Social Security and the Armed Forces

I N R E S P O N S E T O several inquiries and requests from members of the Congress for in format ion concerning the protection of the social security rights of individuals i n the m i l i t a r y service, the following statements by A r t h u r J . A l tmeyer , Chairman of the Social Security B o a r d , were presented i n the Congress i n October. These statements, dealing w i t h possible methods of extending the protection of the Federal system of old-age and surviviors insurance to members of the armed forces and questions of policy which would need to be considered in the development of a national system of demobil ization unemployment a l lowances for servicemen, are presented here for the i r general interest i n discussion and s tudy of problems of social security. I n a message to the Congress on November 23, out l ined on page 3 of this issue, President Rooseve l t recommended legislation to provide a un i f o rm system of allowances to unemployed servicemen and women, and to extend credit under Federal old-age and survivors insurance, on a u n i f o r m basis, to a l l members of the armed forces d u r i n g their period of m i l i t a r y service.