The families of US soldiers who have died in the US-Israeli war against Iran are battling to ensure they receive appropriate pay and benefits for their loved ones.
Libby Klinner, a widow, wrote on social media that the US air force had deemed her ineligible for additional benefits following the death of Major Alex Klinner, her 33-year-old husband, because Congress had not officially declared war.
He was one of six crew members of a KC-135 refuelling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq in March while supporting US strikes against Iran.
Huh? Didn’t know the Americans had that little clause. My SDB is paid out to my spouse regardless of whether I die in a war.
For Americans, something like the Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) pays out regardless of how you snuff it but you have to be paying for that one already and you decide the level.
What they didn’t pay out is combat pay, or “Hazardous Duty Pay” which is based on where you’re deployed to. Since the person in question was Air Force though, and doing missions over various areas, that creates a situation where you can be deployed in support of combat operations but in a “friendly” area and not receiving combat pay.
Based on the article, they still got the last paycheck and other stuff, they just got a few hundred less for dying in support of Operation Protect the Pedophiles.