The Major Richard Star Act will fix the unjust federal policy that prevents thousands of severely wounded combat veterans from receiving their earned retirements. This unjust policy states that if a veteran is separated from the service due to combat related injuries — before completing 20 credible years — the federal government will keep the veteran’s earned retirement. The Major Richard Star Act corrects this injustice by allowing a veteran, with combat-related injuries and fewer than 20 credible years, to receive his or her earned retirement.
Note: “The funding for this policy change will come from the existing Military Retiree Trust Fund, with no increase to VA or DoD budgets.” – U.S. Senator Mike Crapo
HOW TO TAKE ACTION
118th Congress (2023-2024)
The Major Richard Star Act is the most sponsored bill in the U.S. Congress! To help its passage, contact your Congressional representatives and tell them you support the Act. For more detailed information on how you can help please visit the Major Richard Star Act Facebook page.
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
The Major Richard Star Act in the U.S. House of Representatives is H.R. 1282 and in the U.S. Seante is S. 344. Use the below links to find your Congressional Representatives and verify if they have cosponsored the Act.
Major Richard Star (1969 - 2021)
FROM IDEA TO REALITY: THE EVOLUTION OF THE MAJOR RICHARD STAR ACT.
February 13, 2021
Major Richard Star deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait with the U.S. Army Reserves. When he contracted stage 4 lung cancer as a result of burn pits and other damaging environmental conditions overseas, his wife Tonya quit her job to care for him full time.
Then Star encountered an unexpected financial surprise, when he learned that — because he hadn’t reached 20 years in the military — his disability pay from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) would be deducted out of his retirement pay from the Department of Defense.
Star pushed Congress to enact legislation that would remedy this little-known provision, meeting with lawmakers even as he approached the end of his life. He passed away February 13, 2021.
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MajorRichardStarAct.Org is a nonpartisan veteran advocate site. The site's single issue is passing the Major Richard Star Act. "There is no political affiliation on our dog tags." ~ DAVID G. BELLAVIA, Medal of Honor Recipient.