Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 11/27/2005

Dear Sgt Shaft
In reference to your column of November 14, I know where Carl R. is coming from coming from. , I had the same thing happen to me. I received separation pay from the Army and they with held a flat 28% tax on it. Then the VA told me the same thing that they would with hold my monthly disability until my separation pay was paid back. One important thing that Fort Irwin's finance department did was give me a sheet with information about a supreme court ruling stating that taxes aren't supposed to be taken out of separation pay. The law was never changed to reflect the ruling. I kept that paper and sent it in with my income tax return and the IRS refunded all of the money taken out of my separation pay. I don't remember the case name, but this info should be passed on to every service member receiving separation pay at discharge.

Bryan P
Via the internet

Dear Bryan
Thanks for sharing your experience with my readers. I am sure that many other veteran’s facing your and Carl’s situation will find this information helpful.

Dear Sarge
You USUALLY do great work and I am a regular reader. Your column entitled "Some Merchant Marines can get Arlington Burial" which appeared in the Washington Times on 10 October perpetuated an error common to news people and some others who really should know better. Happily, your fundamental advice/answer was correct, but erroneous nomenclature you used was magnified by the headline!

A "merchant marine" is NOT an individual. The term refers to the shipping industry of a NATION, comprising its (usually ocean going) merchant ships and supporting infrastructure ashore - hence "The U.S. Merchant Marine." The INDIVIDUALS manning the ships are referred to as "merchant seamen" or "merchant mariners" but NEVER as "merchant marines." Incidentally, the casualty rate during World War II of the U.S. “Merchant Marine” was very great relative to that ,overall , of the U.S. Armed forces and, I believe, was exceeded only by that of the U.S. Marine Corps (after Pacific losses late in the war.)To a large degree P.L. 95-202 was, a very belated recognition of that fact and authorized participating merchant mariners to receive ALL benefits administered by the VA - but, ironically due to the lateness, this authorization actually meant only burial benefits for most!

Respectfully,

R.H. S
("Former Nautical Person")
Via the internet

Dear Sgt Shaft
When did this term begin to be applied to individuals? To me "Merchant Marine" means the commercial fleet flying the flag of a country. "Merchant Marines" would mean the fleets of more than one country. The crews would be "Merchant seamen" or, perhaps, "Merchant mariners".

One of my friends went to the school at Sheepshead Bay, NY to learn to be a seaman in 1944. He never called himself a "Merchant Marine". He made several Atlantic crossings before WWII ended and then found there wasn't a berth to be had. I was still underage.

Certainly, the cadets at King's Point do not refer to themselves as "Merchant Marines".

I can understand John C.'s misunderstanding but think maybe your headline writer needs some education.

Full disclosure: A number of my great uncles were merchant seamen as was my father briefly. I am a graduate of the U. S, Naval Academy and a retired U. S. Marine Corps officer who is quite sad at the demise of US commercial shipping.

Semper Fi,

Jess O
Via the internet

Shaft Notes
I enjoyed meeting and hearing Aaron Tippin sing at recent Postal Service Ceremony honoring Marine Corps heroes. Aaron Tippin was pleased to spend the Thanksgiving holidays with our soldiers overseas. Aaron traveled to Southwest Asia and entertained the troops performing all of his hits in addition to some new tracks from his forthcoming album.

“I can’t think of anywhere else I would spend a holiday away from my family except with the men and women serving our country,” “They have been fighting for the rights we take for granted every day, and I want to make sure they know we’re thankful.

Congratulations to Communication Technologies, Inc. (COMTek), a broadband, IT-managed services and training for both the federal government and the private sector, and the only non-Fortune 500 company in the Washington, DC area to be named to the nationwide "Top 25 Military Friendly Employers" list of G.I. Jobs magazine for 2005. COMTek is one of only four companies in all of the U.S. outside of the ranks of the Fortune 500 to be so honored. As part of its extensive work for the federal government, COMTek employs and trains former active duty and reserve military personnel.

COMTek President and CEO Joseph Fergus stated: "As a vet, I make it a top priority for COMTek to hire people who have served in the military. We've had an outstanding track record of hiring successful former and active duty military hires who are both highly skilled in their positions and have proven integrity. From the very earliest days at COMTek, we decided to approach our business model from the viewpoint of understanding the military side of things. We are deeply honored to be singled out for such an exclusive recognition for what is, in the final analysis, a way of COMTek joins a prestigious list of companies that are ranked by G.I. Jobs magazine as being military friendly,

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-257-5446 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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