WASHINGTON — Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting beyond their enlistment contract could soon be getting a monthly bonus, but exactly how much and when hasn’t been determined.
Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., said Wednesday that Army officials are working out details about how to distribute the payments Congress mandated to about 12,000 troops currently experiencing “stop loss” extensions of their service. He’s pushing for the payments to be $500 a month.
Critics have called the military’s ability to “stop loss” troops — or keep them beyond their enlistment contract or retirement date — a back-door draft. Military leaders have said that in a time of war it is a necessary tool to keep troops with critical skills and to maintain the continuity of a unit.
