Screwed while at BootCamp

Doesn't the armed forces provide free legal counsel?
Do you have proof that you mailed these letters to your creditors and/or received responses?
If you dispute with the CRA's what is the basis of your dispute going to be? Have you tried contacting your creditors and asking "what's up?"

You need to provide a lot more info before anyone can help you.

 

You sure got booted here.


You need to kick some A

 

I agree...please provide a little more information.

First, did you send the letters certified return receipt requested? Do you have proof that they recieved them?

Second, you should call the creditors and ask why this happened.

Third, go to the legal office and ask counsel what you can do. Since this falls under the S&S relief act, I would definitely contact them.

 

You need to let your chain of command know exactly what happened, and do it before they find out themselves. Creditors have ways of getting to your Commanding Officer's Desk....I saw many people get in pretty bad trouble for defaulting on loans and credit cards when I was in the military. They should inform you what to do, and assist you to get things straightened out.

 

Gracie is right on. Go straight to your JAG office first thing Monday. They will spend whatever time necessary with you. And then GET PROOF that you were there trying to straighten this out.

Thet fact that you tried to "do the right thing" is of no consequence in the Post Clinton business world.

You now have to PROVE you tried to do the right thing.

They didn't tell you to send your notices via CRRR for a reason.

 

I agree with Gracie and Butch. You need to put an end to this. Why wouldn't you want to go see the Military Legal Office? They are on your side. If you can show them the letters and tell them what is going on, they will be able to help you.

Be responsible and go on Monday!

 

I'll be gone for about 6 months to Basic Training and AIT....I'm going to write checks out in advance and stamp my envelopes. I have family that can mail them out on a regular basis so that the bills aren't late. I will also call and send letters to the creditors so they know if they don't get a payment, I'm otherwise indesposed.

Thanks for posting this so that I can get started on that now. I now know that they will try to be sneaky.

Good luck, and tell us how it worked out for you....

 

What service are going into erica? since you said ait im guessing army... if your non combat most mos's aits are pretty relaxed and you could mail them youself after basic... btw what mos are you ?

 

I guess I just don't understand the Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act very well. My ex used to be a Marine Corp recruiter and he would tell poolees to have a family member or someone take care of their bills while they were away, or to prepay them. I never heard of using the SSRA for recruit training but like I said...I don't know much about it.

Sorry I can't give you any input.


L

 

I'm ARMY reserves, MOS is 38A (translation Civil Affairs). It's a non combat position, you are right, but I still can't take care of my bills in Basic. SO like I said, I'm just going to write checks out in advance and let my family mail them

The other thing I can do is to schedule payments online with my bank so they automatically get paid

 

My brother used leave my parents envelopes and on them in big letters they'd say

Mail on Jan 1, 2001
Mail on Feb 15, 2001

so that he never screwed up anything while he was in training. I think he only had a few bills, so it was pretty easy.

 

It does say it covers "inductees".

Gib

 

Democrat, I presume! I'm neither, probably Demo myself since Nadar can't do anything. Charlie

 

The Army JAG says:

"SSG Smith does need to continue making the monthly payments of principal and interest (at 6%) to avoid his account being considered delinquent. Continuing payments should also avoid any adverse credit reports from the finance company."

Did you think you didn't have to pay at all?

http://www.jagcnet.army.mil/JAGCNET...6499006b15a6/0806a532899687ce852568a800531506

 

Can you set up auto deduct with the creditors or auto pay with the bank?

 

Pibb, it sounds ilke you completely misunderstood the Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act (SSRA). That law doesn't excuse you from making your regular monthly payments. All it does is force your creditors to lower your APRs to 6% (including your mortgage, if you have one above that rate). This includes all consumer debt, including credit cards of course, which can amount to a substantial savings if you've got subprime cards at higher rates. Unfortunately, it sounds like you thought that all you would have to do is write your creditors and tell them about boot camp and that you wouldn't have to make any payments at all. Although a law like that would certainly help many people, that's not what's on the books unfortunately. Your debts were all charged off because that's obviously what often happens if you don't make your payments for such a lengthy period of time. To sum up, you weren't screwed at all -- unfortunately. They call this board "straight talk" so I hope you'll pardon the straight talk, lol. In any event, if it was me (and I KNOW FOR A FACT that not everyone here would advocate the same tack -- which is ok! -- consider lots of opinions). Anyway, if it was me, I would negotiate full payment settlements in exchange for full erasure of the bad tradelines. In any event, you've got a cleanup problem on your hands, and I think this board will be of great assistance to you as you begin that process.

Doc

 

pibb. sorry to hear about your situation.

 

Yup, what Doc said.