# Can active duty military claim part of the reward for Osama's death? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2011, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-active-duty-military-claim-part-of-the-reward-for-osamas-death/580454 "2011-05-02T05:46:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-active-duty-military-claim-part-of-the-reward-for-osamas-death/580454/1 "2011-05-02T05:46:59Z")
When John Wilkes Booth was killed and David Herold captured the soldiers present (members of Co. L of the 16th New York Cavalry) split the $75,000 reward money (50 for Booth, 25 for Herold) even though they were on active duty. Boston Corbett, the nutcase who actually killed Booth, received the same as every other private in the unit- $1,653.84- more than 8 years pay for a Union private at the time. While that was 136 years ago, there is a precedent for active duty service personnel getting rewards and I’m sure there are others. Can the personnel who killed Osama claim any of the tens of millions of dollars offered in reward from the U.S. government and other agencies? Apologies if this has already been asked on one of the several other threads, but a quick search didn’t bring it up. \*Not necessarily a nutcase for killing Booth- he wasn’t going to be taken alive without killing somebody else- but literally certifiable nutcase before and after the war. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-active-duty-military-claim-part-of-the-reward-for-osamas-death/580454/2 "2011-05-02T11:25:46Z")
Hmmm…worth asking. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-active-duty-military-claim-part-of-the-reward-for-osamas-death/580454/3 "2011-05-02T11:29:45Z")
Surely it has been claimed by whoever provided the first tipoff about his location. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-active-duty-military-claim-part-of-the-reward-for-osamas-death/580454/4 "2011-05-02T14:21:24Z")
I swear, I just KNOW I’m going to be sitting in a bar years from now, and some burn-out in digital camo is going to say **“Yeah, Special Forces… can’t talk about it.”** “OK, fine with me, then, don’t!” **“… yeah, I really can’t reveal anything… but let’s just say I did get most of that reward back in '11…”** “Oh, is that why the bartender keeps reminding you to settle your bar tab from last month?” **“Yeah… I still see him, in my scope, man… I really can’t say anything, though…”** “Good, I’m fine with that. Oh, is _that_ the time?” ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-active-duty-military-claim-part-of-the-reward-for-osamas-death/580454/5 "2011-05-02T20:25:15Z")
Heh. Here in San Diego, every pilot who was stationed at Miramar wants you to know how the movie ‘Top Gun’ was based on their personal exploits and anecdotes. I suspect many of these pilots only entered the school (if at all) AFTER the movie came out… ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-active-duty-military-claim-part-of-the-reward-for-osamas-death/580454/6 "2011-05-02T20:43:09Z")
Looks like no. > [@](#): > > Anyone who provides actionable information that will either help us prevent or favorably resolve acts of international terrorism against the U.S. anywhere in the world may potentially be eligible for a reward. > > If, for example, a terrorist involved in either the planning or execution of an attack against U.S. persons and/or property is arrested or convicted as a result of information provided by a source, that source may be eligible for a reward. > > In addition, anyone with information regarding the identification or location of a key leader in an international terrorist organization may be eligible for a reward. Rewards may also be paid for information about an individual or organization that is trafficking drugs to finance acts of international terrorism or to raise money to sustain or support a terrorist organization. > > **However, under the law that governs the program, U.S., state, local, and foreign government employees are generally not eligible for a reward if they provide information obtained in the performance of their official duties.** (Bolding mine.) [http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/index.cfm?page=faq&language=english](http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/index.cfm?page=faq&language=english) See [22 USC 2708](http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/422/usc_sec_22_00002708----000-.html). ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-active-duty-military-claim-part-of-the-reward-for-osamas-death/580454/7 "2011-05-02T21:08:38Z")
Bummer. Looks like the best they can get is if digs buys them a round. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-active-duty-military-claim-part-of-the-reward-for-osamas-death/580454/8 "2011-05-03T04:29:03Z")
Me? YOU brought it up. _You_ buy the next dirtbag a round. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-active-duty-military-claim-part-of-the-reward-for-osamas-death/580454/9 "2011-05-03T05:13:32Z")
> [@](#): > > However, under the law that governs the program, U.S., state, local, and foreign government employees are generally not eligible for a reward if they provide information obtained in the performance of their official duties. We here at the SDMB have a more enlightened policy that allows military personnel to claim full Celebrity Death Pool points for killing bin Laden. Nothing too good for our men and women in uniform.