VA Recoupment of Disable Veterans SSB/VSI Payments

The United States has a moral obligation to our veterans. What they are doing here is immoral and a felony! The VA is stealing the funds promised to our veterans who need this to survive. Many of these veterans are too young for Social Security and Medicare and these funds keep them well and housed. I challenge every American, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Socialist, etc, with a conscience to write their elected representatives at the Federal level asking that this order be reversed.

I to accept the ssb program leaving active duty early in 1992. Later was awarded disability and told that I have to pay back the full amount of ssb before I can get my or any disabled monies. I am truly telling you the government put me and all vet who took ssb/VSI in a bad place . Left all these vet with debt to pay the government back for helping them by getting out of the military . We should have not had to pay the government back for getting out. The va took my disability check for 16 years before I received my first check. Truly wrong ,I would like to have all that money rewarded back to my family and I.

I went on the tdrl list after 13 yrs 8 months, and 5 yrs later received 50000 buyout. VA has been recouping that since 1998.

this is bad! I didn't retire , and because I became Disable. they take away my VSI..and when I left the service I was told nothing could take the VSI away from me.

I agree with all the comments and think it is a disgrace that they are making us repay the money given as an incentive to help the D.O.D with the RIF. The RIF ultimately saved the D.O.D millions of dollars and now instead of receiving the comp for my service connected injury, I have to repay this money. This is a slap in the face and an insult.

I got out under SSB in 1995, joined the reserves, got hurt in the reserves, filed a va claim and the VA is recouping the SSB even though their M21 letter states they will not recoup for a later injury. I retired from the reserves and when I turn 60, that is when the SSB is supposed to be recouped.

The two are completely different and should not be linked for recoupment.

How are they the same...military downsizeing and VSI?

To protect our veterans

I separated honorably from the USAF in 1992 under the SSB program, what I considered a contract between myself and the government to sacrifice my remaining enlistment time and the 12 previous years of service time so that draw down goals could be reached. AFTER my separation I was diagnosed by the VA with hypertension, and subsequently rated at 10% disability (which I was unaware of for the next 15 years). In 2007, to my surprise, I discovered that I had been given the aforementioned 10% disability rating, however, all my disability checks would be recouped to payback my SSB. The SSB contract has absolutely nothing to do with my VA disability which again was after I was out of the service. The VA maintains that this is how they operate...recoupment. If this were a civilian outfit attempting to do this, there would be a breach of contract. They paid for my service time, and me sacrificing retirement, so they could down size mine and the other branches. It is unfortunate that our government operates like this.

I am in the exact same position and this has caused undo hardship on me and my family. I feel that this is extremely unfair to the men and women who unselfishly served their Country in the Armed Services. The VA should do better by us. Elaine

if I had known that they would take back my SSB I would of stayed ln to retirerment

Some soldiers were forced to medical retired for combat related injuries and later VSI was taken from their retirement pay. Many of them were not able to go back to their civilian jobs and were not prepare for the sudden retirement.

I simply need to know where to check my balance. I think I am overpaying at the full amount before taxes.

This needs to be changed.

Is there anyone in a position high enough to make a difference in the fight to get this changed.

SSB is not always voluntary, in recent years it has been due to being Involuntarily removed from enlistment due to the drawn down and compensation due to the obvious problems associated with it. If a veteran is disabled, why on earth should they owe the government for kicking them out? The military would not remove someone from their ranks just for testing positive for symptomatic ptsd, so why is it suddenly a money problem?

This is happening to myself also do not agree with what they are doing to us vets

this has to stop.

This is what just happened to me. After serving 11+ years, I am rated at 30% and I will not begin receiving benefits until 2034. VSP'd in 2007.