# If the military captures ObL, who gets the reward?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-military-captures-obl-who-gets-the-reward/94615>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 21, 2001, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-military-captures-obl-who-gets-the-reward/94615 "2001-11-21T17:16:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-military-captures-obl-who-gets-the-reward/94615/1 "2001-11-21T17:16:36Z")

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IIRC, there is at least a $25MM reward for the capture of Osama and his high-ranking hencemen. Now, if the U.S. Military does it’s job right and capture these yahoos, who would get the reward? The actual soldiers? The officers? The Command? Would it even be issued?

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**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-military-captures-obl-who-gets-the-reward/94615/2 "2001-11-21T17:59:20Z")

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Most likely noone would get the reward. In most instances when a reward is offered it does not apply to law enforcement officers (and law enforcement folks are not allowed to accept rewards even when offered). I would equate the military in this case to law enforcement in the above example.

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-military-captures-obl-who-gets-the-reward/94615/3 "2001-11-21T18:04:58Z")

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No one. If they got a tip as to where he is, perhaps that person would get it. It’s pretty tricky to actually get the money for finding someone.

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**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-military-captures-obl-who-gets-the-reward/94615/4 "2001-11-21T18:57:48Z")

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Military personel are ineligible for the reward. They would simply be doing their job (that they are already being paid for) if they caught him. The $25M is the “payment” for those who aren’t in the employ of the armed forces.

In the same way the government can weasle out of paying government employees for jury duty. They’re already being paid to perform government services.

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**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-military-captures-obl-who-gets-the-reward/94615/5 "2001-11-21T19:04:35Z")

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That’s probably what will happen. What _should_ happen is that the money gets divided up among all who were called into active duty.

Anybody know how many that is?

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**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-military-captures-obl-who-gets-the-reward/94615/6 "2001-11-21T19:48:16Z")

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