Neighbor News
Time to Give Combat-Disabled Veterans Full Benefits
"Combat-Disabled Vets should be able to receive the benefits promised to them."
Local Community and Political Leader “The Colonel” Tom Mortenson is calling on Congress to support the Major Richard Star Act – introduced by Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) alongside Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and has significant bipartisan support.
According to Mortenson, “This is not about Republicans or Democrats – it is about combat-disabled benefits receiving their just compensation. In the words of Lincoln, our 16th president’s famous instruction to all Americans – “To care for him who shall have borne the battle” – it is our time to answer this call” Mortenson said before a group of veterans gathered at a recent meeting in D.C.
Mortenson explained that “The Major Richard Star Act is critical legislation that will rectify an injustice that keeps combat disabled Veterans from receiving full military benefits. Currently, over 50,000 medically retired Veterans are forbidden from receiving their full retirement pay and disability compensation.”
Find out what's happening in Fargofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“The Major Richard Star Act would repeal this unfair offset, allowing these disabled Veterans to receive both their retirement pay and their disability compensation” Mortenson said.
Mortenson told the group that “this bill aims to address a long-standing injustice by ensuring that combat-injured veterans with less than 20 years of service receive full military benefits without reduction.”
Find out what's happening in Fargofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
According to the Colonel, “Military retirement pay and service-connected disability compensation are two completely different benefits. One does not diminish the merits of the other” Mortenson said to those attending the meeting.
Mortenson is “urging everyone to contact their representatives in Congress, both in the House and the Senate and let’s get this into law.”
“The bill is named in honor of Major Richard A. Star—a father, husband, and decorated war veteran who, because of his combat-related injuries, was medically retired. Major Star sadly lost his battle with cancer on February 13, 2021”, Mortenson added.