Comments on: Concurrent Receipt in 2012?

By: Fred

Fred — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:04:20 +0000

Question about Ed’s response on Feb.1, 2012, are you referring to a current article from Army Times or is this from the article on March 2010 ? I’m not aware of any current legislation approving anything new.

By: ED

ED — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:51:58 +0000

The retired veteran that wrote on Feb. 1, 2012, Today. This may help you. From the Army Times
the title reads ” Plan would boost pay for Chapter 61″.
QUOTE: “For 22 month- Jan.1,2012 until Sep.30,2012-People with fewer than 20 years of service who are receiving military retierment pay for service- connected disabitities rated by the Veterans Affairs Department at 100% would be allowed to receive full veteran’s disability and military pay”.

By: Keith Fuller

Keith Fuller — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:25:15 +0000

WHY HAS MY COUNTRY DISCARDED ME

Why has my country discarded me? Why has my government turned its back on me? I gave you my life and then you turned your back on me, and many others like me. I was once young, strong, and determined to protect my country at all costs like my father and my brother before me. I did this with selfless service, and with the highest moral standards. I obeyed the orders given me, and never disobeyed orders; leaving my children and my wife to stay away from home for long periods of time. I gave you my ability to work and support my family. I gave you my mind, my body parts and my ability to feel worth as a human being. So again I ask why?

My story and many others like me. I was an Infantry Airborne Soldier; I did my time in Korea, and Honduras. I did my road marches of 25, 50, and 100 miles with my time at Ft. Drum and in those other countries. I stayed awake for days on end, and completely satisfied with what I was doing; Always being prepared to defend my country. I then taught young leaders how to become the leaders for tomorrows Army. I did this by 20 hour days and longer. I trained in subzero weather 100 plus degree weather; never once feeling sorry for myself. I knew that I was defending and preparing others to defend this country long after I was gone. I had such an overwhelming belief in my country and in what I was doing I felt that others should know, they too could help defend our great country. I volunteered to go on Recruiting and became one of the best in the country. Spreading the word of how great our country is and why we needed their help to defend this country and our way of life. Supporting our government and the constitution we all hold so close to our hearts. So again I ask why?

I then started to feel my body fall apart. I had already had 3 surgeries on my ankle and destroyed my great left toe, along with major back problems along with surgeries, shoulder problems, and my hips could not stand to be laid on to sleep. I was only 16 years in and things were going bad, but I never wavered in my duty, I never stopped believing in the cause and still believed in what I was doing and would not stop at any cost. So again I ask why?

My children now are getting older they do not understand the sacrifices they have to make with my presence never at home. I do not blame them for the thoughts they have. I can only go on with the straights and beliefs I have. I can only try to explain why, why I have to do what I do. Years have passed, and I have a relationship with my son who now is a father and his work takes him away for periods of time and he finally learned why. His two younger sisters now grown still do not know why and I have lost them forever. So again I ask why?

So you see life is funny, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and a little information on my life but there is more, but to much more to keep going on. I did prescription drugs, drank alcohol, lost my family, and lost my ability to function in life to keep the dream alive; to defend my country against all enemies foreign and domestic. So again I ask why?

In Conclusion, I spent 19 years 3 months and 20 days in the United States Army and in 2004 you threw me away. Why, Why I ask? That is all I want to know. Why do you treat me and others like me this way? We did not want to leave but you made us leave. Yes you send us to the VA and they take care of us, (I guess). I am looking at more back operations, and ankle fusion after 7 operations. I am 100% Service Connected and on Social Security, this all helps in what I call a life not at all, but the biggest slap in the face is you took away my retirement pay. Don’t tell me it is put into the VA pay and its tax free. I don’t care about tax free. I care about everything you read above and you turned your back on me and took it all away. So again I ask why?

SFC Keith A. Fuller Former Retired United States Army, you took it away from me and I will never forgive you. Why?
You can stop this and give back to us the feeling of worth and give us back our Military retirement pay we not only deserve but earned not only with time, but with the lives of loved ones, and our ability to be fulfilled in life.

Pass Chapter 61 for all that served no matter what the time limit, what is time anyway, we live and then we die. Do not turns your back on us, live up to what you said you would do; take care of those who took care of you, those that scarified everything even there life.

Thank you Mr. Fuller (Never leave a fallen soldier behind, and you have)

By: Keith Fuller

Keith Fuller — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:24:22 +0000

We are not individuals, we are a unit, team, and a chain of power that can do and make anything happen. I for one am not expecting anything other than all of us get what we earned. Do not say I have 20 years or more. Do not feel sorry that you do not have 20 years. We gave our time and lives. We must come together and fight, and we have been trained to fight. It is our government we are the government, the people. So it is time to march on DC and demand what we want and get it. It can only happen if we act. Sending emails to government officials will not work. Our message ends up in the trash. Although it may seem that bailing out loan companies and auto companies is more important, if we speak up and go enforce they then will know that we are important. It is time to stop the madness and take care of ourselves and families. I would love to take my grandson fishing without taking a hand full of pain killers, but I can’t. Are you ready I am? My Story

By: William F. Blackburn

William F. Blackburn — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:48:56 +0000

The current process is only for retirees that served 20 years or more. I am in the process of being bumped up to 100% by the VA for being a dialysis patient for a service connected disability and I am not going to be receiving my retirement check until Obama gets off his high horse and signs it into law. He said he would take care of us but yet his administration is not budging to help us obtain what is rightfully ours. I retired after 8 years 3 months and 25 days of active service in the Marines. Discharged with a incurable kidney disease which the Military excepts for blame for. I received my retirement checks until the VA took them away. Now I am out of that check and have been since 1989. The VA website says if you have retired with 20 or more years of service or your 100% disabled according to the VA. That OR does not mean me or you, sorry to have to tell you this. Hope it helps.

By: Hanford J. White

Hanford J. White — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 03:57:56 +0000

what is the current status of concurrent pay for Chapter 61 retirees with less than 20 years of service.

By: Fred

Fred — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:09:21 +0000

Until we get more Veterans into political positions on the floor of Congress we will continue to be at the mercy of the carpet baggers. Stop the grumble it’s time to rumble. Get involved in the political process, encourage veterans to run for political office. I read today that only 22% of the members of both houses of Congress are veterans. If we’re not represented by those making the rules we can’t expect to be protected. You can sing the poor me song all day or you can say enough of getting my 6 kicked, I’ll kick back with emails, phone calls, town meetings, political functions, veteran groups, churchs, news papers, radio, TV. Time for boots on the ground, reform the squad, attack those who are attacking us…..VOTE, encourage anyone and everyone you know to vote replace the carpet baggers with true patriots, VETERANS……..If you’re having trouble with the VA or understanding what your rights are contact a Veterans Service Officer they’re trained and know how to work the system, don’t take NO for an answer keep fighting you earned it………….Today is Veterans Day, welcome home my brothers and sisters let them know we’re back run for a political office……

Fred

By: Bruce

Bruce — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:38:31 +0000

It would just be nice to have all this in regular spoken words and not in the VA/DOD Wording, or Math. I am approved for CRSC but I get no benefit for it, which to me makes no sense since how can I approved for something and not get it. I know its the math or adding the ratings and the different ammounts of this and that.

Anyone tell me what to sign, where to show up, or what to do to help get this to be fair for all I will be there, or be involved.

Medically retired 10 years active, CRSC approved, but I only get my VA SC Amount. We all should get what we have earned by service, SC or combat related! Bruce

By: Ed

Ed — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:39:17 +0000

There has been no info. on this issue for some time. Has it been scraped from the DOD and VA budget for 2012? What happened to the fiscal budget any way? I think our military in all the branches have kissed up the the congress, house and the president. Just like before the V.N. war this countries defence was down to the raw bone. That in it’s self should ring a bell for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Dont weaken the military no matter what the situation and be cought off guard. The Admerals and generals were young officers when we were the object of that disgracefull and humiliating pull out. The troops were the ones that had to suffer for Kissingers bundoggle
and still are 40 some years later.
Concurrent pay should not be based only if your became disabled and medicaly retires in a none combat theater. WE had no choice where we would be deployed. You go to where your needed. If you are considered not eligable to serve it shouldent matter where you were disabled. If this was a civilian matter your boss would be reported to the National Labor Relations Board and maid to reinburse the misstreated employees for back pay and fined by the United States Labor Board. Thats a reminder not to screw up next time. Ed.

By: Rette

Rette — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 03:35:36 +0000

1. I am a retired veteran with 27 years of Meritorious Service. I was rated from the VA with eight disabling service connection. However, I only draw compensation for three of them. Before I retired concurrent receipt for veterans, less than 50% would be retroactive in year 2010. Then it was year 2012, 2014 and now I am hearing it want be until year 2015 before this bill is presented for budgeting. My question is why budgeting have does be the sacrifice of active military and veterans. If veterans retire or not, and work at an organization in corporate America they are not penalize from that company because they have retired from the service. A veteran who has retired are basically paying themselves to be disabled, even though it is offset by CRDP or CRSC if the veteran qualifies. Keep in mind that not all disabilities are combat related and therefore is not payable through CRDP or CRSC. In addition to veterans paying themselves to be disabled, we are told when this bill was presented a few years ago, to contact your Congressman or Senator. Well, I did both and found that my Congressman neither supported the bill in 2010 or any other time. He has never supported anything conducive to the Armed Services unless it benefited the majority in DC or favorite party. This is not hearsay it is factual. You can find most of what your Congressman or Senator vote for on line by visiting their website or read Military Officer Magazine. I believe there is not enough veterans petitioning to get and uphold their benefits. They do not want to make wave…and for the veteran who is drawing 10% for an agent orange related disease I would suggest you visit your Veteran Service Organization and quickly. Any veteran who has Agent Orange related illnesses should be more than 10% disabling, this holds true for OIF/OEF and desert storm recipients. Get to your VA service office, have the facts. Do not go blind-sided; make sure you know what you are talking about through research. On the lighter side, veterans who are less than 50% disabling and is paying themselves from their retirement should petition with signatures from all states and present this through your local charters: Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legions, Vietnam Veterans of American, and American Veterans. Maybe these organizations will get something done about this concurrent receipt. No organization in corporate America have their retiree to pay themselves to be disabled and most never had boots on the ground or raise the right hand – voluntarily. Therefore, I say to all do what is right, not what is best!
Comment by Rette — August 31, 2011 @ 10:26 pm