WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Edolphus “Ed” Towns (NY-10) echoed President Obama’s announcement that service members whose service was extended under stop loss orders in Iraq and Afghanistan have until October 21, 2010 to apply for retroactive pay. Troops eligible for retroactive pay will receive $500 a month for each month their service was extended. The Defense Department estimates that while 145,400 troops are eligible only 58,000 claims have been paid out so far.

“Those servicemen and women who had tours extended deserve to be compensated,” said Rep. Towns.  “With the deadline fast approaching to apply for retroactive payments, I urge all eligible troops to submit their claims so that they can receive pay they rightfully earned through their service.”

The 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act established Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay (RSLSP), and allows troops whose service was involuntarily extended between September 11, 2001 and September 30, 2009 to file claims in order to receive retroactive pay if eligible. The deadline for submissions is October 21, 2010.  The average benefit is $3,800.

For more information or to submit a claim please visit www.defense.gov/stoploss.

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