Congresswoman Chellie Pingree introduced legislation today to fix a loophole in the Post 9-11 GI Bill that has prevented some injured Reservists—including at least one from Maine—from getting the full benefits they have earned.
“Thousands of Guardsmen and Reservists from Maine and across the country have served our country overseas and many were injured. The Post 9-11 GI Bill offers these service-injured veterans a full education benefit,” said Pingree. “But they are being denied on a technicality. We aren't living up to our promises to these veterans and the law needs to be fixed.”
Pingree's bill is co-sponsored by Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), a twice-deployed combat veteran and co-chair of the Post 9/11 Veterans Caucus.
"Too often, our service members have to fight through bureaucratic red tape to get the benefits they have rightfully earned and deserved. This bill would ease the financial burden for wounded warriors, like Army Reservist Chris Kotch, who were discharged due to a service-connected disability, and have taken on student loans and other personal debt for education rather than receiving the full VA education benefit they earned," Gabbard said.
Pingree first learned of the problem when her office attempted to help Army Reservist Christopher Kotch of Brunswick claim his GI Bill benefits. Kotch served on active duty in Iraq where he was seriously injured by an IED. He was sent to Walter Reed Hospital but was not officially discharged until he reported back to his Reserve unit. While Kotch was medically retired as a result of his combat injuries—which should have made him eligible for the full benefit—his discharge paperwork says he simply finished his active duty obligation.
Because of that wording—because Kotch was temporarily transferred from active duty service back to the Reserves before being discharged—the Department of Veterans Affairs said Kotch wasn’t eligible for the full benefit and instead would only receive a portion.
Pingree’s bill would change the language to ensure that anyone medically separated or medically retired from the Armed Forces would be eligible for the full benefit. The legislation would be retroactive to the enactment of the Post 9-11 GI Bill in 2009.
