GAO Report Highlights Military?s Collection Practices for Returning Soldiers

In a story getting serious national media attention, the Government Accountability Office will release a report in a hearing today detailing the issues with military information systems that leads to wounded soldiers being dunned for debts by the government upon returning home from duty.

The report was highlighted on ABC?s World News Tonight broadcast last night and in a story in the Washington Post today.

Some 900 wounded soldiers have received collection notices from the military in attempts to collect pay that was not adjusted when they left the battlefield. Also, debt accrued for the medical treatment of wounds incurred on the battlefield is being pursued in some cases.

The Pentagon says that the problem?s origin is in the computer systems that keep track of soldier pay. When troops are on the battlefield, their pay is higher than when they are not. Once a soldier gets wounded and removed from battle, their pay automatically drops. But the payroll systems have had a tough time keeping track of who is on the battlefield and who is not. It can take weeks, and even months, to update the status of a wounded troop. In the interim, the soldier is getting paid at a rate that is higher than it should be. Most of the collection notices are to recover the overpayments.

The military threatens the troops with collection agencies and credit bureau reporting. In some cases, private collection agencies are used to chase the debt.

The Pentagon has said that it is actively looking into the problem and that many of the debts have been forgiven.