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WASHINGTON, D.C. – In advance of National Vietnam War Veterans Day on Saturday, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today announced that she is again supporting an effort to overturn a policy that denies some combat-disabled veterans from receiving full military retirement pay and veteran disability compensation.
Hyde-Smith is among the original cosponsors of the bipartisan Major Richard Star Act (S.1032), reintroduced legislation to fix a policy that today keeps more than 50,000 combat-injured military retirees from receiving the full amount of their U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) retirement and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability payments.
“I’m happy to rejoin the fight to enact the Major Richard Star Act and close a loophole that represents an injustice to too many combat-disabled veterans. It’s simply unfair to withhold full VA disability and military retirement benefits to veterans forced into early retirement because of service-connected disabilities,” said Hyde-Smith, who also cosponsored this legislation in previous congressional sessions.
Veterans, in general, cannot receive both military retirement and VA disability compensation at the same time. Only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and more than 20 years of service are eligible to receive the full amount of their DOD retirement and VA disability payments. As a result, veterans medically retired before 20 years of service are denied their full benefits.
S.1032 is named in honor of Major Richard A. Star, a decorated war veteran who was forced to medically retire due to his combat-related injuries. Reintroduced by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the legislation has been referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee for consideration.
Forty-five veterans’ organizations endorse the legislation, including the Vietnam Veterans of America, Wounded Warrior Project, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, and Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Learn more about National Vietnam War Veterans Day here.
