U.S. still paying Civil War veterans’ families
Civil War and Spanish-American War
There are 10 living recipients of benefits tied to the 1898 Spanish-American War at a total cost of about $50,000 per year.
The Civil War payments are going to two children of veterans — one in North Carolina and one in Tennessee — each for $876 per year.
Surviving spouses can qualify for lifetime benefits when troops from current wars have a service-linked death. Children under the age of 18 can also qualify, and those benefits are extended for a lifetime if the person is permanently incapable of self-support due to a disability before the age of 18.
Citing privacy, officials did not disclose the names of the two children getting the Civil War benefits.









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The cost of securing freedom.
Too bad the politicians are working their damnedest to remove what little we have left.
astonerii on March 20, 2013 at 6:04 PM
Bizarre, but clearly not a significant contribution to the deficit.
Count to 10 on March 20, 2013 at 6:13 PM
So this pittance is to be eradicated, to be mocked and hemmed and hawed…
But $200,000,000 going down the drain for a dirty Scandinavia electric car company that is going bankrupt was a must spend investment of the taxpayer’s money.
…
catmman on March 20, 2013 at 6:16 PM
Not much different than the draconian cuts that forced WH tours to be cancelled.
RESTORE WH TOURS! CANCEL SURVIVOR BENEFITS!
BobMbx on March 20, 2013 at 6:24 PM
Did Confederates receive the same benefits as Union veterans and families?
Mark1971 on March 20, 2013 at 6:26 PM
Found this:
Which explains why great great grandad started the war on the South but ended the war on the North… Ah, Kentucky.
Fallon on March 20, 2013 at 6:58 PM
Thanks
Mark1971 on March 20, 2013 at 7:30 PM
Speaking of, what is Gabby Giffords pulling in? Not counting income from the book/book tour while she was incapable of sitting, of course, but just what she’s drawing from retiring after waiting the clock out for the year until she was eligible.
Anyone know? I’m sure it’s over $200K/year, but does anyone have a specific number?
rogerb on March 20, 2013 at 7:30 PM
I always appreciated people like your grandfather.
rob verdi on March 20, 2013 at 7:43 PM
Really? You are going to go there with Gabby Giffords? She was shot while serving her country, disabled for life. Partisan politics aside, this is not the place to draw your line in the sand. I would never, ever vote for her based on her principles, but I will never begrudge extending her disability pay and health insurance from a job related injury. It is not her fault that some lefty nutjob stalker tried to kill her.
karenhasfreedom on March 20, 2013 at 7:47 PM
That woman’s Civil War veteran father had to be damn near 80 when she was born.
rickv404 on March 20, 2013 at 7:56 PM
You don’t understand the point then.
She could buy disability insurance like any other federal employee.
Her position is not that insurance.
Do any other federal employees have their jobs held for a year (longer?) when they’re no longer capable of doing them?
Are other federal workers allowed to stay on, at full pay and benefits, until they’re eligible for retirement?
Are other federal workers allowed to double-dip income (can’t work here, then you can’t work there) while they’re unable to perform their job?
You’re willingly creating a separate class if you refuse to question why she was treated differently.
Maybe that’s what we want.
Can we not argue that about stroke victims, employees paralyzed in car wrecks, etc.?
rogerb on March 20, 2013 at 8:00 PM
My great-great grandfather was a Civil War vet. He was young when he joined and also outlived his first wife from whom I’m descended. He had a second family of three children, and I can remember all three. That’s always been mind-blowing to me.
INC on March 20, 2013 at 8:18 PM
Just for kicks, btw, next time you’re talking to your HR folks at work, ask what would happen to your benefits if you were out on workers comp leave and it was discovered that you were drawing income from a second job.
rogerb on March 20, 2013 at 8:30 PM
Was this a setup, btw?
Do you know her?
rogerb on March 20, 2013 at 9:17 PM
So that’s where the resident Neo-Confederates are getting their checks.
MelonCollie on March 21, 2013 at 12:38 PM