releases: http://cramer.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/us-army-reverses-separation-policy-following-legislation-cosponsored-by
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| http://cramer.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/us-army-reverses-separation-policy-following-legislation-cosponsored-by | US Army Reverses Separation Policy Following Legislation Cosponsored by Cramer | 2014-12-22 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Republican | House | ND | Kevin Cramer | C001096 | cramer.house.gov | legacy | BISMARCK, N.D. – The Secretary of the Army John McHugh has announced a change in retirement policy which echoes a bill Congressman Kevin Cramer cosponsored. Under the new rule, prior-enlisted military officers selected for involuntary separation from the service will be allowed to remain on active duty, or retire at their current commissioned rank with full benefits. The policy reversal follows the Proudly Restoring Officers of Prior Enlistment Retirement (PROPER) Act, which was introduced on December 10 with Congressman Cramer as an original cosponsor. Under the Obama Administration’s restructuring plan, many prior-enlisted commissioned officers were being forced to involuntarily retire at their highest enlisted rank, despite years of service in commissioned status. The policy requires soldiers serve at least 20 years to be eligible for retirement, and at least eight years after receiving a commission in order to retire with officer rank. The misguided eligibility requirement caused soldiers who served over 20 years total, but less than eight years as commissioned officers, to be involuntarily retired at their highest enlisted rank instead of their commissioned rank. This equated to forced demotions and large reductions in retirement benefits. The PROPER Act, cosponsored by Cramer, would have enabled soldiers to keep their commissioned rank upon retirement by lowering the eligibility requirement from eight to four years. The decision by Secretary McHugh waives the eight year requirement entirely. “I am pleased the Army Secretary has acted to change a misguided policy for this group of dedicated military officers. While we must make every effort to fund our national defense wisely, this does not mean shortchanging those who have served their country,” said Cramer. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |