I found this link in a post on Veterans Benefits Network website ... where it says Congressman Dennis Kucinich has called for an investigation into the delay ... of VA Retro pay. Interestingly, this announcement was made the day after a big article by Tom Philpott, which can be read here: VA Retro Pay | Tom Philpott (posted on VBN)
I just emailed Congressman Kucinich and suggested he include the Coast Guard in any such investigation. At least DOD has paid most of it's people and is working on the rest.......the Coast Guard hasn't even started. Any and all pressure that we can generate to force action on this matter should be supported. The incompetence and or dereliction of duty by the responsible Coast Guard staff both military and civilian at headquarters and PPC Topeka should be investigated by someone.
This is the same canned answer I just got when I emailed my pay tech and asked about CRDP Retro:
quote:
Dear BMCS Retired Lamson:
We do not pay retro CRDP. When we are notified by the VA that you are 50% or more that is when your CRDP starts.
This information is posted on the Coast Guard website under retiree and Annuitant Services:
100% of the CRDP retirees rated 100% disability cases have been paid retroactive pay. A Memorandum of Understanding is being developed for VA payment of those retirees rated 50 - 90 percent. Expect data will be provided to VA by Spring 2008.
Thank you,
...
It is my expectation that once the DOD is under fire for a congressional inquiry, the folks at Topeka will pay close attention as to what's going on, and follow suit once congress is done with DOD ...
I did finally figure out that I have some retro pay coming to me. On my latest disability upgrade letter, where it says what my new amount is, there is also a column for an amount 'withheld' ... and that, I think, is my retro pay.
Senior Chief, as ive previously indicated, i dont have a dog to hunt on this topic. Yet, id think the current Commandant would be quick to fix this problem if its only a resource issue at Topeka. Has anyone brought this inequity between DOD and the CG in paying CRDP up to the MCPO-CG or the Commandant himself? Watching from the sidelines, i still cant figure out why the Retiree Council isnt more insistent at the CG providing this pay in a timely manner.
Short answer is NO. Long answer is, it all depends if the congressman/woman is on a voting committee that affects the organization being put on report.
Oceanstation, you have a good point. I don't think the issue lies directly with Topeka. DFAS is in the hotseat right now, I'm not sure why the CG isn't, except that we are not DOD. Whatever DOD does in large-scale pay matters, the CG follows suit. Just like the payscale and pay raises. In my post above, I quoted my pay tech as saying 'We don't pay CRDP'. If 'we' don't, then who does? When I waived the portion of my retired pay to receive disability pay, who kept the money I waived? I thought it was the Coast Guard. I'm not even sure what the retiree council is up to these days.
Keko - very good point.
I think the biggest issue about it right now (for me anyway) is the lack of any word at all from Topeka (in writing, by email, or posted on their website) as to the status of VA Retro.
