R&R task force 'doing what we can' to cover troops' travel costs in U.S.

[lebkuchen]

This article was published yesterday, before the article I just posted saying that the R & R program was all but dead due to new troop deployments.

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=19200

There is no guarantee Uncle Sam will pay commercial travel costs within the United States for troops venturing home for some R&R from Iraq and Afghanistan.

<snip>

“We’re doing what we can legally and financially,” said Rhonda Paige, a spokeswoman for the Army’s R&R task force. “We want to make sure this is about the soldier and his family; we want them to get the break. What we can’t do because of a lack of funding, we’ll explore other .” (Comment: like mental telepathy? a magic carpet?)

While Congress passed an amendment to the 2004 Defense spending bill that sets aside $55 million for domestic flights and other travel costs for troops on the military’s 15-day Rest and Recuperation program, the measure only “recommends” the Army foot the bill. President Bush signed the measure into law Nov. 24.

<snip>

There are two snags: The $55 million is nowhere near enough, according to a Congressional Research Service memo quoting Army officials, and the law states the Army “may” pay for these flights, but isn’t bound by law.