Injured soldiers being 'dunned' for debts

On Deadline
Apr. 28, 2006

Nine hundred "battle-injured soldiers" who served in Iraq and Afghanistan officially owe the government $1.2 million. But many can't afford to settle the debts and the government's efforts to collect the money have "placed significant hardship" on some of the veterans, the Government Accountability Office reported today.

The Washington Post, which previewed the report this morning, wrote that soldiers have been "dunned for an array of debts related to everything from errors in paychecks to equipment left behind on the battlefield."

ABC News, which also got hold of the report in advance, told the tale of Army specialist Tyson Johnson. Seriously injured by a mortar blast, "his injuries forced him out of the military," ABC reported, "and the Army demanded he repay an enlistment bonus of $2,700 because he'd only served two-thirds of his three-year tour. When he couldn't pay, Johnson's account was turned over to bill collectors. He ended up living out of his car when the Army reported him to credit agencies as having bad debts, making it impossible for him to rent an apartment."

GAO recommends that Congress give the Pentagon more authority to forgive soldiers' debts.