Ordered stop-loss payouts still undelivered

Ordered stop-loss payouts still undelivered
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Dec 6, 2008 7:06:50 EST

Two months after Congress ordered special pay of up to $500 a month for anyone involuntarily kept on active duty under stop-loss orders, nobody has received a dime.

But the wait may be coming to an end. Senior Army officials are close to issuing a recommendation on whether to pay the full $500 allowance authorized by Congress and when payments might begin, according to Senate aides monitoring the program.

The decision, one of the last military pay actions by the Bush administration, must be cleared by the House and Senate Appropriations committees before payments begin.

Army spokesman Maj. Nathan Banks could not say when an announcement would be made, but he noted that top Army officials are reviewing a payment plan for submittal to Congress.

“Congress authorized the payment, but the amount could be anywhere from zero to $500,” Banks said.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/12/army_stoploss_120808w/%2e