The Pentagon’s demand that soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan repay part of their enlistment bonuses is “a slap in the face for all US war veterans,” Sen. Charles Schumer said yesterday.
The war heroes, some with catastrophic combat wounds, are being billed a pro-rated portion of the $10,000 they got for signing up because they did not complete their terms of service.
Schumer said he is backing legislation being introduced by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton that would end the practice and force the Department of Defense to issue refunds to those who already paid back the government.
“A bill in the mail is not the kind of present our soldiers deserve in this holiday season,” he said in front of a World War I memorial in Madison Square Park.
“Our veterans are not being treated with the dignity, respect and thanks that they deserve. It’s just a disgrace.”