Walz letter on combat status for Kosovo mission

UPDATE: The Mankato Free Press has more online in Mark Fischenich's article, Local guard re-deployed; pay cut possible. [/update].

We were sent this press release and letter from Walz's communication staff.  The letter was signed by all the Democratic members of Minnesota's House delegation.

(Washington, D.C.) - In a letter sent yesterday, U.S. Representative Tim Walz and 17 other House members including House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel and House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee Chairman John Murtha expressed their concern over the recently announced Department of Defense proposal to remove combat status to from soldiers serving in Kosovo.  The letter, which Walz organized and circulated among his colleagues after hearing of the Pentagon's proposal, states "We believe it is inappropriate to dismiss the dangers that our servicemen and women serving in K-FOR face every day," and also asks several pointed questions about other reclassifications the Pentagon might be considering.

The Department of Defense proposal to reclassify the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo as a "non-combat" mission would result in soldiers losing combat pay as well as the federal payroll tax exemption afforded to soldiers serving in combat zones. 

"When I heard that the Pentagon wanted to eliminate combat pay for soldiers serving in Kosovo, I was furious," Walz said. "I approached several of my House colleagues when I heard the news and they were as outraged as I am.  This letter sends a clear signal to the Pentagon that my House colleagues and I are opposed to this reclassification."

The DOD proposal would affect more than 1,500 U.S. soldiers currently serving in Kosovo, in addition to over 400 Minnesota National Guardsmen scheduled to be deployed to Kosovo to assist in peacekeeping operations this fall.

The DOD proposal would classify the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo a non-combat mission despite the fact that the Washington Post recently reported "rising tensions in the Balkans over Kosovo's ongoing bid for independence and frequent U.S. missions that involve dangerous interdictions of smuggling rings, raids on armed extremist groups and encounters with improvised bombs."

"This summer, the men and women of the Minnesota National Guard will answer a call requiring them to leave their civilian jobs for active duty service, which will result in a pay cut for many of these soldiers.  Reclassification of their mission will lead to an even deeper pay cut and impose severe financial hardships on many of our National Guard soldiers and their families.  This decision will be devastating for troop morale," said Rep. Tim Walz.

"Kosovo is still a very dangerous place, and it's revealing that the State Department's assessment is quite different than that of the Department of Defense: foreign service officers do earn hazardous duty pay when they are assigned to Kosovo.  In addition to the terrible ethnic unrest there, the country is rife with landmines and other unexploded munitions," said Walz.  "Ensuring that this mission remains classified as a combat mission is about more than an extra $225 in monthly pay for our soldiers - it is about doing right by those who risk their lives in defense of our country."

The Washington Post reports that "top military officers in Europe have officially disagreed [with the proposal to remove combat status,] but they have been told the change could come as early as April 1."

If the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo is reclassified, Minnesota National Guard soldiers would face the following loss in combat benefits:

$225 monthly combat pay
Exemption from federal payroll taxes
Free R&R flights home during their official leave periods
Ability to apply for subsidized loans
A possible loss of hazardous duty location pay

Download PDF of letter here. The text of the letter below the fold.

March 8, 2007

Hon. Dr. Robert M. Gates, Secretary
U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Secretary of Defense
1300 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1300

Dear Secretary Gates:

We are deeply concerned by recent news reports about a Department of Defense proposal to remove combat status from soldiers serving in Kosovo. 

We believe it  is inappropriate to dismiss the dangers that our servicemen and women serving in K-FOR face every day. Soldiers in Kosovo operate in a region with an unstable government and outbreaks of violent lawlessness.  Ethnic tensions are on the rise in Kosovo and landmines and other unexploded ordnance present a serious threat to American soldiers on the ground. 

In fact, the U.S. State Department pays its Foreign Service officers in Kosovo "danger pay" for serving in a location where conditions "threaten physical harm or imminent danger to the health or well-being of an employee."  It is unfortunate that the Department of Defense does not recognize the same danger posed to its personnel. 

Additionally, removing the combat zone classification from K-FOR soldiers would mean significant financial hardship to soldiers serving there.  Those men and women would no longer receive "imminent danger pay" or tax advantages for their overseas service. It  is extremely unfair to ask these soldiers-who have left their families behind as they answer their country's call-to endure a significant new financial burden as well.      

Many of the soldiers who are currently serving or will soon be called up to serve in Kosovo have made several overseas deployments.  Removing their combat status will do more than hurt them and their families financially; it will also be a serious blow to their morale.   

We would appreciate your prompt response to a number of questions we have about this proposed redesignation:

·  Were military officials in the European theater given the opportunity to comment on this proposal and if so, what were their opinions about the decision to reclassify the Kosovo mission as one that is not combat-related?

·  Is the Department of Defense considering any other redesignations of combat status for other overseas deployments?

·  What qualitative measures (acts of violence against K-FOR forces, numbers of K-FOR soldiers wounded while deployed, etc.) did the Department of Defense consider when it made this proposal?

We strongly oppose this proposal and hope that you will take steps to ensure that the mission in Kosovo continues to be certified as a combat mission.

Tim Walz, Steve Kagen, John Murtha,  Mike Doyle, Jim Moran, Carolyn McCarthy, Phil Hare,  Jim Oberstar, Keith Ellison, Collin Peterson, Rahm Emanuel,  Barney Frank, Betty McCollum, Joe Sestak, Chris Carney, Patrick Murphy, James P. McGovern and Nancy Boyda all signed the letter.