New restrictions for retroactive stop-loss pay

[unhappycamper]

New restrictions for retroactive stop-loss pay
By Jim Tice - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Dec 24, 2009 13:04:08 EST

A provision of the 2010 Defense Authorization Act signed into law Dec. 19 by President Obama prohibits the services from paying retroactive stop-loss pay to any retired or former members who extended or re-enlisted and collected a bonus while they were in stop-loss status Sept. 11, 2001 through Sept. 30, 2008.

The $534 million retroactive stop-loss pay program, one of two stop-loss special pay programs now in effect, compensates eligible applicants $500 for every month they were involuntarily retained on active duty beyond their contracted term of service.

A similar, but separate stop-loss pay program, is targeted at service members who have been involuntarily extended on active duty since Oct. 1, 2008. This program also pays $500 per month, and is funded through fiscal 2010 under the same appropriations act that imposes new restrictions on the retroactive program.

Because of the new restrictions, the Army and Air Force have temporarily halted retroactive payments until they can identify former members who received retention bonuses while in stop-loss status.

The Army, which estimates that 120,000 of its veterans may be eligible for retroactive pay, began approving payments in early December.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/12/army_stoploss_122409w/