Soldiers deserve help

It’s not enough to fight for your country; you have to pay financial penalties, too.

At least Patrick Campbell, chief legislative counsel for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, did.

While in Iraq, he had to pay a monthly cell phone fee to preserve his contract. Upon his return, he spent five hours of his first day in the mobile phone store trying to get his service turned back on.

After seven months, a complaint to the Federal Communications Commis-sion and a move to a new service provider, the problem was solved.
That’s ridiculous.

Rep. Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly has submitted legislation that would help U.S. troops get out of such penalties.

The bill would apply not only to individual cell phone plans, but “family plans” as well. Individual cell phone plans for troops are already exempted from penalties, as are vehicle leases.

In addition to cell phones, they could get out of their leases without penalty if deployed, and troops in college could get their money back for classes missed if called overseas before completion.

There are bills that further causes and bills that seek to make change. There are bills that push a personal agenda and bills that react to sudden violence and calamity. And then there are bills that just make sense. Mr. Connolly’s bill is one of that latter.

It is ridiculous for the people who serve in our country’s armed forces to have to worry about petty financial penalties when they are putting their lives on hold and on the line for their country.

As true patriots, we doubt such things would have swayed any troops from joining up, but it is our duty, as the people who benefit from the courage of troops, to make things as easy as possible for them.

Unnecessary financial concern should not burden the minds of our men and women deployed overseas.

It is a silly situation, one we are glad Mr. Connolly is tackling.

adapted from the Potomac and Manassas News & Messenger