You have earned this benefit averaging $3,500. File for it or lose it and the deadline is October 21st.
The 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act established Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay (RSLSP), providing $500 for each month/partial month served in stop loss status. Service members, veterans, and beneficiaries of servicemembers whose service was involuntarily extended under Stop Loss between Sept. 11, 2001 and Sept. 30, 2009 are eligible for RSLSP.
To receive this benefit, those who served under stop loss must submit a claim for the special pay. Throughout the year, the services have been reaching out to servicemembers, veterans and their families through direct mail, veteran service organizations, and the media. But there is still money left to be claimed, and the deadline is approaching. The average benefit is $3,700.
Individuals who meet eligibility criteria should submit an application by October 21, 2012. By law, there is no authorization to make payments on claims that are submitted after the deadline.
Eligible members should visit their specific service’s Web site and submit their application on-line; on-line submission provides a claim number, allows for automated status updates, and provides a means for the military service to contact the applicant.
If eligible members do not have internet access, they should print, complete and sign Department of Defense Form 2944, Claim for Retroactive Stop Loss Payment. Next, choose the appropriate method for submitting the claim form and available supporting documents based on your service specifications. This information can be found on your service’s stop loss Web site.
The following documents are examples of authorized source documents but may not be comprehensive, depending on specific status and service.
If you know someone who separated/retired and may be eligible, remind them to submit a claim before the deadline!
Effective Dec. 19, 2009, per the Defense Appropriations Act, stop-lossed servicemembers who voluntarily reenlisted or extended their service, and received a bonus for such reenlistment or extension of service, became ineligible to receive retroactive stop loss special pay. There may be rare circumstances where an individual can be eligible for this pay and have received a bonus. The Department continues to encourage all who believe they may qualify to apply and allow a service counselor to review each individual situation.
The following service-specific sites provide more information and allow you to begin the RSLSP claim process.
Original Photo (Creative Commons BY) DVIDSHUB via Flickr
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