Thousands of WWII veterans are still waiting to receive their promised military payments, reports the Associated Press. More than 250,000 Filipinos served alongside U.S. soldiers to defend the Philippines from the 1941 Japanese invasion. They formed the resistance during the subsequent Japanese occupation. The U.S. military assured Filipinos they would be able to apply for U.S. citizenship and qualify for full U.S. veterans’ benefits if they served. But one year after Japan’s surrender, the Rescission Act of 1946 declared that Filipinos were not in active service for the U.S. military during the war. This stripped Filipinos of their status as U.S. veterans and denied them the benefits they were promised. Congress considered legislation authorizing pensions to Filipino veterans several times over the years. It finally settled on the lump sum solution when it included $198 million for the program in last year’s economic stimulus bill.The VA has distributed $136 million, or over two-thirds of the money, to date. Veterans have until Feb. 16 to file.
