Disgusting treatment of U.S. Veterans, you bet...

My friend, and recent National Guard enlistee, RSM, pointed out this article in my comment section below...

National Guard Troops Denied Benefits After Longest Deployment Of Iraq War

Rhonda Erskine, Online Content Producer
Created: 10/3/2007 2:39:29 PM
Updated: 10/3/2007 5:32:02 PM


MINNEAPOLIS, MN (NBC) -- When they came home from Iraq, 2,600 members of the Minnesota National Guard had been deployed longer than any other ground combat unit. The tour lasted 22 months and had been extended as part of President Bush's surge.

1st Lt. Jon Anderson said he never expected to come home to this: A government refusing to pay education benefits he says he should have earned under the GI bill.

"It's pretty much a slap in the face," Anderson said. "I think it was a scheme to save money, personally. I think it was a leadership failure by the senior Washington leadership... once again failing the soldiers."

Anderson's orders, and the orders of 1,161 other Minnesota guard members, were written for 729 days.

Had they been written for 730 days, just one day more, the soldiers would receive those benefits to pay for school.

"Which would be allowing the soldiers an extra $500 to $800 a month," Anderson said.

That money would help him pay for his master's degree in public administration. It would help Anderson's fellow platoon leader, John Hobot, pay for a degree in law enforcement.

"I would assume, and I would hope, that when I get back from a deployment of 22 months, my senior leadership in Washington, the leadership that extended us in the first place, would take care of us once we got home," Hobot said.

Both Hobot and Anderson believe the Pentagon deliberately wrote orders for 729 days instead of 730. Now, six of Minnesota's members of the House of Representatives have asked the Secretary of the Army to look into it -- So have Senators Amy Klobuchar and Norm Coleman.

Klobuchar said the GI money "shouldn't be tied up in red tape," and Coleman said it's "simply irresponsible to deny education benefits to those soldiers who just completed the longest tour of duty of any unit in Iraq."

Also, before I continue, do I THINK this National Guard was given 729 days, instead of 730 intentionally.

YOU BET YOUR ASS I DO.

A Congressional Inquiry is in order.

I know I can depend on EACH OF YOU TO MAKE A PHONECALL, and FORWARD THIS TO ALL OF THOSE ON YOUR E-MAIL LIST. BLOGGERS CAN GET THIS DONE!

Please call Minnesota Senator Amy Klubachor:

Washington, DC

302 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
phone: 202-224-3244
fax: 202-228-2186
Ft. Snelling, MN

1 Federal Drive
Whipple Federal Building, Suite 298
Fort Snelling, MN 55111
phone: 612-727-5220
fax: 612-727-5223
Southern Minnesota

1134 7th Street NW
Rochester, MN 55901
phone: 507-288-5321
fax: 507-288-2922
Toll Free Number:

1-888-224-9043

OR

CONTACT NORM COLEMAN

HERE

OR

Washington Office:
320 Senate Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-5641
Fax: 202-224-1152
Scheduling: 202-228-1503

Minnesota Office in St. Paul:
2550 University Ave W, Suite 100N
St. Paul, MN 55114
Main: 651-645-0323
Fax: 651-645-3110
Toll Free: 800-642-6041

Minnesota Office in Mankato:
12 Civic Center Plaza
Suite 2167
Mankato, Minnesota 56001
Main: 507-625-6800
Fax: 507-625-9427

Minnesota Office in Grand Rapids:
200 Northbank Center 206B
Northeast 3rd Street
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Main: 218-327-9333
Fax: 218-327-8637

Minnesota Office in Moorhead:
810 4th Avenue South
Suite 203
Moorhead, MN 56560

This is just shameful folks...

LEts take care of those that TAKE CARE OF US!