You're offered a significant reenlistment bonus, you agree accept and deploy. 10 years later you're asked to pay it back. Do you comply?

RallyPoint Team — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 15:56:46 -0400

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Jun 23 at 2017 3:58 PM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 15:58:31 -0400

Did I fulfill my contract obligations? Is so, hell no. That would be lawyer time.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2017 4:05 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 16:05:26 -0400

Time to lawyer up.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Jun 23 at 2017 4:06 PM

CSM Richard StCyr — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 16:06:31 -0400

Isn't this what was happening a while back to the Soldiers from CA that were in the guards or reserves. If I remember correctly congress stopped the collection of repayments but only after several had repaid in full or in part.

Response by PFC Bradley Campbell made Jun 23 at 2017 4:15 PM

PFC Bradley Campbell — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 16:15:04 -0400

hell no.you could have been killed or maimed in combat, in transit, in training or driving in your hometown.YOU took all the risks with your life and they dont get to renig on it. and what do they say to the dead soldiers? and their families?

Response by SPC Sean Slaughter made Jun 23 at 2017 4:26 PM

SPC Sean Slaughter — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 16:26:56 -0400

As long as I satisfied my portion of the contract I'd tell them to piss off. If they tried to attach my wages, taxes etc I would immediately scream bloody murder to every single news agency I could talk to and make that shit national news. I was already screwed once contractually and that will never happen again cause I'm not a dumbass private anymore.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2017 4:30 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 16:30:52 -0400

That would depend entirely on whether or not I had upheld my end of the contract.

Response by SGT Tony Clifford made Jun 23 at 2017 4:37 PM

SGT Tony Clifford — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 16:37:43 -0400

Lawyer up and sue. The bonus was given as a term negotiated in your contract. If the government renigs on that contract, they leave themselves in a very actionable position. They can give you back the years you gave them so they have no right to violate the terms.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Jun 23 at 2017 4:51 PM

Cpl Justin Goolsby — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 16:51:58 -0400

Hell no. The terms of the reenlistment were under the condition of the bonus. I'll pay back the promised bonus when they can compensate me for the lost time with family, the decrease in health and mobility, etc etc

Response by TSgt Melissa Post made Jun 23 at 2017 7:27 PM

TSgt Melissa Post — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 19:27:48 -0400

Why am I being asked to pay it back? More than likely if I fulfilled my end of the agreement hell no.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2017 10:38 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 22:38:50 -0400

So, what happened to the guys in the CA Guard?

Well. Uncle Sam's going to get his money. So if you don't pay it back as asked, your credit score will be tanked, you'll have debt collectors hitting you up...

Plenty of people tried lawyer time and just wasted a bunch of money. Plenty of people said no and lost their mortgages, etc.

It's easy to say no, until you're in the position.

Response by 1LT Jose Vazquez made Jun 24 at 2017 12:22 AM

1LT Jose Vazquez — Sat, 24 Jun 2017 00:22:25 -0400

It is a contract. IG time and talk to my congressman. Truly sad when we see this happen to anyone who is serving.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Jun 25 at 2017 10:26 AM

SGM Matthew Quick — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 10:26:54 -0400

Why are you asked to pay it back?

Also, if you owe the government money, you don't have to comply to anything--they'll just take it back.

Response by PO2 Dave Johnson made Jun 26 at 2017 3:12 PM

PO2 Dave Johnson — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 15:12:44 -0400

Hell no when they made a deal you were expected to keep you're end and the government should keep theirs

Response by Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth made Jun 26 at 2017 3:21 PM

Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 15:21:09 -0400

Not just no but heck no. For me to get the bonus it meant I had to sign a contract for reenlistment and that was included. That means it was a legal binding contract between me and the government. I would get a lawyer and fight that one.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2017 6:19 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 18:19:18 -0400

This is a trap question, with no real answer or solution. You have no choice but to comply, the Gov will take their money back whether you "comply" or not if they feel you owe it. In the case of the CA ARNG, they ultimately did not have to pay it back.

Response by LTC Elaine Gullotta made Aug 19 at 2020 9:40 PM

LTC Elaine Gullotta — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 21:40:40 -0400

There’s more to this story......why are you being asked to pay it back? Did you not comply FULLY with the bonus requirement? Or were you ineligible to begin with?

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Aug 5 at 2021 10:32 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 22:32:05 -0400

Thanks for sharing