GAO report: Some Army troops unpaid for weeks, denied medical care [View All]

http://estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=18714

WASHINGTON — Army National Guard soldiers activated to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan are plagued with pay-and-benefits problems and even denial of medical care to those wounded, auditors reported.

Investigators from the General Accounting Office, Congress’ investigative arm, tracked Guardsmen who weren’t paid in months, were told to repay debts they hadn’t incurred or told they didn’t qualify for medical care, according to a report released Thursday titled “Military Pay: Army National Guard Personnel Mobilized to Active Duty Experienced Significant Pay Problems.”

“This is not just a ‘significant’ rate of error; it’s a virtual system meltdown of a critical support function,” Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., vice chairman of House Government Reform Committee said during a news conference, held in lieu of a congressional hearing, he said.