Evening star., 1949-10-14
Increases in Military
Pensions for DisabiIif,
Must Await Reviews

Armed forces personnel now
retired for length of service auto
matically will receive additional
monthly compensation under the
new pay law, Defense Department
officials said today.
But the cases of all disability
retirements will have to be re-
viewed individually to determine
whether or not higher pensions
will be awarded, they said.
The new law. signed by Presi-
dent Truman Wednesday and is
effective as of October /, separates
methods of compensating those
retired for longevity and for
physical disability for the first
time. The first payments will be
made in checks at the end of the
month.
Personnel retired for length of
service and receiving a percentage
of base pay of the rank last held,
automatically will receive boost
in their monthly checks, since pay
in all ranks has been increased by
the new law. Thus, a retired
colonel now will receive IS per
cent of $698.25, if he retired after
80 years service. instead of rs per
cent Of $3.50, as in the past.
Table Prepared.
About $4,000 persons are af-
fected by the change in disability
retirement pay largely because the
extent of disability is now taken
into consideration.
Determinations will have to be
made in virtually every case as to
whether or not the individual will
receive higher compensation for
disability an official said. "Ex-
tent of disability is among the fac
e tors which must be considered in
determining. whether or not ap-
plicants are entitled to higher pay
ments.
"A table is under preparation
which will cover many of the
typical cases. However, it is con-
sldered impossible at present to
set up any table which will tell
every individual exactly how much
increase, if any, he would be en-
titled to receive"
All purely disability retirement
pensions are tax exempt. How
ever, the law also provides that.
II an officer or enlisted man would
receive greater compensation un-
der a service retirement formula
than one based on physical dis
ability, he may elect to take the
former and receive tax exemption
only on that portion of the pay
ments which he would have re-
ceived had he been retired for
physical reasons alone.
For Officers and Men.
The new system was developed
by four member civilian advis-
ory commission of the department,
headed by Charles r. Hook. board
chairman of Armco Steel Corp.
The new disability scheme, for
the first time. is identical for Off
GERS and men and relates the
amounts of benefits to the degree
OF incapacity. Previously, a re-
tired officer received rs per cent
of base and longevity pay, so long
as found unfit for service. The
new law requires minimum of 30
per cent disability under civilian
standards set by the Veterans
Administration. Benefits are
graded to the degree of disability
or length of service and may be
Withdrawn if the man RECEIVERS
within five years and refuses to
be restored to active duty.
Greatest change, however, is the
distinction between disability
based on duty and that not con-
nected with service. Previously
cause of disability was of no con-
sequence, so that the Government
paid off for many natural and
normal diseases and unrelated in
Juries. Under the new law, if the
member of the armed services has
less than eight years service, the
disability must have resulted from
active duty. The eight-year pro-
vision, by last-minute Senate
amendment, is suspended during
any war period.
Army, A. F. Invite Inquiry.
Former members of the Army
and Air Force who now receive
retirement benefits for physical
disability and who believe them
selves eligible for increased re-
tirement pay. under the new law,
should address inquiries to their
respective headquarters, furnish
ing full name, last grade or rank
held and serial number. Army
personnel should write the ad-
Jutant general, United States
Army, Washington 25. Air Force
personnel should write the deputy
chief of staff, personnel, attention
director of military personnel.
United States Air Force, WASH
ington 25.
The Navy requested its person.
mel retired for disability not to
write to the department. Officials
said individuals concerned will be
Informed as to their eligibility for
increased pay under the new law
as rapidly as possible.
Hindu Priests Convicted
In the first case of its kind in
Orissa, India, two Hindu priests
were convicted for obstructing