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S. 439, The Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2007 (27 comments ↓)
S. 439 would amend title 10, United States Code, to permit certain retired members of the uniformed services who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation.
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Visitor Comments
SFC (Ret) Eldon Martin
I invite any Senator who feels anything less than immediate release of all retirement and service-connected disability pay to every eligible veteran to don, and have all of their relatives eligible by age and citizenship to don, an Army or Marine Corps uniform and catch the next plane to Iraq or Afghanistan. Upon completion of their first combat tour, they can rest up for a year in a non-combat military assignment before returning for another combat tour. Repeat steps above until three combat tours and rests periods have been served. Most of us were taught right from wrong at an early age. To in any way reduce retired pay because the veteran also qualifies for disability or combat-related special compensation IS NOT right. Please, do the right thing.
Anthony Rigiero
I was forcefully retired just after my eight year mark in the Air Force. I had only 2 years left on my second enlistment wanting only to reenlist again. Unfortunately life throws a few curve balls and one had struck me hard. After fighting to stay in I walked to first with an Air Force retirement of 60%. I was then able to steal second after a year of combat with Social Security Disabilty. Finally as soon as my 1 1/2 year battle w/ Veterans Affairs was over, I later took third with a VA rating of 100% plus a SMC. Now, I'm just waiting for this bill to pass so I can finally make it to home.
Pass this bill! Don't forget about the Soldiers that have did time. It may not have been 20, but we did time. We were forced out not because of dishonorable conduct, but because of a honorable disability.
Senator Bill Nelson of Florida please Vote Yea for this bill. Your vote will count and then so will mine.
SMS (Ret) Monte Forney
For years our entitlement to VA disability compensation has lain on the kitchen floor like a stinking piece of meat. Our only payment was a few dollars off our Income Tax.
Awarded disability upon retirement in 1976 I have waited 30 years for the same treatment afforded Vets with disabilities that retired from Civil Service. If this bill passes the playing field will now be level. On a personal level I thought they were waiting for us to die before doing the right thing.
Thank you, Senator Bingaman, for pushing S. 439 through. Please vote to bring it into law.
SSG (Ret) Majetich
I am an Indiana residenr and had 18 1/2 years of service and was forced to medically retire due to severe burns and amputations from an IED Blast injury which gave me 300% VA disability and 100% Army disability. I shouldn't be penalized for not making my 20 years because I got severely injured. Please pass this Bill and allow us to receive both Retired pay and VA compensation so I can afford to live and support my children.
Rob
This action is long overdue! We need to get this Bill approved. "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services"? Ok, where is it today? Let's put this on the front burner and show all of us Service Men and Woman that we matter, our efforts mattered. My fingers are crossed. God bless all of you and those still serving!
SFC/RET David Harris
I honestly believe this is a great opportunity to do what should have been done all along. Ask yourself? Do these veterans deserve to be paid fairly? If for some reasons you cannot come up with yes, all you need to do is visit your local VA and look around. I spent 20 years in the Army and the main topic was pride. How can I have pride in something that doesn't seem to have pride in me. We deserve better, each and everyone of us!
Anonymous
Those employed in state and governmental jobs receive both disability pay along with retirement pay if seriously injured. The military is the only branch of government or state that doesn't not pay both. This injustice has to be corrected. This legislative act has been repealed in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006. Disability pay in most situations is not enough pay due to inflation and the price of homes today. Retirement pay is needed. Instead of politicians saying they support the troops and give lip service, they should actually support the troops and pass this bill into law. If not there will be a lot of homeless Veterans and a lot of other issues facing Veterans returning from Iraq and other eras of service.
Joe
Those that voted on this legislative act "S. 439" also go onto Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2007 H.R. 1436 on this site and comment on that as well and vote yes on that as well. Also contact your senators and congressman it only takes a second to type in your zip and send a short message saying you support the Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2007 and to please support it. Here is the link http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home
Thank you.
Mark
I believe it is ridiculous to focus who is qualified as a retiree under this bill by their years of service. Many of those who return disabled are nowhere near that the 20 mark. I would like to understand their reasoning.
TSgt (Ret) Davis
I have always felt this present Retirement/Disability system to be a slap in the face.Pass this Act of Restoration.
SSG/Mac Ret.
I served in the Army for 18years, 3mothes, and 15days and received a medical discharge that states my name was added to the “PERMENTLY REIRED ROLLS”. I receive longevity pay. However, all of this is taken by the VA and in returned as Veterans Compensation. I am at rated 90%, work at a low wage trade, trying hard to make ends meets, at the same time not wanting to be a LEACH on society, and try to qualify for all of the social programs offered by our Great Nation so that I could live out of the back pockets of the American People .
I believe the law governing full Concurrent Receipt should be amended to include all medically retired personnel who have attained at least15 years of creditable service, with exception of those who are in receipt of the Purple Heart.
Don
I'm a Viet Nam vet with 6+ years of service, then retired for injuries totaling 100+ and unable to work. I can't understad why I'm not getting my waived Army Retired Pay for VA comp. I'm told it's because I don't have a twenty year retirement.
I think that is BS......I gave plenty and feel I deserve my retired pay, even if it's taxable.
It never ails. when the war's over they forget about you and your injuries and even the new ones coming in from the guld War are having problems. That's BS. The government owes us, so it's time to pay up.............
Ginny
My husband lost his legs in Grenada at the age of 21 - after just 3 years of service- he would still be there now if they would let him sit in a fox hole with a rifle... he deserves his retirement pay too- there can be no justice to any service length argument- if you were discharged from the services for a service related disability then you should get the pay be it 30 years, 19.9 years or 2 months....
Anonymous
This part of the Dole and Shalala plan that would pass this into legislation. It is a catch 22 they will let those receive both. However, how they pay is unfair they multiply your years of service X 2.5 and that is the additional pay you will receive. Dole and Shalala have done nothing good for the Veterans when assigned to the Veterans Administration. Disabled Veterans will never be treated justly or paid fairly. Write your congressmen and senators let them know how you feel.
Sean
I will give the Democrats Party one more chance to make it right in 2009. I will vote for Ms. Clinton and all those who run as Democrats in 2008. I am sick of all those who give me nothing but lip services. I am a registered Republican in Arizona.
USAF Ret TSgt Cynthia Good
I have been in the catch 22 since I started my enlistment in 1980. I missed the old GI Bill and retirement system by a few days. I fell into the VEAP educational program, (The worst educational program ever). I was hurt on a combat training mission at 15 years, retrained and went on to retire at 20 years. I applied for the Combat Disability pay and was denied. The rules also applied to training, but I guess that's another catch 22. I am fortunate to have made my 20 years, however my 40% makes me a nonvalid. Even at 50% disability the retired soldiers are only getting about 10% additional pay. I wish for one week all these lawmakers and "The President" could walk in our shoes. I loved my service career and would still do it over again, but what an unfair justice and slap in the face you have dished out to me.
Ret Sgt Rogneby
These bills don't change much. Both the House and Senate bills only allow those that have done thier 20 years to receive both VA and thier retirement. They Explictly mention that any Chapter 61 Retirees are not eligible for both.
Unfortunately the military saw fit to call us Retirees and allow us all of the benefits afforded to a regular retiree but we are treated like secaond class citizens byh tis congress.
If you are wondering why it was sent back so many times is because of the flaws in the legis;ation and all of the disabled vets that it left out.
SFC RET. JOE DAMON
I THINK BEFORE A BILL IS WRITTEN REF. VETERAN THE MEN WHO SEEK TO WRITE THE BILL NEED TO SAT IN A ROOM WITH A GROUP OF VETERAN FROM THE PAST WARS AND THE PRESENT WAR AND SEEK OUR WISDOM. USE THE 6 P`S. PRIOR, PLANNING PREVENTS PISS POOR PERFORMANCE. SIR YOU NEED TO OBSERVE OUR FEAR, OUR PAIN, OUR ANGER FIRST HAND TO UNDER THIS PAIN.
SFC Retired
For the benefit of many, I hope this is the year something like this gets passed. So many U.S. soldiers have served and departed with low or no disability ratings. I think there is a huge number of soldiers that are completly satisfied in remaining at a 10 or 20% rating and never seeking relooks as long as the 10 or 20% is not just a tax benefit but a real compensation. No one wants to be 50% disabled or better as criteria to receive a benefit. Get this passed and begin fair treatment to all levels of disability.
CPO USN Retired
If you are medically retired in the service of your nation you should be receiving a pension for that service. The idea that you waive your pension to receive a disability payment is just some bean counter's way of saying we don’t want you to make too much money while padding our own paychecks at every possible opportunity. This while not having the slightest desire to sacrifice anything in anyone’s service whatsoever and making damn sure that they never have to.
Retired in Jacksonville
This bill is excellent as written, but the common farce in even submitting this legislation remains the fact that Reid will not force the bill out of committee for full Senate consideration. Proposing an excellent bill is one thing, but being afraid of the promised Bush veto is another. The Democrats will do exactly as the Republicans did and bring out the "old" promises in the election of 2008 to garner a few votes from disabled veterans from their stated intention to pass concurrent receipt for all disabled veterans. In the end it is a familiar practice from members of both parties, which conveys they really do not care for a fair conclustion to the issue of concurrent receipt. They have created separate classes of veterans. The deserving and the non deserving.
USN-Retired
Let Congress apply the same mathmatical measures to THEIR own compensation and require the same 30 years of service required to obtain a full pension.
CMSgt Brown
I'm thankful to have had the honor to serve our nation. Fact is that it's sorrowful to have retired veterans not recieve the same benefit as a person who served one enlistment or contractural term.
I find it puzzling that much time can be spent on investigating Major League Baseball while such a major issue regarding the country's veterans languishes.
I expect my elected officials in the State of Tennessee to get this rectified.
Anthony R.
Ret Sgt Rogneby = What you say is NOT true. If you read the bill in it's entirety, you will find that they are "striking" Subsection 2 of Para B. which reads as of current.....
(2) Disability retirees with less than 20 years of service.— Subsection (a) does not apply to a member retired under chapter 61 of this title with less than 20 years of service otherwise creditable under section 1405 of this title, or with less than 20 years of service computed under section 12732 of this title, at the time of the member’s retirement.
PASS THIS BILL ONCE AND FOR ALL!
Anthony Rigiero
HELP PASS THIS BILL!
Sign my petition at
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/S439Retiredpayrestoration/
CSM Joe Graves, US Army Retired
It a shame that those who have served their country and been rated as disable do not receive their monthly payments. The current method of the VA Waiver basically leaves the retired disabled Veteran paying their own disablility. How long will it take our elected leaders to right this wrong. It is embarrassing and wrong to the few who sacrificed for the good the many.
SFC (Ret) Milsapp
I have been recently put on the Permanent Disability Retired List (PDRL) with a 60% rating from the Army and a 70% rating from VA. It is rediculous that I should not receive both pays due to the fact that I was involuntarily retired due to disabilities. This bill amendment is fair and should apply to all veterans retired with disabilities, not just those with disabilities and 20 years or more. It was not my fault I had to be retired from active duty due to disabilities... why should I be penalized for something I had nothing to do with? This amendment must be passed!