by Deb Cupples | Many of our enlisted-rank troops are already underpaid, thanks in part to the Bush Administration. Many of them need extra money to take care of their families. Where do some of them turn for help? The Army Emergency Relief (AER) fund.
Oddly, Army superiors have been known to pressure our already-underpaid troops for donations -- which sounds a bit like asking starving-homeless people to donate food to the poor.
When those already-underpaid soldiers need help, it often comes from the AER in the form of a loan. Even worse, the AER has reportedly hoarded millions of dollars in funds, despite the neediness of many of our troops. The Associated Press reports:
"As soldiers stream home from Iraq and Afghanistan, the biggest charity inside the U.S. military has been stockpiling tens of millions of dollars meant to help put returning fighters back on their feet, an Associated Press investigation shows.
"Between 2003 and 2007 — as many military families dealt with long war deployments and increased numbers of home foreclosures — Army Emergency Relief grew into a $345 million behemoth. During those years, the charity packed away $117 million into its own reserves while spending just $64 million on direct aid, according to an AP analysis of its tax records."
"Tax-exempt and legally separate from the military, AER projects a facade of independence but really operates under close Army control. The massive nonprofit — funded predominantly by troops — allows superiors to squeeze soldiers for contributions; forces struggling soldiers to repay loans — sometimes delaying transfers and promotions; and too often violates its own rules by rewarding donors, such as giving free passes from physical training, the AP found. (AP)
This seems downright unjust -- not only that any of our oldiers aren't paid well enough to make ends meet without financial aid, but also that AER aid comes in the form of a loan funded largely by soldiers.
According to the AP, soldiers are also strong-armed into paying back the loans: if soldiers miss loan payments, they can be demoted, their promotions can be delayed, or their exit from military service can be postponed.
AER seems to have little overhead: free office space and just 21 paid staffers, with the rest of the labor coming from Army folks (apparently on a volunteer basis).
I'd like to know what those staffers got paid over the last few years -- and anyone else with access to the AER's money pot. I'd also like to know why --
1) the folks running AER insist on pressuring poorly paid soldiers for donations, and
2) why the folks running AER insist on being paid back by the poorly paid soldiers who request help.
Memeorandum has commentary.
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* Richest Got Richer Under Bush and Paid Lower Tax Rates
* A Different Angle on the Tax-Cuts Myth
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* Cleaning up Political & Corporate Culture Could Help Economy
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that is sickening
Posted by: rawdawgbuffalo | February 23, 2009 at 10:44 AM
Hi RawDawg,
Yeah, we're eye-to-eye on this one.
Posted by: Deb | February 23, 2009 at 11:22 PM