Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

[ArcticLight]

Ed Kugler (Vietnam era sniper) has this posted on his blog

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/02/1209777/purple-heart-recipient-billed.html

<span style="font-weight: bold">Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missing equipment
Joyce Chen, staff writer
Published: 06/02/10 8:07 am

An injured soldier who spent a year recovering at Joint Base Lewis-McChord said the military gave him a Purple Heart--and a bill for $3,000, KIRO-TV reports.

Former Oregon National Guard soldier Gary Pfleider told the news station that the base billed him for equipment he allegedly lost. In 2007, Pfleider was shot by a sniper in Iraq.

"I remember grabbing a hold of my leg and pulling my hands out and realizing that I had blood on my hands. And from that point on, until I got loaded onto the Stryker, was just a big blur," Pfleider said to KIRO.

Pfleider received a Purple Heart three days after he was shot. Two years later, he got a bill from the military for missing equipment, including clothing and grenades. Pfleider contends he lost the gear when he left Iraq and shouldn't be responsible for it now, but the federal government is taking money from his disability check each month.

JBLM officials told the news station that the base is investigating the issue.


</span>

 

[Hateca]

Re: Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

If this is true,

The guy gets shot and is wounded and he is also now responsible to try and keep track of his gear as it's being taken from him so the medics and docs can treat him.

Just one more reason the government is all screwed up, trying to get blood from a service member who is already given it.

I have nothing but respect for those that serve but I would think twice about letting any of my kids serve in the military with the way the government treats them, use them and abuse them, no thanks.

I don't care if they straighten this out and make it right, it should have never happened in the first place. Makes you wonder who the dick head was that even started this and sent the bill.

 

[ZLBubba]

Re: Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

Anyone who's spent more than a day in the military can imagine how this happened. Shit came up missing the final inventory, dudes passed the buck down the line, until they came up with this dude who wasn't there to defend himself because he's getting fixed up from a wound. I bet if the CoC did a shakedown of guys in his unit, they'd find all that gear pretty easily. It's a damn disgrace how many thieves there are in some units. Makes me sick.

 

[High Binder]

Re: Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

Seriously?! WTH?

 

[Guest]

Re: Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

<span style="text-decoration: underline">E-mail from Joint Base Lewis-McChord Public Affairs</span>

First of all, we would like to thank Gary Pfleider for his service, and as a Wounded Warrior we wish him the best as he recovers from his injury sustained in combat.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the Oregon National Guard has researched this issue involving Gary Pfleider and determined <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="color: #CC0000">there is no indebtedness to this individual for missing equipment either from Joint Base Lewis-McChord or the Oregon National Guard.</span></span>

Gary Pfleider was discharged from the active Army on/about Sept 10, 2008. A Financial Liability Investigation of Property Loss (FLIPL) was conducted at JBLM in Sept 2008 for equipment still on his records. <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="color: #CC0000">At that time it was determined there was no liability or negligence due to MEDEVAC (medical evacuation), and he was relieved of the financial liability and property accountability.</span>
</span>
The Oregon National Guard sent Gary Pfleider a letter in May 2009 regarding missing government property associated with the Oregon National Guard. Upon investigation at that time, the state determined that the Soldier was not liable for this equipment.

Due to the individual's privacy (Privacy Act), we cannot discuss the nature of Mr. Pfleider's outstanding charges; however, you can put him in contact with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service who will discuss the nature of the charges with him. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service Public Information Officer is Mr. (name and phone number redacted for online publication).

DFAS cannot discuss anything about Gary Pfleider's pay unless he waives his privacy rights.

Regards, Joe Piek

Joseph J. Piek
Chief, External Communications
Joint Base Lewis-McChord Public Affairs[color:#CC0000][/color]

 

[cavscout1983]

Re: Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

...and this is why part of casualty/wounded evac/collection is securing and inventorying sensitive items and all personal effects including TA-50.

Whomever dropped the ball, it wasn't the soldier. It was his 1SG's and CO's responsibility to make sure the PSG and PL got it done. At the very least, S4 should have stepped in as they would be the ones to ship home his personal stuff and make sure that the sensitive items were accounted for.

 

[Guest]

Re: Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

Nobody reads anymore.

 

[cavscout1983]

Re: Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

Tucker, not sure to what you are referring?

If you mean we are reading the article incorrectly, in what way?

As I understand it from the article and personal experience the chain of events were as follows:

soldier wounded, soldier evac'd to either Balad or Baghdad, soldier sent to germany for either a few days or hours, flown to states...and gets a bill for 3k.

Now, if he lost these items *prior* to being wounded, I can see where the Army has a case against him. potential UCMJ or other action doesn't just stop if you are wounded.

Based on everything though, I'd say it's BS unless the article is holding back important details.

 

[Arch]

Re: Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

Ed's a great guy. The Kug began an all-out assault on Joseph Bangert today at 1631. Seems Bangert's son was on an aid ship headed toward Gaza and may have been roughed up, so the ex-marine returned from Ho Chi Minh City. I am watching with interest, as are many. "Winter Soldier" in and of itself creates such beautiful irony, veterans and non-veterans with intentions contrary to truth...

 

[Guest]

Re: Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cavscout1983</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Tucker, not sure to what you are referring?
</div></div>

Did you read my post at all?
I didn't make that shit up, you know.

That is the e-mail response from a local news station that bothered to look for the other side of the story.

Apparently, according to their side of it, the charges are unrelated to his wounding or the incident.

 

[Guest]

Re: Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

http://www.kval.com/news/national/95445129.html

From the link

Not long after KVAL News published an update on the Purple Heart recipient's predicament online, Joint Base Lewis-McChord sent KVAL News an e-mail saying Pfleider is not being charged for equipment left behind in Iraq. | READ THE E-MAIL

<span style="font-weight: bold">He is being charged for something else.</span>

 

[thebolt]

Re: Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

the rest of the story.....

My son was a USMC machine gunner and did tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He and his fellow Marines were charged if they turned in equipment with blood or any other damage. They made them pay in full if they turned in their sappy plates with bullet or shrapnel damage.

Hard to imagine how they justify making a Marine pay for bleeding on his sappy plates after he's been shot...........

 

[cavscout1983]

Re: Purple Heart recipient billed for $3,000 in missin

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tucker301</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cavscout1983</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Tucker, not sure to what you are referring?
</div></div>

Did you read my post at all?
I didn't make that shit up, you know.

That is the e-mail response from a local news station that bothered to look for the other side of the story.

Apparently, according to their side of it, the charges are unrelated to his wounding or the incident.</div></div>

Simmer down

You must have posted it while I was already on the reply screen and I didn't realize it as I only saw "Nobody reads anymore". I went away from the screen for a while to chat with a friend. apologies. However, my stock in Jump to Conclusions mats is skyrocketing!