Washington, DC—Today, U.S. Representative Heath Shuler urged eligible service members, veterans and their beneficiaries to apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay (RSLSP) by the extended April 8, 2011 deadline. The Department of Defense extended the original March 18th deadline to allow military personnel additional time to apply for these benefits.
RSLSP provides extra compensation for troops whose service was involuntarily extended beyond their planned separation or retirement dates between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2009. Eligible members or their beneficiaries will receive $500 for each full or partial month they were retained on active duty. The average benefit is $3,700. Defense officials reported at the end of last year that less than half of the estimated 145,000 service members eligible for this special pay had submitted claims.
“Thousands of our brave men and women in uniform responded to the call of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan even after their release dates, but many have not yet been compensated for their extended service to our country,” said Rep. Shuler. “With the April 8th deadline quickly approaching, I urge all eligible service members to apply for the special pay they have earned and deserve, and for others to spread the word so our soldiers don’t miss out on this one-time opportunity.”
To apply for Stop Loss pay or for more information, including submission requirements and service-specific links, go to http://www.defense.gov/stoploss. Service members in Western North Carolina without internet access can pick up an application at Rep. Shuler’s Asheville office and submit claims by mail.
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