I’m completely against giving special pays to people who signed a contract. Everyone that enlists into the military signs a contract that makes it crystal clear that regardless of how long you enlist for, you are undertaking an 8-year commitment. But, the entitlement society that we live in doesn’t want to just hold people to legal contracts they signed. Instead, we have to baby people because they were “extended” with stop-loss orders.
Now, I’m not completely against this pay. For example, I think that if a service member has already served their 8-year active duty and IRR commitment but were still stop-lossed, then they DO deserve that money. Absolutely! Because they were kept beyond their obligation. We’re not doing that. We’re giving extra money to ANYONE that was stop-lossed beyond their active duty commitment, regardless of how much time they still owed in IRR. Just insane.
Anyway, here’s the information you stop-loss troops are looking for.
The Defense Department announced today the services’ implementation plans to provide retroactive stop loss special pay. Active, reserve and former service members who had their enlistment extended or retirement suspended due to stop loss are eligible for this special pay, if they served on active duty between Sept. 11, 2001 and Sept. 30, 2009.
Service members may begin submitting their claim for retroactive stop loss special pay on Oct. 21, 2009. In accordance with the 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act, all applications must be submitted to the respective services no later than Oct. 21, 2010. Eligible personnel will receive a payment of $500 per month for each month (or any portion of a month) that a member was retained on active duty due to stop loss. Applicants for retroactive pay who are no longer in the military had to be honorably discharged, and for those who were stop lossed in fiscal 2009, may only receive payment from one stop loss authority – either the money appropriated for stop loss special pay in the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009, or the money allocated for retroactive stop loss special pay in the 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act, but not both.
Service members must provide documented proof they were stop lossed with their claim. Family members of deceased service members should contact the appropriate military service for assistance in filing their claim.
Information on how to contact each of the services is listed below:
Army: Go to https://www.stoplosspay.army.mil or email RetroStopLossPay@CONUS.Army.Mil
Navy: Email NXAG_N132C@navy.mil
Marine Corps: Go to https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/stoploss or email stoploss@usmc.mil
Air Force: Go to http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss/
Stop loss provides a valuable and critical tool to quickly retain and generate forces to surge in a major conflict. However, as deployment schedules stabilize, the department must then adapt and minimize its use of stop loss. The secretary of defense announced in March a comprehensive plan to eliminate the current use of stop loss, while retaining the authority for future use under extraordinary circumstances.
Well, they give billions out in wellfare compensation and aid to illegsal immigrants who never lifted a finger for the US of A. A vast majority of those don’t deserve it either. So what if a little something is given to vets who actually did something???
They give billions to AIG, and the Big 3, why not give a little bonus to the people that actually fought for this country? It’s not like they get paid a whole lot for their sacrifices.
Welfare, Stimulus package, Corporate Bailouts… yeah, those free-loading soldiers don’t desrve a dime!
CJ,
I view the stoploss pay the same way I view seperation pay, jump pay, hazard pay etc. The special pay allowances are, to my understanding, in place to compensate those people who are asked to do more while fulfilling contractual obligations than others who signed the same contract. This doesn’t necessarily make me a “baby” for accepting the $250 seperation pay for example while deployed even though I was fully aware that there would be long periods of time spent away from my spouse and children before I signed the dotted line. Complaining about stoploss prior to fulfilling the req. 8 years is indeed absurd but to complain about giving out 1 special pay allowance brings into question all special pay allowances and that makes about as much sense as two dudes kissing.
While I completely respect and understand your opinion on the subject, I disagree. I was stop-lossed 2 months out from a 15-month deployment and 2 more months when we returned home. Before getting stop-lossed I was excited and had made plans on post-Army endeavors. The Commanding Officer of my company sat me down in front of all the Platoon Sergeants and Platoon Leaders and asked me if I wanted to get out of the Army or go on the deployment with my Brothers. I told him I decided to get out. It was understood in my head that I was getting out, moving on. My supervisors also understood. It is about a week process to “get out of the Army” and clear Fort Stewart. I was 3 days into the process already when the stop-loss hit me.
Yes, I signed a contract. Yes, it was for 3 years + 5 IRR. Still…I believe that some un-needed pyscological tampering could have been avoided. 6 dead Brothers, my driver that will never walk correctly ever again and 2 Purple Hearts for myself later…….I welcome the compensation. If things are going to be a little easier for my family, I’m happy. Is that wrong?
Scars are forever, we fought hard.
Hey CJ, were you stop lossed? If so are you going to give the money back?
Well its certainly easy to be a hardass when you’ve got nothing on the line.
Others have said it before but I’ll reiterate; our government rewards losers with welfare and food stamps and a number of other programs which has created multi-generational .gov teat sucklers who contribute nothing but CO2 while living in subsidized housing and pumping out another monthly stipend generator whenever they feel the need.
Why don’t you blog about slashing welfare? when an able-bodied female bitches about how medicaid won’t cover her name brand antidepressants I die a little inside. Yet you want to flex your iron fist on a bunch of guys who WENT TO WAR???
I don’t recall any veteran groups marching on washington demanding we get $500 per month we were stop-lossed. Our bloated and inefficient congress decided to give a little taste to the troops as they spend our grandchildrens money.
I’m looking forward to the 7k I should be getting, I don’t think I “deserve” it but I know for a fact that I earned it. I doubt you have the slightest clue what members of the military go through when in a war zone. I’m not presumptuous enough to think I speak for the troops but when you find yourself on a rooftop behind a wall that is slowly but surely being knocked down, you look to your buddy so you can share the “this is it” look-only your “buddy” in this instance is an Iraqi Lieutenant bleeding from a nasty cut on his neck…tough break GI! But I know others have similar stories-the fact is that war is pretty tough. I may be biased but I think that veterans are a national treasure and deserve any good thing that comes their way.
Please don’t cheapen their sacrifices with your indignation. Its misplaced and makes you look like a tool.
This goes out to the stupid guy name cj thanks a lot for not having a heart nd never being stoplossed ever. I jus wanted to comment bout the signin contract thing if u been in da army like the rest of us u might have a lil clue why this money is well deserving. To us real soldiers who have been deployed to iraq nd the ghan we understand I missed the birth of my first born lil girl time nd stoploss pay will neva give me back the lost memories I should of had. I was 3 mo from gettin out when I was stop lossed for 14 more months this money is to help us and our families out for the armys mistake maybe u should tell my bestfriend who gave the ultimate sacrifice wen he died 2 days befor his 21st bday in afghanistan u should tell his wife that the even though her husband sereved his country ultimately he signed the contract nd he knows wat he got himself into….I miss u wes… I’m done talking I hope I neva meet this cj kid for his sake infantry wolfhound out hooooooaaaaahhhh!!!
Are you serious? Did you even serve? With comments like that, CJ, it’s apparent that you didn’t. My husband was stop-lossed and served 12 months in Iraq. He missed the birth of his first and only child while he was gone. He didn’t even meet his only child until he was 6 months old. This is time he will never get back. On top of that, my husband will never be the same person again. The PTSD he has suffered with ever since coming home is something you don’t wish on your worst enemy. Had he not been under stop-loss, none of this would have ever happened. Even with all of that being said, he is so proud of his service, (as am I), and he would never change the fact that he was able to serve his country. And because of this, he deserves compensation.
What is pretty apparent, Amanda, is that you didn’t bother to do any research on us as authors here at You Served prior to posting. Every single author, including me, are directly involved with the military. CJ is on active duty. Troy is retired. I’m on active duty. Claire is a military spouse.
It is very unfortunate that your husband was subject to stop-loss. I don’t personally agree with the practice, but until Congress changes the law, it is perfectly legal and will continue to happen.
What is further unfortunate is your playing of the PTSD card. I highly suggest you don’t continue marching around blogs throwing it around without knowing the author you’re throwing it at. Take a look at CJ’s other blog, A Soldier’s Perspective at http://www.soldiersperspective.us. You’ll understand why I suggested so once you’re there and read back a bit.
1SG, you are misinformed. They are NOT giving stop loss pay to everyone with IRR time remaining. I ETS’ed in Sept. 2000 after serving 4 years active duty and was re-called in March 2002. Because I was re-called during my remaining years of IRR time, they denied my claim for stop-loss compensation pay. Apparently it’s only if you were currently on active duty that you get this extra pay. I agree that soldiers are under contract and I don’t necessarily believe that stop loss pay is warranted. However, I feel that if it is to be given to one soldier, it should be given to all. My life was certainly disrupted by having to go back into the army after 1.5 years as a civilian. I had pets, an apartment, was in grad school, and had gotten my dream job offer literally ONE day before I came down on orders. If the point of Congress passing the bill for special pay is to offset the disruption to soldiers’ lives in the event of a stop-loss, I feel that I should qualify. But apparently the authors of the bill think otherwise.
Who ever thinks soldiers dnt deserve every penny they get is just either mad they can’t get it there selfs or has never been in heavy combat. I was stoplossed deployment exstion on the day I was soppost to be sent home from a place that almost killed me several times an after that little kick in the A** I was also recalled so I think I deserve it if u don’t like it dnt smit the claim they contacted me and told me I need to file this claim so I did. They are trying not to use stoploss any more so hey guy u fight the good fight and be salf troop
Been in 20 years. I am past my eight (8) year commitment. I am still serving, will for another 20 if I can (of course it won’t be infantry anymore). Not saying this to impress, just giving info to help set the context. I am currently deployed, but under contract yet.
What CJ is saying people is that, if you are in your initial eight (8) year contract you probably shouldn’t get this payment as you did sign for eight (8) years, NOT four (4), or any other number. I can understand that many are affected by the Stop Loss because you intended to get out at 2, 3, or more years, but also understand, I or many, many (vast majority) other military personnel ARE NOT getting this “bonus” for our time away from family, friends, and careers (for reservists) in a combat zone.
I do feel that if you were involuntarily kept on duty after your initial eight (8) years and were intending to seperate from service that you are very much entitled to this money, it is only fair.
I think many of the above people took CJ’s comments way out of context. Please re-read his comments.
CJ, I have read your article and I have researched the website for the RetroActive Stoploss Special Pay and there are soe significant errors in the requirements for recieving the special pay. The key words used are “involuntarily extended ” and that is important. I know that I was recalled from the IRR and served 18 more months over seas. I know that my initial contract was 8 years total. Now I did 4 years Active duty and then ETS’d from the army. The term “involuntarily extended” means that you did not volunteer. Just like everyone else I had a great life started and a great job and was going places in the Real World but when I got the letter it destroyed me. I actually debated not going till I thought about it and decided that if I did not go they would have Recalled a soldier who has children and a wife. I have sacrificed many times for my government and yet I still don’t think I “deserve” the pay but definitely wouldn’t mind the help. The point I was getting at is if you research the actual requirements for recieving the special pay it actually states that you should recieve the pay even if you were “involuntarily extended” from the IRR. Please correct me if I am wrong.