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Disabled Military Retirees Reorganized with Strong Legislative Agenda
By Thomas D. Segel
February 3, 2003

Following an extended period of internal disagreement and strong friction among many members, The Uniformed Services Disabled Retirees have reorganized, elected new leadership, expanded membership and developed a strong agenda which all hope will gain the attention of the federal government.

Now serving as the USDR National President is Lieutenant General Billy M. Thomas, United States Army (Retired). The general served more than 30 years on active duty and was a Defense Industrial Consultant for 10 years. He holds a graduate degree in telecommunications operations.

As president, Billy Thomas worked diligently along with the active support of his national membership to win a last minute compromise called Combat Related Special Compensation. This was signed into law and allows some military retirees with specific percentages of disability to recover some of their lost retirement income.

For more than 100 years a discriminatory law passed by Congress has denied any retired member of the Armed Forces on disability compensation from receiving his or her earned retirement pay, equal to the amount of the disability payments.

It is still the objective of USDR to have all earned retirement pay restored. They point out that Members of Congress, the Administration, the Judiciary and Civil Service employees can all retire from the government careers, and are not penalized a dollar per dollar offset of their pensions in cases where they are also drawing disability compensation.

What has upset the entire USDR membership is legislation to restore their earned retirement pay was cosponsored and received positive votes from more than 80% of Congress. This legislation was never signed into law because of strong objections from the Department of Defense and White House Aides who have influence over what information reaches the President.

The legislation is so important that both the House and Senate Bills to bring about pay restoration will be reintroduced in the current congressional session.

"Our strategy for the coming year", says General Thomas, "is going to be simple -- work the White House and DoD as hard as we have worked on Congress".

He goes on to say, "We must flood the White House with as many requests for support as we do the Congress. This will require some extra effort, but we believe it is the only way to get President Bush and his Administration to support us."

In addition to the restoration of earned retirement, USDR is seeking to have paid-up coverage under the Survivor Benefit Plan be established, effective October 1, 2003. A bill must be reintroduced in Congress to make that possible.

Often referred to as the Widows Restoration of Retired Pay, USDR seeks an end the discrimination against all widows' earned survivors benefit insurance. These military widows are penalized a dollar per dollar offset from the SBP insurance if they are drawing Disability Income Compensation. Members would also like to have the Social Security deduction from widows SBP benefits removed.

Another important agenda item for all retirees is a reassessment and modification to the Former Spouse Protection Act. The way this legislation is now written, thousands of retired servicemen and in some cases service women, have been forced to turn over the majority of their retirement pay to former spouses following divorce. That former spouse keeps the award of retirement pay, even when she or he remarries. USDR along with other veterans groups will request a meaningful bill be written to correct the injustice of the present FSPA.

Most members of the USDR organization felt the Bush Administration would be strongly on their side. During the election campaign, then candidate Bush constantly spoke of supporting veterans, active duty and retired military personal. He spoke of past pledges for assistance to these patriotic defenders of our country had been forgotten once the votes were counted. He always closed by saying in his Administration "Promises made will be promises kept". Today, this group feels that just like all of his predecessors. The Bush promises made... were promises forgotten.

Lieutenant General Thomas and his membership plan to work constantly to make sure those feelings of being forgotten do not become a reality.