Disabled veterans may soon see changes to their retirement compensation if the Major Richard Star Act passes Congress. The bill, which has been introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, aims to allow certain qualified veterans to receive full retirement pay alongside disability benefits.
Currently, veterans who are medically retired due to combat injuries have their retirement pay reduced by the amount they receive in service-connected disability compensation. This reduction is often referred to as the “Wounded Veteran Tax.”
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union), a union with many members who have served in the military, supports the legislation. Other organizations backing the bill include Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), The American Legion, and Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
“On behalf of the 600,000 active and retired members of IAM Union, I want to thank the bipartisan group of U.S. Senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives for supporting this very important piece of legislation that is intended to improve the lives of those who have sacrificed so much for this country,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “The IAM is a diverse labor union with a very significant number of veterans in our membership. We will always fight for the rights of our veterans. The House and the Senate must pass the Major Richard Star Act to end the unjust offset that penalizes combat-injured veterans by denying them the full benefits they have earned.”
Supporters say passing this bipartisan measure would eliminate what they view as an unfair financial penalty on combat-injured, medically retired veterans by allowing them access to both forms of compensation.
