now robert d'andrea is fighting again, appealing to keep his $20,000 bonus. >> i upheld my end of the bargain. >> reporter: having already paid with his service. anne thompson, nbc news, new york. >>> turning now to that large-scale u.s.-backed offensive, targeting isis in iraq. on the march to mosul, iraqi troops freed what was the largest christian city in that country from isis control. joining that victory, christian militia men who fled the city two years ago. our richard engel inside iraq shows us the destruction they found when they returned. >> reporter: this wasteland is what's left of the town of qaraqosh. once home to 50,000 iraqi christians. father amar escaped, along with everyone else, two and a half years ago, when isis started closing in. now he's back for a brief and dangerous visit. >> we want to see the city, how is, and we want to see -- to be sure that the people can return back. >> reporter: the offensive against isis has made that possible, but father amin first wants to see his church. or what's left of it. >> what was there was here. for the virgin mary. >> re

. >> robert d'andrea retired after 22 years in the letter saying he need to repay this $20,000 reenlistment bonus. >> they were giving bonuses away in droves. i signed the contract. i got the bonus. i upheld my end of the bargain. >> reporter: he had served as an infantry commander in iraq when his term came up. the bonus helped him to decide to stay in. assignments in units about to depl. given to more than 10,000 soldiers, many by mistake. >> it is appalling and disgraceful. >> reporter: house majority ccag the defse department to stop the debt collections. >> they sacrificed some unfortunately gave the ultimate sacrifice of life. and now they're going backfter ten years. to me it is just wrong. these people should bereated like heroes. not tax cheats. that california manager awarded more than 15 million dollars to ineligible soldiers stheechlt was sentenced to 30 months in prison. the guard told the sergeant to return $20,000 and threatened to garnish his wages. he filed a federal lawsuit in february. >> i would like to see them forgive these mistakes that the soldiers. that all they did

jan crawford reports. >> i don't want to pay back something that i earned. >> robert d'andrea retired after 22 years in the california national guard when he got a letter saying he need to repay this $20,000 reenlistment bonus. >> they were giving bonuses away in droves. i signed the contract. i got the bonus. i upheld my end of the bargain. his term came up. the bonus helped him to decide to stay in. the bonuses were meant for soldiers with high-demand assignments in units about to deploy. given to more than 10,000 soldiers, many by mistake. >> it is appalling and disgraceful. >> reporter: house majority leader, kevin mccarthy is asking the defense department to stop the debt collections. >> they sacrificed some unfortunately gave the ultimatea and now they're going back after ten years. to me it is just wrong. these people should be treated like heroes. not tax cheats. >> the payments came under scrutiny when it was discover that california manager awarded more than 15 million dollars to inel jilk sole -- ineligible soldiers. she was sentenced to 30 months in prison. the guard told

. >> reporter: robert d'andrea had just retired after serving nearly 22 years in the california national guard. he got a letter saying he needed to repay his $20,000 reenlistment bonus. >> they were giving bonuses away in droves and i signed the contract. i got the bonus. i upheld my end of the bargain. >> reporter: d'andrea had already served as an infantry commander in iraq when his term came up. the bonus helped him decide to stay in. the bonuses were meant for soldiers with high-demand assignments in units about to deploy. they were given to more than 10,000 soldiers, many by mistake. >> it is appalling and disgraceful. >> reporter: house majority leader kevin mccarthy is asking the defense department to stop the debt collection. >> they sacrificed, some unfortunately gave the ultimate sacrifice of life, and now they're going back after ten to me it is just wrong. these people should be treated like heroes, not tax cheats. >> reporter: the payments came under scrutiny when it was discovered that california manager awarded more than $15 million to ineligible soldiers. she was sentence

. >> robert d'andrea retired after national guard when he got a letter saying he need to repay this $20,000 reenlistment bonus. >> they were giving bonuses away in droves. i signed the contract. i got the bonus. i upheld my end of the bargain. >> reporter: he had served as an infantry commander in iraq when his term came up. the bonus helped him to decide to stay in. the bonuses were meant for soldiers with high-demand assignments in units about to given to more than 10,000 soldiers, many by mistake. >> it is appalling and disgraceful. >> reporter: house majority leader, kevin mccarthy is asking the defense department to stop the debt collections. >> they sacrificed some unfortunately gave the ultimate sacrifice of life. and now they're going back after ten years. to me it is just wrong. these people should be treated like heroes. not tax cheats. >> the payments came under scrutiny when it was discover that california manager awarded more than 15 million dollars to ineligible soldiers. he was sentenced to 30 months in prison. the guard told the sergeant to return $20,000 and threatened to g