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B-155618, MAR. 25, 1965

B-155618 Mar 25, 1965
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BUTLER: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF FEBRUARY 25. REFERRING TO THE BONUS PAYMENT OF $60 WHICH WAS AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 1406 OF THE ACT OF FEBRUARY 24. WHICH WAS PAID TO YOU UPON CORRECTION OF YOUR RECORDS UNDER 10 U.S.C. 1552 TO SHOW THAT YOU WERE SEPARATED FROM THE ARMY ON APRIL 26. WHEN YOU WERE DISCHARGED. ALL PAYMENTS ON ACCOUNT OF MILITARY SERVICE ARE GOVERNED BY THE APPLICABLE LAWS ENACTED BY CONGRESS. WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO ALLOW THE ADJUSTMENT REQUESTED BY YOU. IT IS NOTED THAT YOU HAVE APPLIED TO THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION FOR ANY BENEFITS ADMINISTERED BY THAT AGENCY TO WHICH YOUR CORRECTED DISCHARGE CERTIFICATE MAY ENTITLE YOU. THAT YOU NO LONGER HAVE ANY CLAIM PENDING BEFORE THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE.

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B-155618, MAR. 25, 1965

TO MR. JAMES J. BUTLER:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF FEBRUARY 25, 1965, REFERRING TO THE BONUS PAYMENT OF $60 WHICH WAS AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 1406 OF THE ACT OF FEBRUARY 24, 1919, CH. 18, 40 STAT. 1151, AND WHICH WAS PAID TO YOU UPON CORRECTION OF YOUR RECORDS UNDER 10 U.S.C. 1552 TO SHOW THAT YOU WERE SEPARATED FROM THE ARMY ON APRIL 26, 1919, ON A CERTIFICATE OF GENERAL DISCHARGE (UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS). YOU AGAIN REQUEST THAT THE AMOUNT OF THE BONUS BE INCREASED TO OFFSET THE DEPRECIATION OF THE BUYING POWER OF THE DOLLAR FROM 1919, WHEN YOU WERE DISCHARGED, TO 1964, WHEN YOU RECEIVED THE PAYMENT.

ALL PAYMENTS ON ACCOUNT OF MILITARY SERVICE ARE GOVERNED BY THE APPLICABLE LAWS ENACTED BY CONGRESS. THE 1919 ACT CITED ABOVE AUTHORIZED PAYMENT OF THE BONUS IN QUESTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $60. NO LAW HAS BEEN ENACTED WHICH WOULD AUTHORIZE OUR OFFICE TO INCREASE THE BONUS PAYMENT IN THE CASE OF A PERSON WHOSE ENTITLEMENT FIRST AROSE BY REASON OF A CORRECTION OF HIS MILITARY RECORDS MANY YEARS AFTER HIS ACTUAL SEPARATION FROM THE SERVICE. IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH A STATUTE, WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO ALLOW THE ADJUSTMENT REQUESTED BY YOU.

IT IS NOTED THAT YOU HAVE APPLIED TO THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION FOR ANY BENEFITS ADMINISTERED BY THAT AGENCY TO WHICH YOUR CORRECTED DISCHARGE CERTIFICATE MAY ENTITLE YOU. IT APPEARS, THEREFORE, THAT YOU NO LONGER HAVE ANY CLAIM PENDING BEFORE THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE.

SINCE THE HONORABLE HAROLD D. DONOHUE, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, PREVIOUSLY EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN YOUR CASE, WE ARE ADVISING HIM OF YOUR CONTINUING INTEREST IN THIS MATTER AND OF THE FINAL DISPOSITION OF THE CLAIMS FILED BY YOU FOR ITEMS COGNIZABLE BY THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE.

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