OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Courtney Alerts Troops Who Were Stop-Lossed After 9/11 They Are Eligible For Additional Back Pay

Press Release

Date: Sept. 7, 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Employment and Affirmative Action Military Personnel

Courtney Alerts Troops Who Were Stop-Lossed After 9/11 They Are Eligible For Additional Back Pay

Congressman Joe Courtney today alerted troops who were involuntarily kept on duty after Sept. 11, 2001, that they are eligible for retroactive bonus pay that was approved by Congress last October. Approximately 145,000 troops are eligible to receive $500 per month of stop-loss service; the average amount due is between $3,500 and $3,800. With just six weeks remaining before the October 21 deadline, 90,000 troops who are eligible for the pay have not yet applied, according to the Department of Defense.

"I hope that by drawing attention to this deadline, we can encourage the remaining 90,000 eligible troops to apply for the back pay they have earned," said Congressman Courtney. "Our men and women in uniform have served bravely and sacrificed greatly since 9/11. The troops who were kept on duty involuntarily after the attacks that day shouldered a particularly heavy burden -- a burden we can at least partially relieve with this additional pay."

According to Defense officials, the Pentagon is running social media campaigns, reaching out to veterans groups and tracking down relatives of those whose whereabouts are unknown. Veterans and troops who are eligible for the back pay can apply online at www.defense.gov/stoploss. Additional information is available by contacting Congressman Courtney's Norwich office at 860-886-0139.

Courtney first alerted Connecticut troops and veterans about the back pay eligibility in a November 2009 press release. He has strongly supported the creation of the stop loss payment program in order to address the unfair burden this policy placed on our men and women in uniform. In 2008, Courtney cosponsored legislation to create a stop loss compensation program, H.R. 6205. In September 2008, the Connecticut lawmaker voted to provide $72 million in compensation to service members extended through stop loss.


Source
arrow_upward