Hundreds of Minnesota soldiers left waiting for federal bonus

(FOX 9) – Tons of of Minnesota Nationwide Guard troopers have been left ready for federal bonus checks, with some saying they’ve gone with out a big portion of their wage for greater than a 12 months.

“I used to be imagined to get the second payout of my bonus 16 months in the past and I nonetheless haven’t acquired it,” mentioned one soldier who needed to stay nameless. “Once I inquire about this to management, I get the response that they’re simply behind in bonuses however they’ll’t present an evidence as to why.”

The soldier says whereas everybody’s contract is totally different, the federal bonus is a good portion of their pay. They estimate 30 to 40 p.c of their unit is ready on checks.

“I’ve talked to folks inside my unit and I’ve talked to folks inside totally different models throughout the state they usually all have the identical downside. And so they all get the identical response from their unit management.” 

The Minnesota Nationwide Guard advised Fox 9 the delay in cost is because of a software program glitch, saying they began to expertise points in October 2020 when Adobe Flash was discontinued.

“Guard management used handbook funds as an answer over the past two years; nonetheless, this course of required intensive vetting to find out eligibility for cost,” Lt. Col. Kristen Augé mentioned in a press release to Fox 9. “In some very remoted instances, service members have skilled delays of multiple 12 months resulting from software program modifications, however this isn’t typical for many delayed funds.”

Augé mentioned they presently have lower than 350 bonus requests to course of, and of those, greater than 155 are scheduled for cost throughout the subsequent 60 days.

Whereas this soldier says they get pleasure from serving, its made them rethink signing one other contract.

“No person needs to work at no cost,” they mentioned. “You re-enlist they usually say, ‘hey we’re going to present you a bonus’ after which don’t give it to you, properly then what’s the purpose of re-enlisting?”