Ladies and gentlemen, buckle up because this story is a real shocker.
A little-known law has quietly slipped through the cracks, and now it’s coming back to haunt tens of thousands of veterans. Imagine being a veteran who served your country, received a payout for your service, and then, decades later, the government knocks on your door demanding that money back. Sounds outrageous, right? Well, that’s exactly what’s happening.
According to NBC News, this law prevents veterans from receiving both disability benefits and special separation pay—a lump-sum incentive given to service members when the U.S. was downsizing its active-duty force. Now, thanks to an oversight that only came to light after the passing of the 2022 PACT Act, veterans are being hit with orders to repay these funds. And we’re not talking small change—some vets are being asked to cough up tens of thousands of dollars.
😡 If any people deserve to receive the most generous treatment for the rest of their lives, it’s our Veterans.
VA Is Going After Up to 120,000 Disabled Veterans, Demanding They Return Tens of Thousands of Dollars via @WestJournalism https://t.co/T5ToXq8VRw
— Zel (@OneAndOnlyZel) August 11, 2024
Take one veteran who shared with NBC News that he’s been ordered to repay $30,000 that he received over 30 years ago. Another vet, facing a similar demand, said it would take him 15 years to pay it all back. And these aren’t isolated cases. The Department of Veteran Affairs has been sending out more and more of these repayment orders—nearly 10,000 veterans were affected in 2023 alone, bringing the total number to a staggering 122,000 over the last 12 years.
Naturally, this news has sparked outrage. Many Americans are taking to social media to vent their frustration, pointing out the unfairness of this situation—especially when compared to the government’s generous handouts to those who entered the country illegally. As one user put it, “The US Government has treated military veterans and their families poorly while giving taxpayer-funded handouts to people who entered the country illegally. This is messed up.”
It’s clear that people are demanding action. One commenter asked, “Where’s Congress at when you need them?” while another sarcastically suggested, “Ah, this must be how they’re funding all those handouts to illegals.” The sentiment is loud and clear: something needs to be done to right this wrong, and fast.
🚨Biden has been forcing Veterans to pay back tens of thousands of dollars in disability and separation payments
This is forcing some disabled and senior Veterans into poverty
How the hell is this happening?!
Where is Congress to stop it!! pic.twitter.com/qKiirXGob5
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) August 7, 2024
Ah this must be how they’re funding all those handouts to illegals.
— Dissident West (@dissidentwest) August 7, 2024
In a time when we should be honoring our veterans, it’s disheartening to see them treated this way. The question now is, will anyone in power step up to fix it?
The VA has been literally taking money they paid to veterans back. For thousands of veterans between $20,000 and $53,000 have been clawed back by the VA under a little known law which disallows veterans from receiving special separation pay and disability pay. pic.twitter.com/mZBRqavmrG
— Armstrong Williams 🇺🇸 (@Arightside) July 5, 2024