which would ensure that if a veteran is forced to discontinue school because of a college’s closure and the veteran did not receive transfer credits, the veteran’s GI Bill benefits will not be reduced. Klobuchar has also authored bipartisan bills on behalf of our nation’s veterans and their families to help veterans exposed to toxic burn pits, expand job training and employment opportunities, cut red tape and wait times for veterans scheduling appointments at VA Medical Facilities, and to reduce veterans’ homelessness.

 

Franken is a strong advocate for our servicemembers and veterans and has worked hard to ensure that the men and women who serve our country can get access to the benefits and support they rightfully earned. He has pressed to strengthen legal protections for servicemembers who are deployed, and he has also supported efforts to help veterans access education benefits, healthcare, job training, and other important assistance programs. He has a bill called the Quicker Veterans Benefits Delivery Act to speed things up at the VA, and he also took a leading role to bring housing facilities for homeless veterans to Minnesota. 

 

The full text of the lawmakers’ letter is below.

 

Dear Secretary Carter:                                                

We write with deep concern about recent reports about the Department's recoupment of bonuses and education benefits improperly awarded to Soldiers through no fault of their own during the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. We agree that those who dedicate themselves to service deserve our gratitude, respect, and full support, and we appreciate your decision to immediately suspend collection of reimbursement and establish a process to review the matter fully.

Current reports allege that most, if not all, of the rank and file members of the California Guard simply accepted a bonus which they should not have been offered. If this is the case, then we believe these debts should be forgiven. For those who have already undertaken the burden to repay them, the Department should return the amount recouped, along with appropriate compensation. We ask that you provide in a timely manner any request for authorities needed from Congress to make this course of action possible. If, however, you determine that this is not the case, we ask to be included in any report of your findings. Additionally, we ask that you determine whether Soldiers in other states and other components have been impacted.

Finally we agree with you that the men and women who serve our country are our nation's most valuable asset. Please provide a summary of the actions the Department has taken to reemphasize the importance of running a process for rectification that is easy to navigate, as well as any recommendations for changes to authorities to meet that goal should you feel you need them.

Thank you for the prompt attention and focus on our Soldiers that you have shown so far to solve this problem.

Sincerely,

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