Here is another example of a military retiree turned government civilian getting hammered by DOD for a mistake they made:
Christopher Garcia couldn’t figure out why we was being called into the civilian human resources department in Okinawa.
It had been two years since he retired as a Marine gunnery sergeant and took a job as the lead defense travel administrator in the III Marine Expeditionary Force’s disbursing office. The transition had gone so well, his office had been recognized for excellence.
But, it turns out, things were too good to be true.
Despite being promised a housing allowance when he was offered the job, the HR office was now telling him that the interpretation of the rules had changed and he no longer qualified.
Then, he essentially was handed a bill for more than $100,000.
“Regrettably, the previous determination of your eligibility for [living quarters allowance] was erroneous,” CHRO Director Deborah Summers wrote in a letter handed to Garcia on Jan. 20. “Because you have been erroneously receiving LQA payments, you are required to repay the LQA you have received.”
Garcia was in shock.
Not only was he on the hook for two years’ rent and utilities, but his housing allowance payments would stop immediately. He said it would be nearly impossible to afford his house now, and his family — with five children living at home — had just celebrated Christmas.
“When I see what this is doing to my family … It’s the betrayal of a loyal individual,” Garcia said. “I don’t have the disposable income to just throw down another $8,000 on a move.” [Stars & Stripes]
You can read more at the link, but hopefully this gentlemen can get that debt waived because I can only imagine how much more difficult life would be for this family having to pay that huge debt back every month on top of trying to find a new place to live that they can afford.
