The U.S. Department of Defense this week announced plans to provide Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay to military service members who had their enlistment extended or retirement suspended due to Stop Loss between Sept. 11, 2001 and Sept. 30, 2009.

Those eligible will receive $500 per month for each month (or any portion of a month) that the member was kept on active duty due to Stop Loss.

"This is encouraging news for our nation’s service members who selflessly had their lives changed as a result of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the War on Terror," said Congressman John Carter (TX-31). "This compensation won’t make up for the fact that these service members have put their lives on the line and their families have made sacrifices, but it’s one way we can thank them and show them our appreciation for their heroism."

Service members — including members of the Reserve, and former and retired members — are eligible if they served on active duty between Sept. 11, 2001 and Sept. 30, 2009, while their enlistment was extended, or whose retirement was suspended due to Stop Loss.

The Secretary of Defense announced in March a plan to cut the number of soldiers Stop Lossed by 50 percent by June 2010 and to eliminate the use of current Stop Lossed soldiers by March 2011.

Service members must submit their applications no later than Oct. 21, 2010. Members must provide documentation they were Stop Lossed, and family members of deceased service members should contact the appropriate military service for assistance in filing their claim.

For more information, contact specific military offices: Army; Navy; Marine Corps; Air Force.