Amvets Legal Clinic on Full Alert in Defense of Nation’s Veterans

Pro-bono Legal Clinic leads charge to garner support from Congress, veteran organizations and military officers to challenge terminations of 157 Air Force Officers.

ANAHEIM, Calif.--()--“When we first approved $2.5 million dollars for funding the startup of the Amvets free legal clinic at Chapman University, to mostly help our veterans solve minor legal and VA benefit problems, we didn’t expect in a few short years to be center stage in a major dispute between 157 terminated officers, Congress and the United States Air Force,” said Jim Pidgeon, President of the Amvets Department of California Service Foundation.

Kyndra Rotunda, a former JAG officer and now Executive Director of the Amvets Legal Clinic, says “the program has recovered over five million dollars for clients in the first few years.” The scope of the pro-bono legal services has ranged from a simple dispute over renewal of a VA identification card, to recovery of $100,000 for a combat wounded soldier suffering with PTSD, to a cash settlement of thousands of dollars in a landlord tenant dispute, to the current challenge of the “budget-saving termination of 157 Air Force officers late in their careers resulting in a total loss of their retirement benefits.”

The effort of the Amvets Clinic to expose the plight of the officers appears to be gaining momentum. “They talked to the right constituents who in turn made an impact on the Congressman,” said Jed Link, Communications Director for Montana Congressman Denny Rehberg. “He views this as a serious injustice to our service men and women. He has written to Air Force Secretary Michael Donley requesting the Air Force restore the officers to active duty.” The Congressman wrote, “All of these officers had less than 6 years left until retirement and were separated from active duty without pensions. These men and women, many of whom recently returned from war, averaged close to 20 years of service to their country.”

Air Force officers with less than six years remaining until they are eligible to retire at 20 years have normally been allowed to remain in the service. With pressure to meet budget reductions and authorized end-strength levels at a time of record high retention rates, Secretary Donley has limited protection only to those within five years of retirement. Congress recently passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which included a Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA) that allows military servicemen and women to retire with a prorated pension. However, as currently crafted, this Act is not retroactive. The 157 officers have been caught in the middle gap of the policy change. In Congressman Rehberg’s attempt to correct what he has concluded to be a “serious injustice”, he has sponsored H.R. 3904, a legislative bill commonly called the “Keep America’s Promises Act.”

The California AMVETS Legal Clinic is directly representing many of the Air Force officers and championing the cause of all 157. Rotunda and her legal team have been building support from other prominent individuals and organizations including the nearly 400,000 member Military Officers Association of America, AMVETS National, the National Chairman of the Flag and General Officer’s Association, Retired Rear Admiral James Carey, and other veterans’ service organizations.

“Our veterans fought for us when we needed them,” said Jim Pidgeon. “We wanted to return that gift by fighting for them when they needed us. A pro-bono legal clinic seemed to our Amvets California Foundation to be a good way to give back and honor their service to our country. We have a great team of lawyers who share our passion to assist vets and their families regardless of the size of the injustice or issue.”

About Team AMVETS Legal Clinic

Funded by the non-profit AMVETS Department of California Service Foundation, Amvets Legal Clinic at Chapman University, CA is a pro-bono law service for military service personnel, veterans and their families. The Clinic focuses on matters of Traumatic Service Group Life Insurance appeals, discharge upgrade applications, benefit appeals, and civil legal claims such as landlord tenant disputes. (714) 628-2692 or amvets@chapman.edu

About AMVETS

AMVETS Department of California Service Foundation is a veteran’s organization committed to helping honorably discharged veterans and their families in California and Nevada. A not-for-profit organization, AMVETS provides no-cost legal counsel via the AMVETS Legal Clinic and more than 40 certified Service Officers to help veterans in dealings with the Veterans’ Administration on matters including disability compensation, hospitalization, rehabilitation, pension, education, employment and other benefits. Funding is raised through membership fees, donations, and thrift stores owned and operated by the Foundation. Vets do not have to be a member of AMVETS to receive services.

Contacts

Estey-Hoover Advertising & Public Relations
Dan Hoover, 949-756-8501
fax: 949-756-8506
hoover@estey-hoover.com
http://www.estey-hoover.com

Release Summary

Amvets' Pro-bono Legal Clinic leads charge to garner support from Congress, veteran organizations and military officers to challenge terminations of 157 Air Force Officers close to retirement.

Contacts

Estey-Hoover Advertising & Public Relations
Dan Hoover, 949-756-8501
fax: 949-756-8506
hoover@estey-hoover.com
http://www.estey-hoover.com