Det danske Fredsakademi
Kronologi over fredssagen og international politik 27. februar 2004 / Time Line February 27, 2004
Version 3.526. Februar 2004, 28. Februar 2004
02/27/2004
GAO udsender rapporten 'Military Bankruptcies'.
DOD had limited data on the rate of bankruptcies among active duty
military personnel. Responses to DOD’s 1999 active duty
survey—the most current data available—show that 1.2
percent, or about 16,000, of the 1.3 million active duty members in
the survey population said that they had declared personal
bankruptcy during the 12 months preceding the survey. This compares
with a total of approximately 1.3 million personal bankruptcies
filed in the United States in 1999. From 1999 through 2003, the
number of personal bankruptcies increased from approximately 1.3
million to over 1.6 million for the U.S. population.
The 23.6 percent increase in personal bankruptcy filings for the
U.S. population may not readily translate into a comparable rate of
increase for active duty military personnel. Loss of employment and
medical-related problems (e.g., medical costs and loss of income
during illness or accident) are among the major causes that
contribute to personal bankruptcies in the U.S. population, but
unemployment and catastrophic medical expenses are factors not
confronted by active duty military personnel. In addition, Congress
has authorized increased cash compensation— increases in
basic pay, housing allowance, and special pays—for active
duty military personnel since 1999. For example, average annual
military basic pay increases have exceeded average private-sector
wage increases for fiscal years 2000 through 2004. DOD has also
identified a need to improve the financial literacy and
responsibility of military members. And in May 2003, DOD formally
launched a financial readiness campaign to address military
members’ poor financial habits and increase financial
management awareness, savings, and protection against predatory
practices. Limited Data Available on Personal Bankruptcies among
Active Duty Military Personnel.
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