WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 1, 2011) -- Soldiers, veterans and legally designated beneficiaries held under Stop-Loss between Sept. 11, 2001 and Sept. 30, 2009, may qualify for $500 for each month held in a Stop-Loss status.
The Army's Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay Office began accepting claims on Oct. 21, 2009. Since the program's inception, more than 100,000 unique claims have been initiated. However, many eligible for the pay have yet to apply, officials said.
The last day to submit claims for the special pay is March 4.
The Army has conducted an extensive outreach plan to notify those eligible for the pay. Recently, certified letters were sent to more than 25,000 individuals still eligible for the pay. This was the second direct mailing conducted by the Army.
More than 75,000 letters were sent in 2010. Additionally, a mass mailing reminder was sent by the Defense Manpower and Data Center prior to the program's original Oct. 21, 2010 deadline. That earlier deadline was subsequently extended so that more eligible Soldiers could be notified.
"We have completed actions to directly notify those we believe are eligible for the special pay," Program Manager Maj. Roy Whitley said. "In addition, we've been actively working with the Department of Veterans Affairs, veteran service organizations and leveraging traditional and social media to spread the word about Stop-Loss pay."
"The March 4 deadline marks the third time the deadline has been extended," Whitley said. He added that the extensions have helped the Army use new ways to generate claims. "We've been able to complete a certified mail plan and send e-mail notifications to everyone taking advantage of the G.I. Bill."
Though the outreach has been extensive, some may need a final reminder to start the application process, Whitley said.
"We have claims from all 50 states and every U.S. territory. We have claims from over 12 foreign countries. The word has gotten out, now we need those eligible to take action by the deadline," he said.
For more information or to file a claim, visit http://www.defense.gov/stoploss or https://www.stoplosspay.army.mil.
Related Links:
STAND-TO!: Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay
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