SANDUSKY, Ohio — A Sandusky Navy veteran said he is owed thousands of dollars from the military, and reached out to News 5 for help.
Erie County Reporter Maya Lockett spoke with the young veteran on Friday.
Nathan Lahr said he has always wanted to serve his country.
“We have a military legacy in my family, and I’ve always had that American Pride," he said.
In 2014, a few days after his 18th birthday, he enlisted in the military. After boot camp and 18 months of Navy nuclear training, he was sent to Norfolk, Virginia, aboard the U.S.S. Harry Truman. Lahr spent time in the North Sea and the Mediterranean, far away from family and friends.
“I didn’t have much contact with my family, and it took a toll on my mental health. I got to a very dark place, but I decided to do the hardest thing in my life, and I got help,” said Lahr.
Lahr began getting treated for depression and anxiety.
“It seemed the more time I was on the ship, the worse I was getting. So, it was deemed that I wasn't really going to be good for sea duty and that’s required for the navy. So, they decided it was probably best for me to be discharged,” said Lahr.
In 2019, the Navy gave him 10 days to leave Norfolk and the life he had built.
“I felt like I had failed because I had full intentions of making a full career at being in the Navy," Lahr said.
Once he returned home, Lahr joined the Military Transition Roundtable, an organization that helps veterans transition back to society.
“When we started to listen to him about his transition issues, we said, 'What is going on here?'" said Matt Scherer, CEO of the Military Transition Roundtable.
“He didn't have a completely full DD214, he hadn't talked to the VA about his benefits, he hadn't gotten any assistance from the navy because of his discharge from the area and that was the most concerning,” said Scherer.
They also learned the Defense Finance Accounting Services was taking his reenlistment pay over why he was discharged.
“I told them I was discharged for medical purposes, that’s one of the exceptions,” said Lahr.
Lahr said DFAS took a few hundred dollars from his checks, bonuses and federal tax refunds.
“My debt has gotten higher, I’ve been doing my best to manage it, but it has definitely been a challenge," said Lahr.
With the help of Scherer, Lahr was able to send proof of his medical discharge.
“After that, I got an email one day with a letter attached from an Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy saying that they agreed with me," said Lahr. "Although on a technicality I could have owed the money because I didn't go through a medical discharge, they thought it would be cruel to still make me pay."
In the letter, it stated he did not need to pay and was told he would receive a reimbursement of $29,985. Lahr was supposed to receive the letter in October, but it was sent to the wrong address. After trying to resolve the issue, they told him to expect it on March 1.
“You used to be able to walk up to the DFAS office and speak to someone, but now they depend too much on technology instead of human contact. I think they really are just doing enough to get by and not raising their head to address these issues, it should not (take) six months for him to receive his payment,” said Scherer.
News 5’s Maya Lockett reached out to DFAS for comment, but has not yet heard back.
“Hopefully it comes, obviously DFAS also handles a lot of the active-duty military guys. So, I imagine a veteran is low on the priority list,” said Lahr.
Mentally, Lahr said he is in a better place.
Scherer said he hopes lawmakers will waive garnishment of re-enlistment bonuses based on why they were discharged.
“I'd like to see it consistently applied across the board,” said Scherer.
