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Senate Reintroduces Concurrent Receipt Legislation, With Strong Support By: Mark Belinsky
February 24, 2021
Maj. Richard Star, USAR, poses during a deployment to Iraq. Star died Feb. 13 after battling lung cancer; a bill to provide concurrent receipt for some veterans bears his name. (Courtesy photo)
Nine days after Major Richard Star, USAR, lost his battle with cancer from toxic exposure, Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) reintroduced the Major Richard Star Act (S. 344) with 42 Senators as original cosponsors.
The legislation will authorize concurrent receipt of DoD retired pay and VA disability for those injured in a combat zone and forced to medically retire under Chapter 61.
Disabled veterans advocate Richard Star has died, but his fight for concurrent receipt presses on February 13 Retired Army Maj. Richard Star, who died Feb. 13 after battling lung cancer, and his wife, Tonya. (Photo courtesy Star family) Retired Army Maj. Richard Star, 51, passed away early Saturday morning after a years-long battle with lung cancer linked to burn pit exposure on deployments. A former combat engineer with multiple overseas tours, Star spent the last months of his life advocating for disabled and medically retired veterans. “Rich Star saved countless lives by clearing roads in Afghanistan of IEDs, and now in his legacy he’s still working to clear the road for concurrent receipt for his fellow servicemembers,” said retired Army Lt. Col. Mark Belinsky, director of currently serving and retired affairs for the Military Officers Association of America.