Stop Loss payments will continue for many service members, but not everyone. Under provisions of the 2010 defense bill, those who voluntarily re-enlisted or extended their service will no longer qualify for retroactive Stop Loss pay, the Defense Department announced Jan. 5. Persons in these categories who already received Stop Loss payments will not have to repay them, however. Stop Loss was implemented to ensure that the armed services maintained necessary strength to wage war on terrorism. With the announcement last year that the program would be phased out, DoD officials authorized a special pay of $500 per month for those who still remained on duty under Stop Loss. Retroactive payments had been authorized for persons who served on active duty from Sept. 11, 2001, to Sept. 30, 2009. In the new defense bill, Congress authorized an extension through September 2010 as well.
