By ROBERT L. HANAFIN, Major, USAF-Retired
We at VT ask our readers to assist the Pentagon in getting the word out to those who just may qualify for compensation for having been involuntarily STOP LOSSED. Though first informed about how Airmen may benefit, we took the time to look up links for how Army and Marine Corps Veterans can apply. Our understanding is that basically these payments effect only those Veterans kept on active duty beyond their overall service commitment or military retirement. For details read the rest of the story.
ROBERT L. HANAFIN
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired
GS-14, U.S. Civil Service-Retired
The 2009 War Supplemental Appropriation Act set aside $534.4 million for the Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay compensation authority. The Air Force used stop loss for Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 and 2002 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. The Stop Loss Program may have affected approximately 39,000 Airmen. That number may have been significantly higher for the Army and Marine Corps combined .
Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay What is it?
Soldiers, veterans and survivors of those whose service was involuntarily extended under Stop Loss between September 11, 2001 and September 30, 2008 can apply to receive $500 for every month, or portion of a month, they served under Stop Loss. The 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act established and largely funded the payment for all military services, but dictated that each service process and pay their own applicants. The Army estimates that 136,000 of the approximately 174,000 eligible service members served in the Army.
What has the Army done?
The Army has created an application process for active-and-reserve component Soldiers, veterans, and survivors of Soldiers to process claims for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay. By law, the Army can only accept claims between October 21, 2009 and October 21, 2010. Eligible candidates must submit their request within this time frame, or the Army will not be able to process their request. The Army has set up an email address to field questions people have regarding the benefit.
How can people apply?
Candidates for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay must submit a claim at Retroactive Stop Loss Web site . This Web site is the preferred method for submitting applications; however, other means for doing so, such as by mail or fax, will be available to those without access to computers. Additional communications will provide instructions for alternative forms of submission. During the application process, candidates will be asked to show documentation that indicates the time they served under Stop Loss. The necessary documentation, depending on their type of service, includes the following:
– Enlisted Soldiers need to present their DD Form 214 and DD Form 4 Enlistment/Reenlistment/Extension contract(s).
– Enlisted Soldiers who were in an indefinite status need a memorandum showing retirement/separation request was denied or an approved retirement/ separation was amended.
– Officers need a DD Form 214 and memorandum showing Retirement/ Separation request was denied or an approved retirement/separation was amended.
– National Guard Soldiers need to show DA Form 4187 for Stop Loss adjustment of ETS, separation documentation NGB Form 22, and/or NGB Form 1966.
What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future? The Army will review, process and pay qualified candidates as they submit their applications at Retroactive Stop Loss Web site. Candidates who meet the criteria and show the required documentation will receive their retroactive payment in a one lump sum. The Army will not accept applications submitted after October 21, 2010.
https://www.stoplosspay.army.mil/Default.aspx
What has the Air Force Done?
Current and former Airmen who were involuntary held on active duty beyond an approved separation or retirement date as a result of stop loss between September 11, 2001 and September 30, 2009, may be eligible for a Retroactive Stop Loss Pay compensation of $500 for each whole or partial month they were affected.
Airmen will have until October 21, 2010, to file their claim.
Click here if you were Regular Active Duty at the time of Stop Loss.
Eligible Personnel are
- Payable to members of Armed Forces, including reserve component members while on active duty, who at any time from 11 Sep 01 to 30 Sep 09 had an approved separation or retirement date and were stop lossed
- Individuals are not eligible if he or she was discharged from the Armed Forces under other than honorable conditions
- Due to officers having indefinite DOS, only those with an actual separation date at time of Stop Loss would be eligible
Submission Process
- Eligible individuals (or their family members when eligible individual is deceased or incapacitated) will print and complete Stop Loss Claim Sheet from AFPC or ARPC website and submit with supporting documentation to AFPC (for individuals who were on regular active duty when stop lossed) or ARPC (for individuals who were in Reserve/Guard status and performed active duty while stop lossed) as appropriate
- The AFPC/ARPC Separations Branch Chiefs will review submitted documentation and approve/disapprove applications
- Those packages disapproved will be returned to the submitter with an explanation of why the package was disapproved
- Those packages with insufficient documentation will be held in pending status and submitter will be notified with an explanation of why the package is pending approval and what further documentation is required
Payments
- AFPC/ARPC will submit on a weekly basis (at a minimum) a spreadsheet of approved submissions for payment containing the following information to DFAS:
- DFAS will make direct deposit payment to the individual’s account
- DFAS will determine Combat Zone Exclusion tax form
Appeals Process [VT believe this appeal process applies to all services. Ed.]
- The Commanders at AFPC and ARPC are the designated appeal authorities. For Air Reserve Component (ARC) and former ARC members, in depth appeal information will be supplied with any applications returned without action or disapproved.
Authorized Source Documents include, but are not limited to
- DD214, Certificate of Discharge and/or DD215, Correction to DD214
- Personnel record or enlistment or reenlistment document recording original expiration of service date
- Approved retirement memorandum or orders establishing retirement prior to actual date of retirement as stipulated in DD214 or DD215
- Approved resignation memorandum or transition orders establishing a separation date prior to actual date of separation as stipulated on DD 214 or DD 215
- Revocation of orders (retirement or separation)
- Copy of initial retirement or separation order with subsequent final order enacting final retirement/separation (demonstrates change in orders)
- Copy of request to Reestablish DOS Retirement Date (upon AFSC release from Stop Loss)
- Involuntary DOS extension memorandum (2003 only)
- Signed documentation or affidavit from knowledgeable officials from the individual’s chain of command
- Other documentation that individual feels may support their claim
- Failing availability of these documents, application will be reviewed by AFPC/ARPC to determine if other documentation exists at AFPC/ARPC to corroborate claim
https://arpc.afrc.af.mil/vPC-GR/StopLoss_Intro.asp
Lastly, the MARADMIN message below outlines procedures for the Marines and Navy. [Having worked for the Navy, I’m basically familiar with the acronyms, but any Marine should be able to read and understand this message. VT. Ed.]
R 211844Z OCT 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 0624/09
SUBJ/RETROACTIVE STOP LOSS SPECIAL PAY IMPLEMENTATION//
POC/K. CERNY/CIV/UNIT:MPO/-/TEL:(703) 784-9388//
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARADMIN IS TO ANNOUNCE THE SUBJECT AUTHORITY AND PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE SCOPE OF THE PROGRAM AND WHICH CURRENT AND FORMER SERVICE MEMBERS MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SPECIAL PAY BENEFITS. FURTHER, TO EXPLAIN HOW TO SUBMIT A CLAIM TO THE MARINE CORPS POINT OF CONTACT.
2. BACKGROUND
A. THE MARINE CORPS HAS NOT USED STOP LOSS SINCE 2003. THE MARINE CORPS JUDICIOUSLY USED STOP LOSS BETWEEN JANUARY 07, 2002 AND SEPTEMBER 30, 2003, IN SUPPORT OF THE CURRENT CONTINGENCIES AS A SHORT-TERM POLICY TO RETAIN THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF ACTIVE AND RESERVE COMPONENT MARINES JUSTIFIED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
B. THE WAR SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2009, AUTHORIZES RETROACTIVE STOP LOSS SPECIAL PAY OF 500 DOLLARS PER MONTH FOR EACH MONTH OR ANY PORTION OF A MONTH DURING THE PERIOD SPECIFIED THAT THE SERVICE MEMBER WAS RETAINED ON ACTIVE DUTY AS A RESULT OF THE APPLICATION OF STOP LOSS AUTHORITY. THE ACT APPLIES TO SERVICE MEMBERS WHO WERE STOP LOSSED DURING THE PERIOD BEGINNING ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, AND ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2009. THE ACT REQUIRES THE SERVICES TO BEGIN IMPLEMENTING THE AUTHORITY NLT OCTOBER 21, 2009. ELIGIBLE PERSONNEL MAY SUBMIT CLAIMS BEGINNING OCTOBER 21, 2009 THROUGH OCTOBER 21, 2010.
C. DC MRA HAS ESTABLISHED A SPECIAL OFFICE TO ADMINISTER AND MANAGE THIS PROGRAM. THE REFERENCE PROVIDES OSD’S IMPLEMENTING GUIDANCE.
3. GENERAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
A. ACTIVE AND RESERVE COMPONENT MARINES, INCLUDING FORMER AND RETIRED MARINES, WHO, AT ANY TIME DURING THE PERIOD BEGINNING ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, AND ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2009, SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY WHILE THE MARINES’ ENLISTMENT OR PERIOD OF OBLIGATED SERVICE WAS INVOLUNTARILY EXTENDED, OR WHOSE ELIGIBILITY FOR RETIREMENT WAS SUSPENDED PURSUANT TO APPLICATION OF A ‘STOP LOSS’
AUTHORITY.
B. BY LAW, RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS RETAINED UNDER STOP LOSS WILL RECEIVE RETROACTIVE STOP LOSS SPECIAL PAY ONLY WHILE SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY. AS SUCH, THERE MAY BE PERIODS BEFORE MOBILIZATION/AFTER DEMOBILIZATION WHILE UNDER STOP LOSS, WHERE NO RETROACTIVE STOP LOSS SPECIAL PAY IS AUTHORIZED. FOR EXAMPLE, PERIODS OF INACTIVE DUTY TRAINING (IDT) ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS SPECIAL PAY.
C. MARINES WHO WERE DISCHARGED OR RELEASED FROM THE MARINE CORPS UNDER OTHER THAN HONORABLE CONDITIONS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO RECEIVE RETROACTIVE STOP LOSS SPECIAL PAY UNDER THIS AUTHORITY.
4. GENERAL PROVISIONS
A. ELIGIBLE MARINES MUST SUBMIT THEIR CLAIMS FOR RETROACTIVE STOP LOSS SPECIAL PAY TO HEADQUARTERS U.S. MARINE CORPS BETWEEN OCTOBER 21, 2009 AND NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 21, 2010 AND MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 21, 2010.
B. ELIGIBLE MARINES WILL RECEIVE A PAYMENT OF 500 DOLLARS PER MONTH FOR EACH MONTH OR ANY PORTION OF A MONTH DURING THE PERIOD SPECIFIED THAT THE MARINE WAS RETAINED ON ACTIVE DUTY AS A RESULT OF THE APPLICATION OF A STOP LOSS AUTHORITY.
C. MARINES MUST PROVIDE DOCUMENTED PROOF THEY WERE STOP LOSSED WITH THEIR CLAIM (FOR EXAMPLE, DD FORM 214 AND/OR DD FORM 215; PERSONNEL RECORD OR ENLISTMENT OR REENLISTMENT DOCUMENT RECORDING ORIGINAL EXPIRATION OF SERVICE DATE; APPROVED RETIREMENT MEMORANDUM OR ORDERS ESTABLISHING RETIREMENT PRIOR TO ACTUAL DATE OF RETIREMENT STIPULATED IN THE DD FORM 214 OR DD FORM 215). FAMILY MEMBERS OF DECEASED MARINES WILL BE PROVIDED SPECIFIC APPLICATION GUIDANCE VIA SEPARATE CORRESPONDENCE.
5. MARINE CORPS APPLICATION PROCEDURES
A. DC MRA HAS ESTABLISHED A SPECIAL OFFICE, THE STOP LOSS PROGRAM OFFICE (SLPO), TO ADMINISTER AND MANAGE THIS PROGRAM.
B. THE MARINE CORPS WILL PROVIDE A WEB-BASED, ONLINE APPLICATION SYSTEM/DATABASE FOR STOP LOSS PAYMENT APPLICATION, PROCESSING, TRACKING AND REPORTING (THE STOP LOSS CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SLCMS)), TO SUPPORT THE SLPO.
C. MARINES PRE-SCREENED AND DETERMINED TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PAYMENT BASED UPON A REVIEW OF THE MARINE CORPS’ RECORDS WILL BE CONTACTED VIA CERTIFIED REGULAR OR ELECTRONIC MAIL.
D. THE CORRESPONDENCE TO EACH MARINE WILL PROVIDE THE WEBSITE ADDRESS WHERE THE SLCMS CAN BE ACCESSED. ADDITIONALLY, AN ORGANIZATIONAL MAILBOX, TOLL-FREE NUMBER AND MAILING ADDRESS WILL BE PROVIDED AS ALTERNATE MEANS FOR MARINES TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS.
E. MARINES (OR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WHEN ELIGIBLE MARINES ARE DECEASED OR INCAPACITATED) WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC DATA INFORMATION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCESS THE WEB-BASED SLCMS, TO INCLUDE THE UNIQUE CASE NUMBER PROVIDED TO THE PRE-SCREENED MARINE DURING THE INITIAL CONTACT.
F. ONCE ACCESS IS GRANTED TO THE SLCMS, THE MARINE WILL BE ALLOWED TO UPDATE PRE-POPULATED CONTACT INFORMATION TO ENSURE UNINTERRUPTED INFORMATION FLOW THROUGHOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
G. SLCMS WILL INTEGRATE MARINE INPUTTED DATA, VIA AN AUTOMATED TRIGGER, INTO DATABASES WITH DEFINED BUSINESS RULES AND LOGIC TABLES, TO GENERATE NECESSARY OUTPUTS FOR VERIFICATION BY THE SLPO.
H. THE SLPO WILL REVIEW AND APPROVE/DISAPPROVE APPLICATIONS.
6. POINTS OF CONTACT INFORMATION
A. OVERALL AND ACTIVE COMPONENT POLICY MATTERS: CMC (MPO); COMM PH: (703) 784-9387/88, DSN PH: 278-9387/88.
B. RESERVE COMPONENT POLICY MATTERS: CMC (RAP), ORGANIZATIONAL MAILBOX: [email protected]; COMM PH: (703) 784-9136/37; DSN PH: 278-9136/37.
C. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT/CLAIMS PROCESSING MATTERS: CMC (MID/SLPO), ORGANIZATIONAL MAILBOX: [email protected]; TOLL FREE PH: 1-877-242-2830.
D. PROGRAM INFORMATION, MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS WEBSITE: HTTPS:(SLASH SLASH) WWW.MANPOWER.USMC.MIL/STOPLOSS.
http://www.marines.mil/news/messages/Pages/MARADMIN0624-09.aspx
For information and application for Stop Loss compensation contact Marine Corp Manpower at:
https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/portal/page?_pageid=278,8649457&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
Readers are more than welcome to use the articles I’ve posted on Veterans Today, I’ve had to take a break from VT as Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor and staff writer due to personal medical reasons in our military family that take away too much time needed to properly express future stories or respond to readers in a timely manner.
My association with VT since its founding in 2004 has been a very rewarding experience for me.
Retired from both the Air Force and Civil Service. Went in the regular Army at 17 during Vietnam (1968), stayed in the Army Reserve to complete my eight year commitment in 1976. Served in Air Defense Artillery, and a Mechanized Infantry Division (4MID) at Fort Carson, Co. Used the GI Bill to go to college, worked full time at the VA, and non-scholarship Air Force 2-Year ROTC program for prior service military. Commissioned in the Air Force in 1977. Served as a Military Intelligence Officer from 1977 to 1994. Upon retirement I entered retail drugstore management training with Safeway Drugs Stores in California. Retail Sales Management was not my cup of tea, so I applied my former U.S. Civil Service status with the VA to get my foot in the door at the Justice Department, and later Department of the Navy retiring with disability from the Civil Service in 2000.
I’ve been with Veterans Today since the site originated. I’m now on the Editorial Board. I was also on the Editorial Board of Our Troops News Ladder another progressive leaning Veterans and Military Family news clearing house.
I remain married for over 45 years. I am both a Vietnam Era and Gulf War Veteran. I served on Okinawa and Fort Carson, Colorado during Vietnam and in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General at Norton AFB, CA during Desert Storm. I retired from the Air Force in 1994 having worked on the Air Staff and Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.
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