Veterans Possibly Shortchanged Say Democrats

The AP is reporting that according to a new congressional report at least 28,283 vets may not have been paid money owed to them by the government because the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) were working frantically to clear a backlog of claims resulting from changes in the law allowing vets to claim both military retirement and disability at the same time.

This evaluation was carried out by the House Oversight and Government Reform's domestic policy subcommittee, headed by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio.

From the AP article:

In mid-2006, DFAS had hired Lockheed to help it work through the long list of cases. The government identified some 133,000 veterans who were eligible for money through its "VA Retro" program. The list quickly grew by another 84,000 names because newly retired veterans or those with a changed disability status were being added.

Officials finally cleared the backlog last June, seven months after the original deadline.

According to the House investigation, officials reached their goal only after lowering their standards. . .

-Dippold

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