Say It Ain't So
 

Wounded soldiers in the middle east being billed for the food they recieve while in the hospital recovering from their wounds.
I couldn't find anything on snopes but I'm not that familiar with navigating that site. Please, somebody prove it's bullshit. Please, please, say it ain't so. :(

I didn't see anything about it on snopes. If this is happening to the soldiers, that's ridiculous.

Tob, do you know anything about this?

According to this it's true sort of (they don't get charged for food in the hospital per se, they have to pay back the per diem they get when they're not housed at their unit), and some congresscritters noticed it and are trying to change it.

I think it is reasonable that they continue to get their per diem while in the hospital. There are other things that must cost money and aren't give to them free while hospitalized, even if just comfort items. They might need to buy a magazine or two, or whatever, and they can't draw them from unit rec supplies while in hospital, can they?

Fuck, let 'em keep it, really.

A week without The Economist? That would be immoral and unethical torture!

A coworker's brother is in one of the support units in Qatar. He is coming home for leave ... but has had to pay for his own plane ticket.

Army's gettin' tight, it seems.

Wolf, EHOWA.com is raising money to buy tickets for those guys. They usually do it for Christmas but for some reason all these guys are getting leave early. Maybe we'll be attacking someone at Christmas.

They are way tight on troops as well as cash. I talked to two different HS girls last week whose boyfriends are now playing Gomer Pyle at Parris Island. Both of their reporting dates had been moved up, cranking up the turmoil factor. It got me thinking about the inevitable cases of spousal abuse that'll spring from this conflict and a little flashback for me of my uncle coming home from Vietnam and wrecking a few cars before he got himself together.

Its not just the Army. Things are getting tight everywhere. For example routine maintenace is already being deferred by states because Federal support funds are disappearing while Federal security requirements (including so many terror warning issued without foundation) have blown out state and local budgets.

New trend by school districts that are having funding cut. Students who want to play on sport teams or participate in other after school activities are now being charged. For example, $135 per sport to play on the team. Even the space program was terminated by budget cuts created by VietNam. War cost money. How many places will money be cut to pay for Iraq? Everywhere they can so that we will not associate those funding cuts with the Iraqi war.

Already the president is blaming unions for all those price increases. Don't believe it. Money must be taken somewhere to pay for a military larger than the entire world combined. And then to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan. And all those container ship inspections. And the anti-ballistic missile system to protect us from Ossam bin Laden and his friends. $Multimillion anti-missile defense systems on each commercial airliners. And the revived underground nuclear arms testing that George Jr wanted. No problem. Make the solider pay for his own ticket. He could just as easily take leave in Iraq. The people there are so friendly.

Ah, but be fair, that won't even cover the costs of the hazing lawsuits.

From what I understand, there are limited 2 week or so leaves, doled out to those most in need (new parents, family crisis, or small business owners going under.) The airfare is paid to Baltimore, then the soldier picks up the tab to home. There is some legislation thats been introduced to pick up the whole travel cost.

He flew British Air from (I believe) Qatar to Teheran to London (possibly with another layover somewhere along the way) to Philadelphia, round trip ticketl paid for out of his own pocket.

that sucks. The leave thing I heard about involved R&R for a local reservist. He met the criteria of number of days (boots on the ground) in Iraq, and he could get a free flight to Europe (Germany I think) or Baltimore for his 2 week R&R. But he had to foot the bill to Mpls.