Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas), who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, led a group of 23 lawmakers in a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Thursday, inquiring about the “mistreatment” of troops who are being forced to repay their signing bonuses.
They wrote that Austin bears the “blame” for the military’s current recruitment and retention problems, which endanger national security, citing the recent requirement for repayment from service members who were released from service due to their vaccination status.
Congressional Republicans are demanding an explanation from the Pentagon for severe recruitment and retention issues caused by a number of policies that they claim amount to “mistreatment” of service members….