In the News

Despite a last-minute push, the Pentagon has failed to fully meet a deadline set by Congress to review and mostly reverse efforts to recover enlistment bonuses for up to 17,500 California National Guard soldiers and veterans, including some who were wounded in battle.

Pentagon officials refused Tuesday to provide a breakdown of how many California Guard soldiers had their debts waived and how many are still facing repayment demands for bonuses that ranged from $15,000 to $80,000.

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But Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), a member of the House Armed Services Committee who spearheaded the push to let most Guard members keep their bonuses, criticized the Pentagon’s failure to meet the deadline.

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“They need to prove to me that this is no longer an issue for anyone they contacted and harassed,” Denham said.

In particular, he added, he wanted assurances that the Pentagon had helped soldiers contact credit agencies to correct any adverse impact on credit scores from the recoupment efforts.

“The reimbursement is obviously very, very important, but it’s equally important to make sure their credit is fixed,” Denham said.

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