Wyden, Merkley Urge Servicemembers To Collect Stop Loss Pay Before Deadline
Veterans, Servicemembers Must Collect Benefits before October 21, 2010
Washington, D.C. – Making sure that Oregon servicemembers receive the Stop Loss Special Pay they are owed for service between September 11, 2001 and September 30, 2009, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) encouraged veterans and current servicemembers to apply for the benefits before they are no longer available to them. The Department of Defense estimates that 145,400 personnel are eligible nationwide, although only 58,000 claims have been paid to this point. The deadline for claiming stop loss benefits is October 21, 2010.
“Every Oregon servicemember who was kept on duty past their original commitment deserves more than just our nation’s thanks – they deserve to get the pay they were promised,” said Wyden. “I urge all Oregonians to spread the word to their friends and loved ones who have a short deadline to get the benefits they deserve.”
“America’s veterans have earned this pay and I want to see every eligible service member receive the money they deserve,” said Merkley. “This is their money. The deadline is coming up in October and I encourage all servicemen and women who had their service extended by ‘stop loss’ to apply for these retroactive benefits.”
As part of the 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act, servicemembers who were forced to serve beyond their scheduled discharge or retirement date are eligible for an additional $500 for each month in which they served after their discharge date. The process, known as stop-loss, suspends discharges or retirements for a period of time in order to meet necessary troop levels. Servicemembers and veterans who were stop-lossed between September 11, 2001, and September 30, 2009, including those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, are eligible for this Stop Loss Special Pay.
For more information or to claim stop loss benefits, please visit the Department of Defense website at www.defense.gov/stoploss.
Next Article
