One of my favorite films is “The Usual Suspects”. The film is about a group of criminals who are led by a mysterious puppeteer that no one has ever actually met by the name of Keyser Söze. Because no one actually ever sees him, people start believing that he is not real, and he conducts his criminal schemes under an impregnable veil of secrecy.
One problem — he was real, and in their hesitation and debate about whether he existed or not, the good guys let him get away — right under their noses.
One of the best lines in the film was delivered by a “witness” during an interview. They believed that their “witness” had information about the mysterious figure. At one point, the witness starts telling them about the great feats of Keyser Soze and the Cops get irate. The cops shout down the witness – these are myths, they say, criminal fairy tales! Keyser Söze does not exist.
The “witness” chastises them along by saying that “the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist… and like that, he’s gone.” Unconvinced, eventually, the cops fall victim to the myth that he does not really exist and Keyser Söze walks free and disappears with his ill-gotten gains, never to be seen again.
Before the end of the year, one of the greatest benefits offered to Service members who served after 9-11 will vanish. Some still beleive it is a myth, and some have still not applied. This is a benefit that may pay up to $500 a month for every month that the Service member’s contract was extended, also known as “stop-lossed”.
The application deadline is now October 21st, 2011, and there is still money on the table. Some suspect that folks are not applying because they don’t believe it’s real, or that it is a trick to get them to re-enlist or somehow extend their service. That is a myth.
Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay compensates members, who, at any time during the period beginning on September 11, 2001 and ending on September 30, 2009, served on active duty while the member’s enlistment or period of obligated service was involuntarily extended due to the provision of law commonly referred to as “Stop Loss Authority”, or similarly, whose eligibility for retirement/transfer to the Fleet Reserve was suspended due to application of “Stop Loss Authority.”
There is still money in the bank, and many of the eligible Service members, Veterans, and eligible beneficiaries are not taking up Uncle Sam on the offer for fear of somehow being pulled back into service, or some other urban legend. It is like Söze has mounted a counter-information campaign, and Veterans are being snookered.
The myth may/may not be playing a role in folks not filling out the easy application to get paid for the time that they got extended, but myths have a way of becoming reality if enough people are willing to silently let the Devil whisper in their ear that he does not exist.
Although many Service members may not want to apply, or simply do not know about it, the real loss is to the survivors of those would have been eligible – these spouses or children may be eligible to receive the benefit directly themselves.
Even if you are not sure about your eligibility, the average benefit is $3,700. I know some families could really use that kind of money, and taking a few minutes to fill in the online application would be worth it.
Don’t get KeyserSözed, get paid.
Army? Apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Pay HERE.
Navy? Apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Pay HERE.
Airforce? Apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Pay HERE
Marines? Apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Pay HERE.
– Movie Spoiler-
I am an advocate for wounded warriors and their families.
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