Springfield Soldier Fights for Passage of the Richard Star Act

When a sniper’s bullet tore through Army veteran Zach Micklon during Operation Iraqi Freedom, it nearly ended his life. What he didn’t expect was that surviving the battlefield would lead to a new fight—this time against a system that forces severely wounded veterans to choose between the benefits they earned.

Micklon, an airborne infantryman with Alpha Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, was catastrophically wounded in June 2007. The round destroyed his hip, femoral head, femur, and part of his pelvis, ruptured eight organs, and left him close to bleeding out. His military career ended that day, but the consequences followed him home.

Under current law, combat‑wounded veterans like Micklon must forfeit their earned retirement pay in order to receive VA disability compensation. It’s a choice no veteran should ever have to make.

His wife, Adira, put it plainly: “He earned this retirement pay and he had to forfeit it just to have medical care.”

Springfield soldier pushes Congress to pass the Richard Star Act

The Richard Star Act: A Fix Long Overdue

The Richard Star Act, named after Major Richard Star—who died from cancer linked to burn pit exposure—aims to correct this injustice. The bill would allow more than 50,000 combat‑wounded veterans to receive both retirement pay and disability compensation, restoring the benefits they earned through service and sacrifice.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) continues to push Congress to move the bill forward. According to VFW representative Gabby Kubinyi, the legislation has 326 co‑sponsors in the House and 79 in the Senate, demonstrating rare bipartisan support. Yet despite this momentum, the bill still has not received a hearing.

Kubinyi notes that a hearing could be the next major step toward passage.

From Surviving to Thriving

For Micklon, the bill isn’t about politics—it’s about dignity, stability, and the ability to build a future.

“We’ll go from surviving to being able to thrive a little bit better and have a little more hope that we can achieve a little more,” he said.

The Richard Star Act would not only restore financial security for veterans like Micklon—it would honor the promise made to every service member who was wounded in combat.