great crime nation commit take care sacrifice much freedom national security unite state pentagon deduct money erroneously combat-wounded veterans severance pay 25 years error officials know years might affect upwards 13,000 troop accord lawmakers veterans advocacy group.now lawmakers try return money estimate 78 million bi-partisan bill introduce thursday.federal law prohibit taxation lump sum disability severance pay troop separate service combat-related injuries pay system use department defense automatically deduct tax payments since 1991 accord joint statement national veterans legal service program sens john boozman r-ark mark warner d-va.the pentagon know problem three years accord internal department defense memo date dec. 28 2012 obtain star stripes.the error often cost individual troop thousands dollars.army veteran brandon davis greenwood ark wound iraq leave service 2005 say lose 8,000 money would help family adjust life discharge military say statement.a department defense personnel official decline comment.the national veterans legal service program nonprofit veterans service organization first discover problem bring attention lawmakers trouble learn government know problem decades yet continue take money thousands disable veterans tom moore attorney national veterans legal service program say joint statement.for entire story star strip unforgivable pentagon withhold 78 million wound veteran pay