Iraq War veteran who received Purple Heart says Army is making him repay money
By SHEL SEGAL
Uncle Sam giveth, and apparently Uncle Sam can taketh away.
When Fontana resident and 2001 Fontana A.B. Miller High School graduate Kevin Stonestreet joined the U.S. Army in the summer of 2001 as a member of the infantry, he was given a $20,000 bonus to be paid out over his six-year enlistment.
However, when Stonestreet was honorably discharged from the Army in 2005, he found out he needed to repay $3,800 of that bonus because he did not complete his six years.
But Stonestreet, who is now 23, said he was kicked out of the Army because he was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression from serving in Iraq.
In addition, Stonestreet, who was awarded the Purple Heart and was considered for the Bronze Star for bravery in combat, said the amount he was to pay back was originally $6,000, but the government repossessed his final paycheck of $2,200.
"They were nice enough to take out the $170 for my child support," Stonestreet said, laughingly.
Stonestreet added his unit was referred to as an "inconvenience to the government,' probably because of my condition, a personal disorder."
STONESTREET JOINED THE ARMY right out of high school and was first stationed at Ft. Benning, Ga. He said he was first attracted to the infantry because of the kind of work it did.
"We did raids, searches, observations, all the good stuff," he said.
He received his first installment of his bonus -- $7,000 -- in February 2002, he said, adding the rest of the money would come over time.
However, in September 2003, he was sent to fight in Iraq, and that's when everything changed for him.
STONESTREET WAS STATIONED near Fallujah, Iraq in April 2004 when an insurgency was being put down by U.S. military personnel.
On April 6, 2004, Stonestreet said he was riding in a Bradley fighting vehicle, which can seat up to 13 soldiers -- albeit not comfortably -- when it was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.
"We were providing security for the Marines as they were pulling out (of Fallujah) when they just got ambushed," Stonestreet said. "My platoon leader lost his leg and his gunner lost his right hand."
Stonestreet also was wounded. He was hit by shrapnel in his neck and was grazed by a bullet on his left arm. The shrapnel is still in his neck.
"I was a centimeter away from bleeding to death if it had hit my jugular," he said.
He was later recommended for the Bronze Star as he gave up his machine gun to a buddy when he went to get first aid for the injured -- but that's now all but forgotten, he said.
"I went on top of the Bradley to give them first aid," he said. "We were apparently under heavy fire, but because of the blast, I didn't hear anything. I was surprised there wasn't a fire, just a lot of smoke -- a lot of smoke -- and our uniforms smelled like ammonia for days."
STONESTREET CAME BACK to the States in September 2005. Now stationed at Ft. Riley, Kan., he came back to Fontana where he was welcomed with a big party, he said.
But his world had been turned upside down by the war.
"When I first got home I had insomnia," he said. "When I could sleep, I had flashbacks, nightmares and cold sweat.
"I'm a world better being away from the Army. I miss my friends, but they'll be all right, hopefully."
THE GOVERNMENT IS still interested in recouping its $3,800 it believes it is entitled to. Stonestreet, who works as a clerk at Pep Boys in Rialto, said he has been contacted by a collection agency on the government's behalf and will soon be owing interest on that amount if something isn't done soon.
He added while he feels he shouldn't have to repay the money, he doesn't have it in the first place.
"They ended my contract for me and I'm being forced into paying this," Stonestreet said. "I tried to hold up my end of the bargain."
In addition, while Stonestreet said the government contends it paid him his entire bonus, Stonestreet said he never received the final payment and his bank has no record of ever receiving it.
Stonestreet said he has written a letter to Congressman Joe Baca (D-Rialto), but hasn't heard anything back. In addition, Baca's office did not return phone calls from the Herald News to discuss this issue.
Stonestreet added he has also written letters to Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, with no one getting back to him.
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And This Diary: Purple Heart recipient forced to repay signing bonus (Updated), over at Daily KOS, Read The Comments!!!!!
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"Never again shall one generation of veterans abandon another."
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