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Two government agencies trying to collect same bill from Tipp City veteran

Hector Guevara, of Tipp City, looks through boxes of letters and forms. Two government agencies say Guevara owes them thousands of dollars but neither Guevara, nor the government seems to know exactly how much is owed.

Staff photo by Jim Witmer Hector Guevara, of Tipp City, looks through boxes of letters and forms. Two government agencies say Guevara owes them thousands of dollars but neither Guevara, nor the government seems to know exactly how much is owed.

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Amount of veteran's debt unclear on both sides

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By Jessica Wehrman, Staff Writer Updated 8:46 PM Sunday, June 28, 2009

WASHINGTON — Hector Guevara was mere months out of the Air Force and serving in the reserves when Sept. 11 happened.

He was mobilized and brought back into active duty. Now, he thinks his service may have cost him his financial well-being.

Guevara, a Tipp City man who retired from the Air Force in January after 25 years of service, is wrangling with two agencies who are trying to recoup the roughly $64,646 he received from the Air Force when he separated from the military in 2000. Military rules require that veterans who are given separation pay – the equivalent of money a civilian would get in a buyout – pay it back if they either start receiving VA disability payments or retire. Guevara, who claimed disability for problems including degenerative disk disease and hypertension, did both. And now both the VA and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service want that same pot of money back in full.

Guevera says he’s paid off his debts to the VA, during a period when the Internal Revenue Service was keeping his tax returns and he was watching $4,000 sucked out of his paycheck per month. But he said he’s not about to pay that amount twice.

He’s consulted two congressmen — U.S. Rep. David Hobson, R-Springfield, who retired in 2008 and his successor, U.S. Rep. Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek — and recently, he got a break: the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, which has been trying to recoup the money,  announced it would hold off on recoupments pending an investigation.

But Guevara, who had to seek help from a congressional committee to have his credit rating restored, is still waiting for someone, anyone, to give him a straight answer on what he owes. Better yet, he’s hoping someone will determine he’s paid off his debt in full.

“I feel fortunate to be in a country where veterans are valued,” he said. “But I’ve gotten myself entangled in a bureaucratic nightmare.”

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Flipper / Brandon... I dunno if either of you are a veteran or not, but take my word for it as a disabled retired veteran... the VA is a HUGE PITA to deal with, & DFAS isn't always a picnic, either. This guy's issue has NOTHING to do w/ political parties.

Pete
7:23 AM, 6/30/2009

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Julie,
Read the article again, I don't think you have a thorough understanding of the article. He paid back the amount that was given to him. Now another agency wants him to pay as well. Are you saying he deserves to be Double Dipped?

Dale
11:57 PM, 6/29/2009

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Government lunacy does not surprise me at all. Years ago I worked for a construction company and the Labor Department required an EEO report showing the hours worked by each minority class. It said we could be fined or jailed for not providing it. We had a race code in the payroll records so we could track the hours by race. O by the way, I had another Labor Dept notice saying it was illegal to put a race code in any computer file. So the same department gave me conflicting instruction.

dennis
11:36 AM, 6/29/2009

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He should never have received the buyout if he knew he wasn't qualified. He did this to himself and has to pay back the money.

Julie
11:17 AM, 6/29/2009

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Blame this on Obama? Really? Apparently you did not read or did not understand the article. His problems began long before Obama was elected. This was a Bush administration problem. Once again a conservative proves that they have no clue what they are saying. You people only know one thing for sure, You dont like Obama. Why? Because Fox News told you to. Sheep. Morons.

Brandon
11:13 AM, 6/29/2009

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