Ash Carter promises to resolve soldier bonus repayment debacle

As outrage over current and retired National Guard soldiers being told they must pay back re-enlistment bonuses they received erroneously continues to grow, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced he has put a top Pentagon official in charge of fixing the problem.

Over the weekend, the Los Angeles Times revealed that in the mid-2000s, at the height of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, soldiers in California were told if they re-enlisted, they would receive bonuses of more than $15,000. An audit found that many of these soldiers were not eligible for the bonuses or were overpaid, and a former official was sentenced in 2012 to 30 months in federal prison after being convicted of submitting more than $15 million in false claims to the Department of Defense. The audit was finally completed last month, and the Pentagon told the affected soldiers if they didn't pay the money back immediately, they could face interest charges, wage garnishments, and tax liens. Many told the Times they were struggling to come up with the money, with some talking about selling their homes.

During a press conference in Paris on Tuesday, Carter said he was aware of the issue, and while it has "complexities to it," he has asked Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work to resolve the matter. Any person who "volunteers to serve in the armed forces of the United States deserves our gratitude and respect," Carter said. "Period."

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