Last year members of the 34th Infantry Division set a record for longest time in country during the Iraq war — the brave citizen soldiers of the Minnesota National Guard did their service in Iraq unfailingly and with distinction.
Representatives Tim Walz and Keith Ellison have been working hard for the last year to ensure that they get the education benefits they deserve. Just today the good Representatives announced that they have finally gotten the last of the benefits cleared up with the VA.
– Today, Congressman Tim Walz and Congressman Keith Ellison announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs has agreed to their request to provide full educational benefits to nearly 400 soldiers from the 1/34th Brigade Combat Team who had previously been denied the payments they had earned.
On July 28, 2008, Reps. Walz and Ellison spearheaded a letter from the Minnesota Congressional Delegation to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, requesting that he act quickly to ensure that the 1/34th members received their benefits. Secretary Peake announced VA’s decision to award those benefits in a letter of August 11, 2008. The National Guard estimates that this decision will affect approximately 367 veterans nationally.
The entire press release after the jump.
WALZ, ELLISON OBTAIN RETROACTIVE BENEFITS FOR 1/34th SOLDIERS WRONGLY DENIED PAYMENTS
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congressman Tim Walz and Congressman Keith Ellison announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs has agreed to their request to provide full educational benefits to nearly 400 soldiers from the 1/34th Brigade Combat Team who had previously been denied the payments they had earned.
On July 28, 2008, Reps. Walz and Ellison spearheaded a letter from the Minnesota Congressional Delegation to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, requesting that he act quickly to ensure that the 1/34th members received their benefits. Secretary Peake announced VA’s decision to award those benefits in a letter of August 11, 2008. The National Guard estimates that this decision will affect approximately 367 veterans nationally.
“These brave soldiers fought for us in Iraq and since returning home, we’ve had to fight every step of the way to get them the benefits they’ve earned,” said Walz. “Recently the Minnesota National Guard informed us that nearly 400 soldiers who had enrolled in school last year had not received the educational benefits they were promised. I’m pleased that this problem has been corrected and our soldiers will receive the retroactive educational benefits they are owed. Administrative glitches and paperwork delays should not cause our soldiers to be shortchanged. I am glad that we were able to work with Secretary Peake to resolve this issue quickly. ”
“I am grateful that Secretary of Veterans Affairs, James Peake, expeditiously granted relief to each Member of the National Guard affected by this situation” said Congressman Ellison. He continued, “The men and women who served in Iraq during the ‘troop surge’ continued to perform their duties without hesitation. America owes these brave young men and women every benefit they have earned without equal hesitation. Members of the Minnesota National Guard have interrupted their lives to serve in America’s military and spent a long period of time away from their families and friends. It would be a shame for them to have to postpone their education and careers due to government error.” Secretary Peake informed Congressman Ellison that he will work with the National Guard to notify each the soldiers affected by this situation.
After the 1/34th BCT deployed to Iraq in the spring for 2006, their anticipated return in the spring of 2007 was delayed for several months. However, nearly 400 of these soldiers were not eligible to receive their full education benefits because their military paperwork did not accurately reflect their full length of service overseas. Congressman Walz and Congressman Ellison were instrumental in helping address this initial problem, and the Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR) ultimately amended the soldiers’ orders to reflect their full service.
Many members of the unit enrolled in colleges or universities upon their return and began attending classes in the fall semester of 2007 while their applications before the BCMR were pending. These soldiers applied to participate in the so-called “Plus Up” program, which provides for increased education benefits. However, these soldiers did not receive their Plus Up benefits while their applications were pending, and they were denied retroactive payment even after their paperwork was properly amended.
Walz and Ellison said that the VA Secretary’s decision to award these soldiers the benefits they were entitled to is the right one, given that the Secretary acknowledged the original denial was due to an error made by the federal government.
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Great news! I’ve been tracking this for over a year.
But they hate the troops!
Yes. They hate them so much, they work their asses off to get them the benefits they deserve. Thanks for pointing that out, SeanH!
Didn’t Bachmann and Kline help the troops too? Oh yeah, it is easier too just say you support the troops and do nothing for them. I forgot the Republican way.
John Kline and Michele Bachmann did NOTHING for the Troops, other than vote that the President had more money from them to keep troops in Iraq for long tourse. They both voted opposing loneger stays at home than the actual tours. They support the troops alright.
Kudos to Keith and Tim for a hard fought battle for Veterans of this war..
Outstanding. They’ve been there so long, that perhaps they’ll go straight to retirement & skip more schooling alltogether.
What maybe is most pressing: is the free medical via the VA system they should be receiving.
All the members of the Minnesota House delegation signed the letter to Secretary Peake, so they can all take credit for the resulting action.
Read this article by John Kline in the Waconia Sun Patriot from two months ago, published right before July fourth holiday, on how he was pleased to help pass GI Bill legislation. He ‘forgot’ to mention that he voted NAY on the bill before the Minority Chamber Senate forced a conference committee to the emergency troops funding bill that included the GI Bill.
http://waconiapatriot.com/articles/2008/06/26/carver_county_news/opinion/opinion01.prt
Kline’s a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
It’s worth a visit to http://www.thomas.gov to check and see how many bills he’s authored or cosponsored to benefit military personnel in his 6 years in Congress.
I hope Sarvi kicks Kline in the metaphorical nuts on this.
The republicans sound great. But if you pay attention to their actions it is completely different. It’s time for Kline and Bachmann to go.
How does a pat on the back for Ellison and Walz turn in to wanting to “kick Kline in the metaphorical nuts.”?
Nice work on this to Walz. He led the charge, and given his position on the Veterans Affairs Committee, used his influence effectly.
Kline is a hypocrite. Ash is a patriot and a veteran. Kline’s vote against the bill is a slap in the face to those who served. Madia served honorably. This vote is fodder for Madia to use against Kline.
Seriously, DtM. At least I didn’t call for Madia to kick Kline in the actual nuts..which is what he deserves.
You have good reason to be a bit confused as to which district Madia is attempting to represent given his just-in-time move to Maple Grove… but in this case, he is running for the seat in the 3rd, against Paulsen, not the 2nd vs. Kline.
If you must compare Madia and Kline (which i assume was an oversight on your part) on “honorble service”, be careful. Yes, Madia served his country including time spent on foreign soil. But Kline did as well. In fact, Kline is a 25-year marine, including serving as a pilot in Vietnam, working closely with Presidents Carter and Reagan, and retiring as a Colonel after working his way up.
Kline may have had reasons for voting against this bill, but I doubt any lack of appreciation for our men and women in uniform was one of them.
Ellison had the lead on this, not Walz. Ellison is not a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, but he took the lead anyway. Constituents are constituents.