Some months ago I wrote about Mallcity 14, a broadly painted caricature of a society that depends on people going into debt - even soldiers are supposed to pay for their own equipment. Things have absurdly gone beyond that point:
Former Army Specialist Rodriguez started getting bills for $700 for lost or damaged government property this summer. Although he was discharged some four years ago, bills recently arrived demanding payment, but giving no details on what or why — nor do they offer a way to dispute the charges.
“For doing my job you’re going to bill me?” Rodriguez said.
[…]
“They’ll just pound him and call him, call his employers, and make his life as miserable as they can until he pays up,” Ensign said.
[…]
Because it’s been four years since he left the Middle East, Rodriguez’s battalion was dissolved and his commanders are long gone. And despite repeated requests, the Army never could tell us what piece of equipment Rodriguez was billed for, nor would they get rid of the debt.
Fun times. Here’s the full CBS news item.