Jay Rockefeller: “today, I want to commend my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee for taking a step forward to help our soldiers…”

“today, I want to commend my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee for taking a step forward to help our soldiers who are wounded, and removed from the combat zone for medical treatment. Under current law, when soldiers are removed from a combat zone, even if it is for a severe wound, they lose all of their special duty pay, which for some enlisted soldiers can reduce their pay by half. It does not seem right to cut a soldier's pay at the time of an injury when that soldier and his family will face personal and financial hardships. For example, if a young soldier is sent to Walter Reed Hospital to recover, it is often important to have family nearby to assist in recovery. But that often means a young wife or husband must leave their home and job to help the wounded soldier. They may face new temporary housing costs or added expenses just to live nearby and support in the soldier's recovery. Thanks to action in our Armed Services Committee, there is a provision to continue some of the specialty pays for imminent danger for our wounded soldiers as long as they are in the hospital. The House Defense authorization includes a similar provision that creates a new pay provision specifically for rehabilitation from combat-related injuries. I support such provisions, and in fact, I introduced S. 461, the Crosby-Puller Combat Wounds Compensation Act, to maintain full pay for soldiers during recovery.…”