He volunteered to go to Iraq to fight for freedom, and he put his own safety on the line. Now, the Army is thanking Pvt. Lisle Wilson by billing him almost $1,000.

That's a month's paycheck for a soldier whose job is to patrol Baghdad looking for signs of resistance.

Team 4 investigative reporter Jim Parsons has been looking into why the Pentagon seems to be slapping an American hero across the face.

Parsons' report appears below. It first aired July 27, 2004, on Channel 4 Action News at 6 p.m.

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Make no mistake about how dangerous Wilson's job in Baghdad is. His best friend and roommate was killed two months ago in a bomb blast.

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Watch Parsons' Report

Wilson's mother says Wilson has never complained about his mission in Iraq. In fact, he volunteered for it. That's why he and his mom are so surprised and angered by the Army's decision to make him pay a refund.

Deb Wilson: "He's one of the 5,000 soldiers that patrol that city every day. He's right on the front lines."

Wilson is serving his country in one of the most dangerous cities for an American soldier, but he didn't start out in Baghdad. He started in Indiana, Pa., when he joined the Army Reserve two summers ago.

When U.S. forces invaded Iraq, Wilson wanted to be there, but his reserve unit had not been called up. He arranged for a transfer from reserve to active duty Army. Within weeks, he was sent to Iraq.

Deb Wilson: "When he told me about joining, it broke my heart. I was so incredibly proud that he felt that sense of duty."

But the Army had an unwelcome surprise for Pvt. Wilson. In a letter, they told him that because he transferred to active duty, he had breached his contract with his reserve unit and had to repay $916 that was given to him as a signing bonus when he enlisted.

Deb Wilson: "What he was doing was entirely loyal to the country and everything. It's almost like a slap in the face to him, that he's in Baghdad and they want this thousand dollars back."

Team 4 asked an Army reserve officer, Sgt. Sheppard, for an interview. He said he wasn't authorized.

Sheppard told Parsons the same thing that the Army reserve told Deb Wilson: Her son violated his contract with the reserve, and there was nothing the regular Army could do about it. He had to pay the money back. End of story.

At least, it was the end of the story until Team 4 contacted U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter.

Specter (R-Pa.): "It's hard to understand why the Army would be after Pvt. Wilson asking for a refund on a bonus they paid him, when he has volunteered for extra-hazardous assignments to fight terrorists."

Specter sent a letter to the Pentagon requesting an explanation as to why Wilson was apparently penalized for doing his duty.

Parsons: "Have you gotten an answer yet from the Army?"

Specter: "Have not yet gotten an answer. I think they're going to be embarrassed by this. Look here, you have a private who takes on more hazardous duty. The people of America ought to be thankful, not critical."

Deb Wilson: "I'm angry. When you're the mother of a child, and somebody hurts your child, it makes you angry. He's hurt. He's definitely hurt. I think it's a sad state of affairs when rules, regulations and policies supersede common sense."

The Army has garnished Pvt. Wilson's wages for the $916. Specter's office told Team 4 that the Army has launched an inquiry into the case.