Nearly 10,000 soldiers, who agreed to re-enlist and fight in combat a decade ago, when the military was short of troops, have been ordered to return their recruitment bonuses of $15,000 or more. “These bonuses were used to keep people in,” said Christopher Van Meter, 42, a former Army captain, Iraq veteran and Purple Heart recipient. “The system paid everybody up front, and then we spent the next five years figuring out if they were eligible.”
The Pentagon is demanding repayment of bonus money given to California National Guard members who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Nearly 10,000 soldiers, who agreed to re-enlist and fight in combat a decade ago, when the military was short of troops, have been ordered to return their recruitment bonuses of $15,000 or more, the Los Angeles Times reported. Audits revealed overpayments by the California National Guard, and determined that a lack of oversight…
