Topic: U.S. Marines

Tanner announces retroactive pay for ‘Stop Loss’ troops

October 24, 2009 |

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. John Tanner said some military personnel can now apply for special retroactive payments to compensate for stop-loss orders that extended their enlistments. Approved by Congress in the 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act, the program will provide $500 for each month that a service member served under stop loss since Sept. 11, 2001.

“Our service members and their families have made great sacrifices to serve our country,” said Congressman Tanner, a veteran of the U.S. Navy and the Tennessee National Guard. “Many times, their enlistments were extended involuntarily or their retirements were put on hold because of the strain that was placed on the Armed Forces. With these special payments, we are sending the message that we recognize their sacrifices and greatly appreciate their service.”

The Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay is available to service members who had their enlistments extended or retirement suspended due to stop loss between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2009. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | No Comments

Parris Island, SC.: Four days with the U.S. Marines

By Chris Lugo | February 2, 2009 |

In early January, Clarksville Online was invited to participate in this Marine Corps junket. Several of our staff hoped to attend,  but  had prior commitments, or were otherwise unable to make the trip on such short notice. One of our contributing writers, Nashville’s Chris Lugo, however, was able to attend as a representative of Tennessee  Indymedia. Here is his “Reflection on the USMC Educator’s Workshop and Marine Culture from the perspective of a Peace Activist.”

On Tuesday, January 13th at six in the morning I boarded a Delta Airlines jet in Nashville bound for Savannah, Georgia.  Accompanying me on the plane were two employers of a local rock station in Nashville that caters to young adults, high school teachers from rural and mid sized school districts in Tennessee, and two recruiters for the U.S. Marines.  Our destination was Parris Island, South Carolina, which is the primary training ground for new recruits to the United States Marine Corps.

The Marines, which are a small branch of the US armed forces, receive about six percent of the Department of Defense annual budget and have two training facilities for newly enlistees.  I had been invited along a USMC Educator’s Workshop, which is essentially a marketing strategy designed to encouraged high school teachers to develop friendlier relations with Marine recruiters, and to encourage journalists write positive stories about the USMC.

I am a peace activist, and my training and education is in the business of ending war and promoting peace.  I am also a politician who has run for office twice as a candidate for U.S. Senate representing the Green Party of Tennessee.  If I had been elected to office, one of my first actions as Senator would have been to sponsor legislation to immediately withdraw all U.S. armed forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, to drastically reduce the scope of U.S. military spending and close our military bases overseas, so I didn’t fit easily into any category that the USMC had constructed for the three day program.  Still, as a former candidate and in the interest of good will and cooperation, I attended, because I believe that it is important to hear all sides in any conversation — and the USMC clearly has one side and they want to make sure that you understand exactly what that side is. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion, Politics | 3 Comments

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