Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) and Tim Walz (D-Minn.) introduced a bill in the House of Representatives on Thursday to revise rules requiring commissioned military officers from having to retire at their highest previous enlisted rank.
Due to significant downsizing of the Army after a 2007 growth effort, the Obama administration is requiring involuntarily retirement of up to 30 percent of commissioned officers and a downsizing of the Army to 450,000 soldiers as combat forces draw down from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Currently, soldiers must serve a minimum of 20 years to become eligible for retirement. To retire at the rank of an officer, at least eight of those years must come after receiving a commission. Some soldiers who have served more than 20 years, but less than eight years as commissioned officers, are now being involuntarily retired at their highest enlisted rank, which has led to a large cut in their retirement pay.
The Proudly Restoring Officers of Prior Enlistment Retirement (PROPER) Act lowers the commissioned rank required from eight to four years.
“Brave men and women answered the call to military service as our nation expanded its ranks during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars,” Thompson said. “Soldiers deserve to retire with the rank they have earned and corresponding benefits they’ve been promised, and anything less devalues the sacrifices they have made for our country. With the introduction of the Proudly Restoring Officers of Prior Enlistment Retirement Act, we plan to fix this injustice.”