Neighbor News
Senator Janet Nguyen Applauds DoD Decision Allowing California National Guard Members to keep their Bonuses
Department of Defense waives repayment of National Guard bonuses
(Garden Grove, CA) – As a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee and the Governor’s Military Council, Senator Janet Nguyen applauds the Department of Defense’s (DoD) decision to allow more than 17,000 active and former members of the California National Guard to keep bonuses initially granted to them for enlisting or reenlisting in the National Guard during the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Following last year’s announcement that the DoD was using tax liens and wage garnishments to reclaim bonus payments from California National Guard members, Senator Nguyen spearheaded an effort to demand an immediate halt to the recovery efforts. Joining Senator Nguyen in this call to action were then Republican Leader Senator Jean Fuller, current Republican Leader, Senator Pat Bates, Senator Jim Nielsen and Senator Andy Vidak.
“While I am encouraged by the recent reforms allowing Guard Members to keep their bonuses and the follow-up policy modifications, this was a crisis that should not have occurred,” said Senator Janet Nguyen. “Our National Guard members have sacrificed and given far too much for our nation, and should not have been penalized for the mismanagement and fraudulent behavior of staff from the California National Guard.”
In announcing their decision to waive the repayment for the more than 17,000 active and former members of the California National Guard, the DoD also included a series of reforms to deter future fraudulent activity.
“The overwhelming majority of California National Guard members will not be asked to make any repayments or will receive a refund if funds or wages were garnished,” said Senator Janet Nguyen. “Our Guard members and Veterans who enlisted or reenlisted when we needed them most deserve justice and I thank the Department of Defense for recognizing the errors made.”
About Senator Janet Nguyen
Senator Janet Nguyen was overwhelmingly elected to represent the residents of California’s 34th State Senate District in 2014. With this victory, Senator Nguyen became the first woman elected to represent the 34th Senate District and the first Vietnamese-American in the country to be elected to the State Senate. Senator Nguyen is the highest-ranking Vietnamese American elected official in California.
The 34th State Senate District includes the cities of Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Westminster, the unincorporated communities of Midway City and Rossmoor, as well as portions of Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Long Beach, and Orange