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Edward: Welcome to the MIL News
Weekly for 26 October to 1 November

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2025, your essential guide to
the latest news impacting the

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military and veteran community.

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Whether you're currently serving in
uniform, a military retiree, a veteran,

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or a family member, this is your source
for the critical updates you need to know.

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Each week, we cut through the noise to
bring you the most important developments

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from the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and
the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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We’ll cover everything from new
policies and pay raises affecting

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active and reserve forces, to changes
in healthcare and benefits for

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retirees, and the latest on VA services
and legislation for our veterans.

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Let's get you informed.

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Here’s what’s happened this past week.

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Issues That Affect Active and
Reserve Military Personnel

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The most acute crisis of the
week centered on the financial

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stability of the uniformed services.

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Despite being classified as "excepted"
employees who must report for duty,

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active duty and reserve personnel
faced the prospect of working

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without pay as internal defense
funds were quickly exhausted.

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The Imminent Pay Crisis
and Stop-Gap Measures

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On Sunday, October 26, Treasury
Secretary Scott Bessent issued a

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critical warning that active duty
troops would begin missing paychecks

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by November 15, 2025, if the ongoing
government shutdown was not resolved.

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Initial military paychecks disbursed
earlier in the month were covered only

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through desperate stop-gap measures.

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These measures included the
reallocation of unused Pentagon

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research and development funds,
authorized by the administration,

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and the acceptance of a $130 million
donation from a private donor.

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Pentagon officials noted that these
stop-gap funds covered only one prior

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pay cycle, confirming that the resources
intended to insulate the force from

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the political dysfunction were rapidly
depleting, setting a definitive

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deadline for congressional action.

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The financial strain on military
families was already profound

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before the November 15 deadline.

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Reports indicated that military
families were already seeking external

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assistance from food banks and various
support groups to help manage bills,

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a direct consequence of the uncertain
funding situation and delayed payment

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deposits earlier in the month.

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The timing of the financial disruption
coincided with the peak season for

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Permanent Change of Station (PCS)
moves, which affect approximately

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400,000 military households annually.

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Military spouses cited the added
expense of moving, combined with the

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instability of paychecks, as contributing
to late fees, debt accumulation, and

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significant administrative difficulty.

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The necessity for high-profile
private donations and the legislative

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scrambling for narrow, standalone
pay bills demonstrates a systemic

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failure in guaranteeing reliable
support for the current force.

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When military personnel—who are
fulfilling their essential duties—are

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subject to imminent financial stoppage
caused by congressional gridlock, this

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burden directly impacts morale and
mission readiness, threatening the

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long-term retention of experienced
personnel in critical roles.

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Legislative Efforts to
Guarantee Military Pay

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In an effort to mitigate the impending
financial crisis, congressional

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leaders advanced specific legislation
aimed at guaranteeing compensation

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for uniformed personnel and
their immediate support staff.

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H.R.

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5401, the Pay Our Troops Act of
2026, was introduced to provide

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continuing appropriations specifically
for the compensation of the

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Armed Forces, including reserve
components performing active service.

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Crucially, this legislation also extends
funding to cover the pay of civilian

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personnel and contractors working for
the Department of Defense (DoD) and

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the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS), which includes the Coast Guard,

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provided they are offering direct
support to active service members.

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If passed, the bill guarantees
funding until full appropriations

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legislation is enacted or until
January 1, 2027, whichever comes first.

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A similar, earlier measure, S.

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876, the Pay Our Military Act of 2025,
provided continuing appropriations for

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FY2025 under the same terms, but was set
to expire earlier, on January 1, 2026.

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Neither bill contains provisions
that directly affect the

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benefits or compensation
structures for military retirees.

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The push for these specific military
pay guarantees occurred amidst

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a broader legislative standoff.

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Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of
Louisiana, planned to bring a stopgap

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spending bill (a Continuing Resolution)
to the House floor to fund the

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government through November 21, 2025.

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However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck
Schumer, Democrat of New York, and other

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Democrats voiced opposition, conditioned
on the inclusion of an extension

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of Affordable Care Act tax breaks.

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The inability of Congress to pass
a comprehensive funding measure by

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consensus forces these narrow, piecemeal
funding bills that leave the majority

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of federal operations, and many
military support functions, in jeopardy.

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Installation and Operational Adjustments

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The reliance on these temporary
funding measures and the forced

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furlough of non-excepted employees
severely constrained daily

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operations on military installations.

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Guidance issued by the DoD
indicated an expectation to furlough

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approximately half of the agency’s
741,477 civilian employees, leading

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to substantial service cuts.

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Operational impacts varied widely
by installation but included

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significant disruptions to
family and community services.

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At Fort Riley, Kansas, the general
Army Community Services office, the

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outreach/mobilization office, and
the Soldier and Family Assistance

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Center were all forced to close.

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Child care services saw mixed results:
Fort Riley managed to keep five Child

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Development Centers (CDCs) operational,
but the Whitside North CDC, which

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offers hourly care, was closed.

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Conversely, Kadena Air Base in
Japan reported that its child

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and youth programs remained open.

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The shutdown also impacted
essential administrative functions,

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particularly those related to the
high volume of annual troop movements.

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Government housing offices reported
having a "diminished" ability to

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provide oversight and advocacy for
military personnel during inspections

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of privatized housing, affecting
crucial move-in and move-out procedures.

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This diminished capacity, combined
with the financial stress of the

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PCS process, created a cycle of
difficulty for moving families.

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A separate, pressing concern
involved military commissaries.

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Defense Department officials granted
an exception allowing all military

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commissaries to remain operational
by drawing upon cash reserves held

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in the Defense Working Capital Fund.

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However, this is not a permanent solution.

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Officials warned that if these cash
reserves were exhausted—a projection

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pointed toward December 5, 2025—the
agency would be compelled to close

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168 stateside commissaries, retaining
only those in overseas and remote U.S.

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locations.

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In other significant operational
news, the week included the official

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designation of October 26, 2025,
as the "Day of the Deployed,"

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supported by House Resolution 828.

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The resolution recognizes the
profound service of military members

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deployed since September 11, 2001,
and specifically acknowledges the

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"tremendous sacrifices" of their families.

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Meanwhile, the use of federal forces for
domestic actions continued to expand.

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In October 2025, President Trump
authorized the deployment of

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federal troops, primarily National
Guard members, in Chicago.

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These actions, framed by the
administration as addressing crime

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and illegal immigration, are part of a
broader expansion of military domestic

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roles that have been heavily scrutinized
by critics who cite potential abuses

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of power and violations of the Posse
Comitatus Act, which limits military

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involvement in domestic law enforcement.

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Issues That Affect
Retired Military Personnel

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For military retirees, the narrative was
one of stability and guaranteed benefits,

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starkly contrasting with the immediate
funding crises facing active-duty members.

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The most significant financial
news of the week cemented benefit

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reliability for the coming year.

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Guaranteed Retirement Benefits
and Cost-of-Living Adjustment

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A critical distinction during the
government shutdown is that military

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and federal retirement benefits
operate on mandatory funding and

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thus continue without interruption.

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Retired military personnel continued
to receive their retirement payments

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throughout the shutdown period.

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However, it was acknowledged that the
processing of new retirement applications

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or requests for changes could be
delayed due to reduced agency staffing.

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The financial stability of retirees was
further secured by the announcement of

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the 2026 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).

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On October 24, 2025, the Social Security
Administration (SSA) announced that

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the COLA for 2026 would be set at 2.8

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percent.

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This announcement, which had been delayed
by nine days due to the shutdown, is

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crucial because the COLA rate applies
automatically to military retired pay,

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as well as to veterans’ disability
compensation and Dependency and

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Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits.

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The 2.8

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percent adjustment, calculated based
on the Consumer Price Index to ensure

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benefits keep pace with inflation, will
take effect starting in January 2026.

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This adjustment will result in
tangible increases for retirees.

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For instance, a military retiree
receiving a monthly retired pay of

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$2,500 will see their benefit increase
by approximately $70 per month.

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This 2026 rate of 2.8

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percent is slightly higher
than the 2025 COLA of 2.5

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percent.

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The certainty afforded by the COLA
announcement—a long-term measure

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of financial security guaranteed by
mandatory funding structures—stands

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in sharp relief against the short-term
crisis facing active-duty families.

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This stability-crisis paradox means
that political dysfunction that

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directly harms current troops fails
to impact the financial security

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of those who have already retired.

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TRICARE Open Season and Program Updates

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Beneficiaries were advised to prepare
for the annual TRICARE Open Season,

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the period during which they can enroll
in or make changes to their health

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coverage for the following calendar year.

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TRICARE Open Season 2025 was scheduled
to commence on Monday, November 10, 2025,

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and conclude on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.

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All coverage adjustments made
during this time will become

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effective on January 1, 2026.

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Defense Health Agency (DHA) officials
advised beneficiaries to use the online

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TRICARE Plan Finder and Compare Plans Tool
to evaluate their options, particularly

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differentiating between structured
options like TRICARE Prime and more

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flexible plans such as TRICARE Select.

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Notably, 2026 cost figures for
out-of-pocket expenses and premiums,

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including those for premium-based plans
such as TRICARE Reserve Select and

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TRICARE Retired Reserve, will be posted
online prior to the start of Open Season.

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These costs are directly impacted
by the recently announced COLA.

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Specific policy changes were also noted
for TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) coverage.

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Effective October 1, 2025, surviving
young adult dependents of deceased

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Selected Reserve (SelRes) members
became eligible to purchase TYA coverage

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using survivor (retiree) cost-shares,
extending up to three years after

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the service member’s death or until
the dependent reaches the age of 26,

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provided the service member’s death
occurred on or after October 1, 2025.

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Legislative Debate on Retroactive
Pay for Federal Civilian Employees

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The financial fate of the furloughed
federal civilian workforce, a group

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that includes future retirees and
essential civilian support staff

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for the DoD and VA, was a key
legislative debate during this period.

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The central conflict revolved around
the interpretation of the Government

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Employee Fair Treatment Act (GEFTA).

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Draft memoranda originating from the
Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB)

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General Counsel, intended for Director
Russell Vought, asserted that GEFTA does

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not automatically guarantee retroactive
pay to furloughed federal employees.

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This perspective argues that Congress
must include express language specifically

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appropriating funds for back pay
within the legislation that ends

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the current lapse in appropriations,
or such payments cannot be made.

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This position significantly raised the
political stakes for civilian employees

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waiting for the shutdown resolution.

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In the Senate, three competing
bills were debated, addressing

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compensation during the ongoing crisis

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:    S.

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3012, the Shutdown Fairness Act: Proposed
by Senator Ron Johnson, Republican

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of Wisconsin, this bill sought to pay
only those federal employees deemed

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"excepted" (those who are working
without pay) during the shutdown.

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S.

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3039, the True Shutdown Fairness
Act: Introduced by Senator Chris Van

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Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, this
bill was more expansive, proposing

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to include payment to furloughed
federal employees and contractors.

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It also included a provision
restricting reductions-in-force (RIFs)

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initiated in response to the shutdown.

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S.

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3043, the Military and Federal Employee
Protection Act: Proposed by Senator

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Gary Peters, Democrat of Michigan,
this bill sought to provide payment

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for work already performed by both
excepted and furloughed employees.

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Organizations like the National Active
and Retired Federal Employees Association

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(NARFE) voiced strong support for measures
covering all employees, favoring S.

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3039 and S.

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3043 because they specifically
address furloughed staff.

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The argument supporting the retroactive
pay for furloughed staff transcends

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simple fairness; it is seen as a necessary
measure for long-term talent retention.

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The recurring financial uncertainty
caused by periodic political dysfunction

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creates a risk that employees critical
to agency missions—including those

00:13:16.976 --> 00:13:20.366
who process future retirement claims
and provide support services—will

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depart federal service, ultimately
damaging the quality and efficiency of

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services provided to future retirees.

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Issues That Affect Veterans Affairs

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Despite the nationwide government
shutdown, the Department of Veterans

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Affairs (VA) demonstrated strong
resilience, largely maintaining critical

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services and continuing the aggressive
implementation of the PACT Act.

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Continuity of Benefits and Services

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The structure of VA funding
allowed the agency to continue the

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vast majority of its operations.

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An estimated 97 percent of VA employees
remained working during the shutdown

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to provide essential services.

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Core services that remained fully
operational included VA medical

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centers, outpatient clinics, and Vet
Centers, which continued to operate

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with unaffected working hours.

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Furthermore, essential
benefits—compensation, pension, education,

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and housing benefits—continued to
be processed and delivered, ensuring

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the financial lifeline for veterans
and their families remained intact.

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For disabled veterans, benefit
payments for November were

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confirmed to be proceeding normally.

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Since the usual payment date of
November 30, 2025, falls on a weekend,

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the November disability compensation
payments were scheduled to be

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deposited on Monday, December 1, 2025.

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These payments will reflect the
2026 COLA adjustment starting

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in the January 2026 payments.

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However, some non-essential
services were temporarily

00:14:42.186 --> 00:14:44.006
curtailed due to the funding lapse.

00:14:44.476 --> 00:14:48.686
Noteworthy services that ceased included
VA benefits regional offices being

00:14:48.686 --> 00:14:53.136
closed, transition program assistance
and career counseling being temporarily

00:14:53.136 --> 00:14:57.266
halted, and all grounds maintenance
and placement of permanent headstones

00:14:57.266 --> 00:14:59.326
at VA cemeteries being suspended.

00:15:00.056 --> 00:15:03.856
Despite the regional office closures,
veterans were assured that Veterans

00:15:03.856 --> 00:15:08.566
of Foreign Wars (VFW) Accredited
Service Officers retained the ability

00:15:08.566 --> 00:15:11.876
to assist veterans with claims
remotely via internet connection.

00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:14.989
The PACT Act: High Volume
Claims and Transparency

00:15:15.307 --> 00:15:18.777
The implementation of the PACT
Act, which expands health care and

00:15:18.777 --> 00:15:22.807
benefits for veterans exposed to burn
pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic

00:15:22.807 --> 00:15:25.147
substances, continued at a record pace.

00:15:25.627 --> 00:15:29.747
This legislative change has driven
an unprecedented surge in claims.

00:15:30.037 --> 00:15:34.707
The Veterans Benefits Administration
(VBA) is on pace to process 2.5

00:15:34.737 --> 00:15:38.947
million disability claims by the end
of 2025, which exceeds the agency's

00:15:38.947 --> 00:15:41.097
2024 output by half a million.

00:15:41.479 --> 00:15:45.229
To manage the historic claims volume
and reduce a persistent backlog of

00:15:45.229 --> 00:15:50.269
approximately 200,000 applications,
the VA reinstated mandatory overtime

00:15:50.269 --> 00:15:53.099
for its VBA employees in May 2025.

00:15:53.709 --> 00:15:57.659
Specifically, Veterans Service
Representatives (VSRs) and Rating

00:15:57.659 --> 00:16:02.439
Veterans Service Representatives
(RVSRs) are required to log 25 hours

00:16:02.439 --> 00:16:04.419
of mandatory overtime each month.

00:16:04.839 --> 00:16:08.249
A notable administrative change
concerning PACT Act transparency

00:16:08.299 --> 00:16:10.209
was announced in October 2025.

00:16:10.789 --> 00:16:14.679
The VA reported that, starting with
Fiscal Year 2026, it would move

00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:18.529
the publication of the PACT Act
Performance Dashboard from a monthly

00:16:18.529 --> 00:16:20.469
to a quarterly publication schedule.

00:16:20.999 --> 00:16:24.869
The first quarterly report, covering
October through December 2025, is

00:16:24.869 --> 00:16:27.439
scheduled for release in January 2026.

00:16:27.949 --> 00:16:31.569
This shift in reporting frequency,
occurring precisely when the VA is

00:16:31.569 --> 00:16:36.339
under maximum stress handling a historic
claims volume through mandatory overtime,

00:16:36.619 --> 00:16:38.839
raises questions about public oversight.

00:16:39.419 --> 00:16:43.239
While the VA cites a commitment to
transparency, reducing the frequency

00:16:43.239 --> 00:16:46.839
of public reporting may make it more
difficult for stakeholders to track

00:16:46.839 --> 00:16:50.629
real-time progress on claims backlogs
and processing capacity during

00:16:50.629 --> 00:16:52.389
this critical implementation phase.

00:16:52.708 --> 00:16:54.198
Debate on Claims System Reform

00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:57.769
The record-breaking volume of claims
driven by the PACT Act has brought the

00:16:57.769 --> 00:17:02.059
disability compensation system under
intense public and legislative scrutiny.

00:17:02.529 --> 00:17:04.859
On October 29, 2025, the U.S.

00:17:04.859 --> 00:17:08.599
Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
convened a hearing titled "Putting

00:17:08.599 --> 00:17:12.999
Veterans First: Is the Current VA
Disability System Keeping Its Promise?".

00:17:13.275 --> 00:17:16.355
The American Legion submitted a
Statement for the Record (SFR)

00:17:16.355 --> 00:17:20.215
to the committee, advocating for
necessary reforms and defending the

00:17:20.215 --> 00:17:21.885
integrity of the claims process.

00:17:22.685 --> 00:17:26.655
Veterans Claims Disability Specialist
Marty Callaghan submitted the SFR,

00:17:26.935 --> 00:17:31.205
utilizing the forum to strongly criticize
external reports that characterized

00:17:31.205 --> 00:17:35.455
the rise in disability benefits as a
“bonanza” and disparaged legitimate

00:17:35.455 --> 00:17:39.495
claims for common disabilities such
as tinnitus, migraines, and trauma.

00:17:39.945 --> 00:17:44.595
The statement argued that such criticisms
erroneously reduced claims for legitimate

00:17:44.595 --> 00:17:46.615
service-related illnesses and injuries.

00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:50.170
The American Legion countered that
the increase in claims volume and

00:17:50.170 --> 00:17:54.720
expenditure is not evidence of veterans
exploiting the system, but rather a

00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:59.440
direct result of Congress intentionally
requiring the VA to enhance outreach

00:17:59.650 --> 00:18:01.460
and increase online resources.

00:18:02.260 --> 00:18:06.270
The contemporary veteran population
simply possesses far more information

00:18:06.270 --> 00:18:09.200
regarding their earned benefits
than at any point in the nation's

00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:13.010
history, leading to a legitimate
and expected increase in claims.

00:18:13.540 --> 00:18:17.100
This strong defense of the claims
system integrity is vital, as it

00:18:17.100 --> 00:18:20.810
serves to protect the benefits system
from potential future legislative or

00:18:20.810 --> 00:18:24.290
administrative attempts to restrict
access to conditions newly granted

00:18:24.290 --> 00:18:26.120
presumptive status under the PACT Act.

00:18:26.537 --> 00:18:27.877
And that's your Weekly Briefing.

00:18:28.337 --> 00:18:31.887
Staying on top of these changes
is key to navigating your career,

00:18:31.937 --> 00:18:33.787
your retirement, and your benefits.

00:18:34.116 --> 00:18:35.116
Thank you for tuning in.

00:18:35.406 --> 00:18:39.306
Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your
podcasts, so you never miss an update.

00:18:39.916 --> 00:18:43.136
We’ll be back next week with another
roundup of the news that matters most

00:18:43.136 --> 00:18:44.936
to the military and veteran community.