Congressman Sestak Announces Special Payments For Service Members Who Served Under Stop Loss

Press Release

Congressman Joe Sestak (PA-07) announced that special payments are now available to more than 185,000 service members who have had their enlistments involuntarily extended since September 11, 2001, providing $500 for every month they were held under stop-loss orders. Congress established this payment in the 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act enacted this summer.

"Our veterans served America with honor and they deserved better than they got when it came to the stop loss policy. It was neither fair nor conducive to readiness or unit morale." said Congressman Sestak. "This $500 per month payment will help these service members who served above and beyond the call of duty. Often those men and women lost educational and employment opportunities they had earned and some are still trying to recover from that setback. With unemployment for Veterans significantly above the very high national average, I am proud to have supported legislation that recognized the hardship placed on these troops and their families by being forced to remain on active duty longer than planned."

The Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay is available to service members who had their enlistment extended or retirement suspended due to Stop Loss between Sept. 11, 2001 and Sept. 30, 2009. Service members from every branch of the military will receive compensation.

Service members may begin submitting their claim for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay. All applications must be submitted to the respective services no later than Oct. 21, 2010. 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.

Army: https://www.stoplosspay.army.mil
Navy: send email to -- NXAG_N132C@navy.mil
Marine Corps: https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/stoploss
Air Force: http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss

This payment builds on a significant record of accomplishment for veterans and troops over the last two and a half years under the New Direction Congress -- including the New GI Bill, progress in improving veterans' hospitals and facilities, expanding economic opportunities for returning soldiers and improving care for those with PTSD.

"Since 2006 Congress has made progress in restoring its covenant to properly respect Veterans and their families," said Congressman Sestak. "That covenant was broken following the Vietnam War and paid lip service for too long thereafter. This legislation recognizes our newest Veterans who served at a time when operating tempos and family separations, across all the services, reached unprecedented levels. They went to war for us and we must always keep faith with them."

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