ARMED FORCES NEWS
GENERALS SEEK CONCURRENT RECEIPT EQUITY
August 22, 2003

Fifty-two retired Army and Air Force general officers representing 1500 years of service to the nation have signed a letter to President Bush asking him to support congressional legislation for concurrent receipt. The letter says that last year the 107th Congress passed legislation "with overwhelming majorities in both houses" for concurrent receipt, but killed it because of White House opposition over costs, and substituted Combat Related Special Compensation. The writers state that CRSCcovers less than five percent of disabled military retirees. With a similar situation this year, the generals wrote, "We urge you as Commander-in-Chief to speak for the thousands of disabled GIs who faithfully served their country for an entire career, were disabled in service to their country and now find their retired pay taxed at a rate of 100 percent of their disability compensation." 

Update on Concurrent Receipt Letter
Currently, most military retirees forfeit one dollar of retired pay for every dollar of disability compensation awarded by the Veterans Affairs department. Congressional legislation to correct this inequity by authorizing "concurrent receipt" has been stalled in Congress by threats of a presidential veto because of costs. The sponsor of the letter from the retired general officers, retired Army Lieutenant General Billy M. Thomas stated, "It is really sad that our troops are giving it all they have in Iraq and doing a wonderful job, yet the President and his advisers would take the retired pay away from those who are disabled in Iraq should they make it to retirement." 

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