Ain't worth the paper it's printed on.

**kungfujew** · Posted On: 11/06/2005 2:26pm

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/..._guardx05.html

Guardsman re-enlists, Pentagon kills bonus
Officers from state try to restore $15,000 benefit

By SAM SKOLNIK
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

A Department of Defense decision to renege on war-time promises to pay bonuses to more than a dozen re-enlisting Washington National Guardsmen has sparked outrage from prominent elected officials and state National Guard officers working to rectify the situation.

According to a state Guard spokesman, Maj. Phil Osterli, at least 15 Washington National Guardsmen and women signed re-enlistment forms promising them a tax-free $15,000 bonus in return. Many of them were stationed in Iraq at the time, he said.

But Pentagon officials have said in published reports that the bonuses were canceled because they duplicated other programs and were prohibited.

Sgt. 1st Class Carl Latson is one of those in the Washington National Guard directly affected. The Spanaway man, a 13-year military veteran who said he has served both in Operation Desert Storm and in the current Iraq war, re-enlisted in January for another six-year term, which would have taken him close to retirement from the service.

Latson, 35, said Friday that the bonus was a big incentive to re-enlist. At the time it was offered, he was serving in Iraq as an enlisted aide for a general at the Balad Army base near Baghdad.

He signed a re-enlistment form Jan. 17, just after he took the oath from his commanding officer. "For a 6 year reenlistment/extension I will receive a total bonus of $15,000," reads the official Army National Guard form.

Might I be the first to ask:
Why does the military hate our troops?
My does the military.... hate... America???

**Quikfeet509** · Posted On: 11/06/2005 11:06pm

Well there is a need to cut the budget to pay for the war, so it makes sense to eliminate money wasted to support the people that are actually fighting the war.

**Poop Loops** · Posted On: 11/06/2005 11:37pm

Who is the money going to, then?

Soldiers have shitty armor, no pay, and they are the ones doing the dirty work...

PL

**bushi_no_ki** · Posted On: 11/07/2005 10:27pm

Well, it just reinforces what everyone has been telling me, to check my contract and make sure everything is in writing before I sign it. Doesn't bug me much, I was going to take the enlistment bonus instead of the MGIB anyway.

**TheManchu** · Posted On: 11/08/2005 10:13am

Originally Posted by bushi_no_ki

Well, it just reinforces what everyone has been telling me, to check my contract and make sure everything is in writing before I sign it. Doesn't bug me much, I was going to take the enlistment bonus instead of the MGIB anyway.

The article says the reenlistment forms mention the $15,000. Which would mean it was in writing.

It certainly should bug you, but I guess you are one of three americans who doesn't have an "I support my troops" magnet on your car.

**kungfujew** · Posted On: 11/09/2005 5:02am

Originally Posted by TheManchu

The article says the reenlistment forms mention the $15,000. Which would mean it was in writing.

It certainly should bug you, but I guess you are one of three americans who doesn't have an "I support my troops" magnet on your car.

Or, more specifically, on your gas tank.

**Quikfeet509** · Posted On: 11/09/2005 10:34am

Update:

http://murray.senate.gov/news.cfm?id=248408

**kungfujew** · Posted On: 11/09/2005 1:58pm

Good. Those fuckers were gonna give that money to Kellog Brown and Root or some other Bushco subsidiary doing our dirty work in Iraq; glad the senate grew some godamn spine here.