Tom Kovach
Outrage: wounded vets to repay bonuses!
Another disadvantage of a non-veteran Congress
By Tom Kovach
During the 2006 election cycle, Military.com reported that the portion of veterans in Congress was the lowest since World War Two. Shortly after that report, I wrote a column that examines why veterans make better candidates. That column describes what "the honorable man" does in life, in combat, and in politics. And, as recent news reports indicate, when there is a shortage of elected officials with a measurable record of honor, we can expect less-than-honorable decisions to be made in our legislative bodies. This column addresses one of those less-than-honorable decisions.
Congress now expects our severely wounded troops to pay back part of their re-enlistment bonuses!
In my above-linked column, in calls to talk-radio (and, in my own short-lived Webcast talk show), in political speeches, and as the former director of operations for the National Veterans Coalition, I have often emphasized the importance of electing military veterans. And, on occasion, I have described the inverse result: not electing veterans produces foolish military policies and programs. But, never did I imagine that even the lowest of the bean-counting pencil pushers would stoop to ask that combat-wounded veterans should pay back the "unused" part of their re-enlistment bonus.
Are you as outraged as I am?
If you are, then there are some things that you can do to put your anger into action. First, get active in your local political scene. Even people that like to maintain a low profile can do things such as stuffing envelopes, counting money, and delivering yard signs. For those that are a bit more action-oriented, consider joining a steering committee, or even running for office yourself. (Many people advocate the "start at the bottom" method. I do not. That method is for "career politicians." This country has suffered far too many of those.)
Another way to be active politically is to support specific causes and candidates. My background leads to bias, but I strongly recommend that every veteran should join the National Veterans Coalition. (Full disclosure: I am the state PR coordinator for the Constitution Party of Tennessee. The NVC is an outreach arm of the national Constitution Party. The CP Platform opposes unconstitutional wars.) I was quite impressed with last year's campaign by Tammy Duckworth. (Although, admittedly, I'm disappointed that she ran as a Democrat. Had she run on the Illinois CP line, she might've won, because voters are fed up with the Big Two parties controlling everything.) Only when veterans again make up a significant portion of Congress (i.e.: a bigger portion than lawyers) will foolish decisions be tossed out promptly by people that can see where those decisions would lead. (Those of us that have jumped from aircraft understand the importance of catching a mistake that is "only a few degrees off" before it gets any worse.) To summarize, join groups, support causes, support candidates, and consider becoming a candidate yourself.
Is there anything else that a veteran can do? Oh, yes!
Write to your US Senators and your US Representative, and tell them that you will not tolerate an outrageous action such as an attempt to recoup "unused" re-enlistment bonuses. Tell them that you will consider this a hinge issue in the next election. And, then, back up your words with action. If your elected official writes back a wimpy letter, write a reply. Tell them that you will work for their opposition — or, that you will become their opposition — unless that policy is tossed onto the trash heap "most skoshi."
From a legal point of view, one must question their definition of "unused." For example, if a USAF Pararescueman is severely wounded in combat, and spends a long time in the hospital, and then, while in the hospital, correctly identifies a patient-roommate suddenly experiencing a cerebral aneurysm, and then promptly summons the nursing staff (despite the pain of reaching for the call button, if that PJ is in the burn unit), then did the PJ continue to perform his trained duties? Hmmmmm. If a chaplain's assistant is riding in the back of a vehicle in a convoy, on his way to an airfield to return to "the world," and the convoy is hit by an IED explosion, and that chaplain's assistant later talks his fellow patient out of committing suicide, then didn't that chaplain's assistant go above and beyond his training and pay grade? And, if a veteran is so severely wounded that he cannot find a job, then how is he supposed to pay back the bonus? These are questions that bean counters might not ask. But, you can rest assured that real veterans would ask those questions, and know the right answer.
Politicians that would try to pull bonus money from a wounded veteran's pocket are the type of people that would leave a wounded comrade behind, even after the shooting has stopped. And, we know better than to let that happen — especially on a battlefield with no bullets. To twist a famous quote, "Politics is war by another means." Come on, veterans, we have some work to do!
© Tom Kovach
During the 2006 election cycle, Military.com reported that the portion of veterans in Congress was the lowest since World War Two. Shortly after that report, I wrote a column that examines why veterans make better candidates. That column describes what "the honorable man" does in life, in combat, and in politics. And, as recent news reports indicate, when there is a shortage of elected officials with a measurable record of honor, we can expect less-than-honorable decisions to be made in our legislative bodies. This column addresses one of those less-than-honorable decisions.
Congress now expects our severely wounded troops to pay back part of their re-enlistment bonuses!
In my above-linked column, in calls to talk-radio (and, in my own short-lived Webcast talk show), in political speeches, and as the former director of operations for the National Veterans Coalition, I have often emphasized the importance of electing military veterans. And, on occasion, I have described the inverse result: not electing veterans produces foolish military policies and programs. But, never did I imagine that even the lowest of the bean-counting pencil pushers would stoop to ask that combat-wounded veterans should pay back the "unused" part of their re-enlistment bonus.
Are you as outraged as I am?
If you are, then there are some things that you can do to put your anger into action. First, get active in your local political scene. Even people that like to maintain a low profile can do things such as stuffing envelopes, counting money, and delivering yard signs. For those that are a bit more action-oriented, consider joining a steering committee, or even running for office yourself. (Many people advocate the "start at the bottom" method. I do not. That method is for "career politicians." This country has suffered far too many of those.)
Another way to be active politically is to support specific causes and candidates. My background leads to bias, but I strongly recommend that every veteran should join the National Veterans Coalition. (Full disclosure: I am the state PR coordinator for the Constitution Party of Tennessee. The NVC is an outreach arm of the national Constitution Party. The CP Platform opposes unconstitutional wars.) I was quite impressed with last year's campaign by Tammy Duckworth. (Although, admittedly, I'm disappointed that she ran as a Democrat. Had she run on the Illinois CP line, she might've won, because voters are fed up with the Big Two parties controlling everything.) Only when veterans again make up a significant portion of Congress (i.e.: a bigger portion than lawyers) will foolish decisions be tossed out promptly by people that can see where those decisions would lead. (Those of us that have jumped from aircraft understand the importance of catching a mistake that is "only a few degrees off" before it gets any worse.) To summarize, join groups, support causes, support candidates, and consider becoming a candidate yourself.
Is there anything else that a veteran can do? Oh, yes!
Write to your US Senators and your US Representative, and tell them that you will not tolerate an outrageous action such as an attempt to recoup "unused" re-enlistment bonuses. Tell them that you will consider this a hinge issue in the next election. And, then, back up your words with action. If your elected official writes back a wimpy letter, write a reply. Tell them that you will work for their opposition — or, that you will become their opposition — unless that policy is tossed onto the trash heap "most skoshi."
From a legal point of view, one must question their definition of "unused." For example, if a USAF Pararescueman is severely wounded in combat, and spends a long time in the hospital, and then, while in the hospital, correctly identifies a patient-roommate suddenly experiencing a cerebral aneurysm, and then promptly summons the nursing staff (despite the pain of reaching for the call button, if that PJ is in the burn unit), then did the PJ continue to perform his trained duties? Hmmmmm. If a chaplain's assistant is riding in the back of a vehicle in a convoy, on his way to an airfield to return to "the world," and the convoy is hit by an IED explosion, and that chaplain's assistant later talks his fellow patient out of committing suicide, then didn't that chaplain's assistant go above and beyond his training and pay grade? And, if a veteran is so severely wounded that he cannot find a job, then how is he supposed to pay back the bonus? These are questions that bean counters might not ask. But, you can rest assured that real veterans would ask those questions, and know the right answer.
Politicians that would try to pull bonus money from a wounded veteran's pocket are the type of people that would leave a wounded comrade behind, even after the shooting has stopped. And, we know better than to let that happen — especially on a battlefield with no bullets. To twist a famous quote, "Politics is war by another means." Come on, veterans, we have some work to do!
© Tom Kovach
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