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Frozen Sooner
1/23/2009, 02:15 AM
Army Cuts Off Pay for Territorial Guardsmen
by Rebecca Palsha
Thursday, January 22, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska-- The army has declared that the Alaska Territorial Guard's service no longer qualifies for retirement benefits.

The military plans to terminate retirement pensions for the mostly native militia formed during World War II to guard the Alaskan territory from increasing Japanese attacks during the war.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she is concerned with the timing of the cut, considering high fuel costs in remote villages this time of year.

"You just have to ask the question how can our government be so insensitive," Murkowski said. "Taking retirement benefits out of the pockets of seniors at a time of the year that they are absolutely the most vulnerable."

The 25 long retired militia men, who are now in their 80s, will lose an average of $400 from their monthly retirement pay.

Letters informing the militia members of the retirement cut are in the mail.

"Those letters will tell these 25 elderly Alaskans that the army has changed its mind about whether their service in the Alaska territorial guard during World War II counts toward military retirement," Murkowski said.

Robert Goodman with the Alaska Territorial Guard organization said some of the blame falls on Alaskan officials, but mainly on Gen. Craig Campbell who Goodman said never made it a priority getting the men recognized by the federal government.

"I think we should raise enough hell for these senior veterans that somebody looks really bad for not taking care of these people," Goodman said. "These are veterans."

But Campbell said this is a federal decision and that he's severely disappointed.

"I personally have contacted all the congressional delegations staffers who've communicated with the Army," Campbell said. "I've been in contact as to what the progress is, I've informed the governor, and a letter is being drafted to Obama that I believe the governor will sign."

The army plans to cut the retirement credit on Feb. 1.

Murkowski said she'd like to see the defense department continue to pay these men, and if not she says the Obama administration should send legislation to Congress ending any doubt the service should count as military service before the reduction takes place.

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=9718734

If you're interested in the service of the men of the Alaska Territorial Guard and what role they played in WW2, here's the Wikipedia link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Territorial_Guard

Crucifax Autumn
1/23/2009, 02:35 AM
That's completely retarded. The repeated disrespect to Veterans in recent years is absolutely ridiculous.

olevetonahill
1/23/2009, 04:00 AM
Mike, Before I go off on My senator and such can I get a point or 2 Clarified ?
They are Talking Retirement, Does that mean these Men and Women .Served Other than the ATG? Or Is this a stipend for just serving in the ATG ?
Regardless I fail to see how cutting off these fine folks from about 10K a Month will help In anyway .

Crucifax Autumn
1/23/2009, 04:08 AM
I see what ye sayin' vet, but damn! Not like these guys are gonna be drainin' tha system for another 40 years!

I mean...crap man...How many times can they tell vets that their money's bein' cut off or that they don't know what PTSD is and they ain't never heard of a psychiatrist? How many times can they say "huh...Gulf wat whatdrome?".

I never served and maybe that makes me take it a little different...I think guys better than me oughtta be treated right and quite hobetly the military and the last 2 administrations of guys like me that either didn't serve or didn't show up ignoring their needs is kinda offensive. It makes us lifelong civilians look like A-holes with a capital AZZ!

olevetonahill
1/23/2009, 04:27 AM
I agree bro . a little Math tells me its Only 10k a Month from the the Gov. but a small fortune to these men and women .
Why Just think with what the Gov. will save by cuttin em off will Pay for One Limo fer the Pres.:mad:

Crucifax Autumn
1/23/2009, 05:16 AM
lol...or, just to take the other side, 1 more bridge in Alaska!

olevetonahill
1/23/2009, 05:38 AM
I already sent this to My Veterans Issues Board .;)

olevetonahill
1/24/2009, 08:52 PM
Hey Mike can ya keep us updated on this ?
Thanks

Frozen Sooner
1/24/2009, 09:56 PM
Will do as I get more news. There was a good article in the ADN yesterday, I'll see if I can find it online.

Frozen Sooner
1/24/2009, 09:59 PM
Army cuts off pay for WWII Alaska militia veterans

By RACHEL D'ORO / Associated Press Writer

Published: January 22nd, 2009 05:19 PM
Last Modified: January 22nd, 2009 06:09 PM

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Army has decided to cut off retirement pay for veterans of a largely Native militia formed to guard the territory of Alaska from the threat of Japanese attack during World War II.

The change means 26 surviving members of the Alaska Territorial Guard - most in their 80s and long retired - will lose as much as $557 in monthly retirement pay, a state veterans officer said Thursday. The payments end Feb. 1, according to U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

"What kind of a government, what kind of a Cruella, could cut retirement benefits to a group of Eskimos in their 80s in the dead of Alaskan winter?" the Alaska Republican asked Thursday on the Senate floor. "It is time for some soul searching on this at the Pentagon."

Applications for retirement pay from 37 others have been suspended.

The state is pursuing a remedy for "these brave Alaskans, who did so much for the cause of freedom during a time of great national peril," Gov. Sarah Palin said.

The action comes almost a decade after Congress passed a law qualifying time served in the unpaid guard as active federal service. The Army agreed in 2004 to grant official military discharge certificates to members or their survivors.

An Army official said the law was misinterpreted. The law applies to military benefits, including medical benefits, but not retirement pay, said Lt. Col. Richard McNorton, with the Army's human resources command in Alexandria, Va.

"The focus is to follow the law," he said. "We can't choose whether to follow the law."

The Army doesn't intend to seek to recoup past pay, he said.

About 300 members are still living from the original 6,600-member unit called up from 1942 to 1947 to scout patrols, build military airstrips and perform other duties. But only a fraction had enough other military service to reach the 20-year requirement for retirement pay.

Among those who did is 88-year-old Paul Kiunya in the western Alaska village of Kipnuk. Kiunya was 16 when he joined the territorial guard and worked in communications, reporting by radio any unusual noises or the direction of aircraft, including some Japanese planes he spotted.

"We did not get one cent being in the territorial guard," he said. "And we worked hard."

Kiunya - who later put in 22 years in the National Guard and another decade in the Guard reserves - will lose more than $358 a month in his retirement package because of the Army's decision. With gasoline in his village at almost $10 a gallon, that's a huge amount to lose.

"I don't know why they trying to cut the pay. It's not good for us right now," he said in a phone interview. "It's not right."

Murkowski and fellow Alaska Sen. Mark Begich, a Democrat, are preparing legislation clarifying that service in the territorial guard counts as active duty for calculating retirement pay, she told her Senate colleagues.

Murkowski said Alaska's three-member congressional delegation also have sent a letter to President Barack Obama to intervene to ensure that those affected by "this tragic, tragic series of events do not lose the safety net."

85Sooner
1/24/2009, 10:29 PM
This doesn't surprise me a bit from who the population decided should be making the decisions to run the country. I will write and add to it the disagreement that I have with voting for a SOB who doesn't want and didn't pay his taxes to be the Sec of the Treas. Thanks froz

olevetonahill
1/24/2009, 10:30 PM
Right after you posted this . I emailed My Veterans group . They have helped spread this news all over . I gots a feeling those men wont Miss a check ;)

olevetonahill
1/24/2009, 10:33 PM
This doesn't surprise me a bit from who the population decided should be making the decisions to run the country. I will write and add to it the disagreement that I have with voting for a SOB who doesn't want and didn't pay his taxes to be the Sec of the Treas. Thanks froz

Dude wake up and smell the Coffee. This has Nothing to do with whos the Pres.
The ARMY decided this **** . Hopefully President Obama will see that its corrected .

Harry Beanbag
1/25/2009, 02:36 AM
This is horrible, this idea.

BigRedJed
1/25/2009, 03:31 AM
Good grief. Are you ****ing kidding me? Absolutely shameful.

olevetonahill
1/25/2009, 10:08 AM
Wright yer congressmen and Senators Peeps . These Old Peeps aint gonna get their Money come the 1st of Feb. less something Happens to change it .

SoonerBorn68
1/25/2009, 06:08 PM
Our government just spent over 800 BILLION dollars bailing out banks & other bull****, but decides not to finish out veterans' pensions?

Shameful but typical. :(

OklahomaTuba
1/25/2009, 08:58 PM
Wow. Just wow.

AggieTool
1/25/2009, 09:21 PM
So what's the governor doing about it?

olevetonahill
1/26/2009, 01:19 AM
So what's the governor doing about it?

Since its a Decision from the US Army ya idjit Not Much She can do But bitch like the rest of us . :rolleyes:

Vaevictis
1/26/2009, 01:29 AM
Actually, the governor could use her podium to raise funds to cover the shortfall until something is done in Washington.

Of course, she's not the only one. Hell, some of the rather indignant people in this thread could probably do it :)

Vaevictis
1/26/2009, 01:40 AM
What I'm sort of saying here is that, hey, it's what, $10k to cover this month's shortfall?

And you guys who are always beating the drums for private intervention and against the government are going to sit back and wait for the government to do something? Something that would require legislative action to correct? Seriously?

This is something that actually can be addressed by private means. It's freaking $10k, and you have the internet and can probably rally RedState or something. It should be a cinch.

Pick up the banner and walk the walk guys.

tommieharris91
1/26/2009, 01:41 AM
10k a month is a lot to pay, but they shouldn't have their money completely cut off.

Vaevictis
1/26/2009, 01:46 AM
Or are ya gonna be like us pinko liberals and wait for the gubmint to do something about it? ;)

Ton Loc
1/26/2009, 01:47 AM
Anyone have a link to a form letter to send to our reps? It would be a lot easier just to fill my name in on something "official" and forward it.

SoonerStormchaser
1/26/2009, 10:03 AM
So what's the governor doing about it?

Get a HARUMPH!!!

LoyalFan
1/27/2009, 03:42 AM
So what's the governor doing about it?


Knowing the MamaGrizzlyHottie I'm betting she'll see that they are paid, out of state funds or even her own personal funds if necessary.
BTW, I watched her State Of The State address tonight. She's amazing.
Even the few opponents in the hall were applauding. She not only promises good things...she delivers!
She's sooooo much better than the snarky America-hating beeyotches representing the Dems; Nancy, Hillary, Michelle, Maxine, and the blonde chubby from Loseranna, etc.

LF

AggieTool
1/27/2009, 09:25 AM
She's sooooo much better than the snarky America-hating beeyotches representing the Dems; Nancy, Hillary, Michelle, Maxine, and the blonde chubby from Loseranna, etc.
LF

And she can see Russia from her house!;)

LoyalFan
1/27/2009, 04:20 PM
And she can see Russia from her house!;)

And if those commies try to invade Alaska she's gonna grab her moose rifle, sled and dawgs, and do a one-woman Rambo on their arses (with a little Chuck Norris, Olevet, and Arnie the Governator thrown in.)
She'll make the kids in "Red Dawn" look like a nice bunch of Mormon missionaries.
She won't take scalps but a lot of the survivors will never father chilluns!
Them ain't fuzzy dice on the rear-view of her sled, y'kneaux?

LF
Aflame with Sarah lust, and loving it.

bonkuba
1/27/2009, 05:11 PM
Done.....again.

Frozen Sooner
1/29/2009, 02:19 AM
Update:

The Secretary of the Army has authorized that payments to Alaska Territorial Guard members continue from discretionary funds for now.

Senators Mark Begich (D-AK) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Congressman Don Young (R-AK) have submitted bills in their respective houses to formally recognize Alaska Territorial Guard service as qualifying military service.

olevetonahill
1/30/2009, 12:48 AM
Update:

The Secretary of the Army has authorized that payments to Alaska Territorial Guard members continue from discretionary funds for now.

Senators Mark Begich (D-AK) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Congressman Don Young (R-AK) have submitted bills in their respective houses to formally recognize Alaska Territorial Guard service as qualifying military service.

Fandamtastic

Frozen Sooner
1/30/2009, 01:08 AM
Yup. I can't imagine these won't pass. Through the grapevine I hear that Begich has spoken with President Obama about this and Obama has promised to sign (so long as there's no crazy-*** amendments like selling Florida to Spain or something involved.)

Edit: hearing on the news right now confirmation that Obama has promised his signature and that the Sec'y of the Army has said that payments will continue for two months to give them time to pass the bill.

Thanks to everyone who fired off a letter or e-mail.

olevetonahill
1/30/2009, 05:59 AM
Oh and Vaevectus
I had thot of tryin to do a Grass roots thingy . and Help the Vets
Had you even thot of doing so ?:rolleyes:
Other than being a dick wad ?

Vaevictis
1/30/2009, 11:18 AM
Oh and Vaevectus
I had thot of tryin to do a Grass roots thingy . and Help the Vets
Had you even thot of doing so ?:rolleyes:
Other than being a dick wad ?

Congrats Vet, you thought about it. That's a mighty big of you.

JohnnyMack
1/30/2009, 11:49 AM
What I'm sort of saying here is that, hey, it's what, $10k to cover this month's shortfall?

And you guys who are always beating the drums for private intervention and against the government are going to sit back and wait for the government to do something? Something that would require legislative action to correct? Seriously?

This is something that actually can be addressed by private means. It's freaking $10k, and you have the internet and can probably rally RedState or something. It should be a cinch.

Pick up the banner and walk the walk guys.

I happen to think you're off base on this one. I realize you're trying to be cute, but it's not really working.

Vaevictis
1/30/2009, 01:11 PM
Cute? Nah. Vet got it right, I was (deliberately) being a dick. I was rather hoping someone would be offended enough by it to actually do it.

If memory serves, Murkowski (R-AK) is on the appropriations committee. If someone on appropriations can't get it done, nobody any of us is going to write is going to either -- unless one of us happens to have the Speaker, Majority Leader or President in their pocket.

Hence why I said what I did -- if people here really wanted to ensure that those veterans got their check, they'd have raised funds and actually ensured it.

Writing your Congress-person in this case is about the equivalent of Vet (or me) sitting around thinking about raising funds for these guys. It may make you feel superior or like you're doing something, but it's really about as effective as sitting at home with your thumb up your ***.

Frozen Sooner
1/30/2009, 01:31 PM
Murkowski is on appropriations.

And I'm sorry that I've offended you with the suggestion that you might actually attempt to contact your elected officials. Perhaps the elected officials in your state do not pay attention to the letters they receive from their constituents. I happen to know that at least one of mine pays attention at least to how many letters they receive on a particular issue to gauge how the public feels about a particular issue.

Vaevictis
1/30/2009, 03:05 PM
Offended? No.

It's literally just -- look, Alaska has someone on the Senate appropriations committee. If she couldn't get it fixed in time, nobody could. And she wasn't going to stand by and do nothing. A Republican in a position to help 80-90 year old vets from her home state get their pension that refuses to do so? Political suicide.

As such, IMO, writing Congress-people was just superfluous. If it was possible for someone in Congress to get it fixed in time, it was already going to happen.

If it was impossible, the only way to make sure these guys didn't miss a check would be for some private party to send them one. Which is what I -- admittedly rudely -- was trying to point out... and maybe even provoke.

Harry Beanbag
1/30/2009, 04:55 PM
You're a self made multimillionaire, you could have written a check for it, Bruce. Why didn't you?