Edward: Welcome to the MIL News Weekly for 6-12 July 2025, your essential
guide to the latest news impacting the military and veteran community.
Whether you're currently serving in uniform, a military retiree, a veteran,
or a family member, this is your source for the critical updates you need to know.
Each week, we cut through the noise to bring you the most important developments
from the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Weâll cover everything from new policies and pay raises affecting
active and reserve forces, to changes in healthcare and benefits for
retirees, and the latest on VA services and legislation for our veterans.
Let's get you informed.
Hereâs whatâs happened this past week.
The second week of July 2025 marked a period of profound transformation
and tension across the U.S.
military and veteran communities.
The landscape was defined by three powerful undercurrents: aggressive
policy implementation from the White House and the Pentagon, high-stakes
legislative maneuvering on Capitol Hill, and a series of contradictory signals
from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
From a landmark memo set to revolutionize drone warfare to executive orders
reshaping the federal workforce, the directives were swift and sweeping.
Simultaneously, Congress advanced critical budget and authorization bills
that will dictate the future of defense spending and benefits for years to come.
Compounding the complexity, the VA announced major staff reductions even
as it touted record efficiency and expanded benefits, raising significant
concerns among advocacy groups.
This report provides a detailed, factual analysis of these pivotal
developments and their far-reaching implications for active duty personnel,
reservists, retirees, and veterans.
Issues That Affect Active and Reserve Military
This week brought a torrent of news impacting uniformed service members,
driven by a combination of new executive priorities, lessons learned
from global conflicts, and the annual churn of the legislative process.
The overarching theme is one of rapid, and at times jarring, change.
Pentagon Revolutionizes Drone Warfare Doctrine
On July 10, 2025, the Department of Defense released a landmark policy
memorandum titled "Unleashing U.S.
Military Drone Dominance," signaling a fundamental shift in how the armed
forces will acquire, field, and fight with small unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
The memo, driven by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, aims to cut through long-standing
bureaucratic inertia to rapidly scale drone capabilities across the services.
This policy overhaul is not occurring in a vacuum; it is a
direct response to the brutal lessons emerging from the war in Ukraine.
The memo explicitly cites the conflict, noting that drones have accounted for the
majority of combat losses in the past year and have proven to be the most significant
battlefield innovation of this generation.
This recognition has spurred a coordinated, two-pronged strategy.
While the Pentagon memo alters the rules of acquisition to create a massive
demand signal for cheap, effective drones, parallel action in Congress
is working to bolster the supply side.
The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (H.R.
1), a major reconciliation package, specifically allocates additional
funding in Fiscal Year 2025 to expand the small UAS industrial base and
accelerate the integration of commercial technology into military systems.
The key changes outlined in the Pentagon memo are designed to foster
speed and agility : Â Reclassification as "Expendables": In a critical
bureaucratic move, Group 1 drones (weighing up to 20 pounds) and Group
2 drones (up to 1,320 pounds) will no longer be treated as durable aircraft.
Instead, they will be classified as "consumer goods" or treated like
ammunition, such as hand grenades.
This change is designed to dramatically simplify procurement and fielding.
Decentralized Procurement: Authority is being pushed down the chain of command.
Lower-level commanders will now be authorized to independently purchase
and test small drones, including commercial off-the-shelf models
and systems developed in-house by troops using approved components.
Bypassing Interoperability Standards: The reclassification allows the military
to bypass certain complex and costly NATO interoperability standards,
like STANAG 4856, for these smaller systems, which have historically
slowed down design and increased costs.
Streamlined Training and Prototyping: The new policy places a heavy
emphasis on empowering units to innovate, encouraging the use of
3D printing and rapid prototyping.
It also allows local commanders to determine who is authorized to operate
the systems, moving away from lengthy, centralized training pipelines.
The downstream effects of this shift will be immense, forcing a
cultural change across the services.
Logistics chains built for large, exquisite platforms must now adapt to
handle thousands of attritable drones.
Training regimens will have to evolve to a reality where small infantry
units possess their own organic air support, creating new tactical
possibilities and new vulnerabilities.
Congressional Spotlight: Budget and Authorization Bills Move Forward
Capitol Hill was a flurry of activity as committees in both chambers
advanced the essential legislation that funds and authorizes the military.
On July 11, House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) and
Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) announced that the committee will hold its markup
for the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on July 15, 2025.
This is the critical annual process that sets policy for the
entire Department of Defense.
Its Senate counterpart, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC),
held a series of closed-door markup sessions for its version of the bill
between July 8 and July 10, indicating sensitive negotiations are well underway.
Meanwhile, the massive reconciliation bill, H.R.
1 or the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which passed the Senate on July 3,
contains major funding provisions for the military under its Armed Services title.
These include supplemental funds for the Basic Allowance for Housing
(BAH), increased funding for tuition assistance and childcare, money
for the Marine Corps Barracks 2030 initiative, and, as mentioned, funding
to expand the small UAS industrial base.
The key legislative actions from the week affecting the military and
veteran community are summarized below.
The SPEED and National Defense Authorization Act for FY26 markup
announced for July 15, 2025, by HASC.
This will set policy and authorize spending for all DoD programs,
including pay raises, quality of life, and weapons systems.
One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed the Senate on July 3, 2025.
It is a reconciliation bill with major funding increases for military housing,
childcare, and the drone industrial base.
It also affects federal employee taxes.
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2026 was
passed by the House on June 25 and Referred to Senate Appropriations.
It provides the actual funding for all military construction
projects and the entire Department of Veterans Affairs budget.
The BRAVE Act of 2025 was introduced in the Senate and referred to committee.
It aims to improve VA mental health services and Vet Center
infrastructure and outreach.
New Benefits and TRICARE Updates
On July 10, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it is
rolling out new benefits for military personnel, including dedicated security
lines at airports, discounts on PreCheck, and free PreCheck for families who have
lost a service member in the line of duty.
TRICARE also issued several important updates.
On July 8, it published a Q&A to guide new parents through the process of getting
TRICARE coverage for a newborn baby.
A critical reminder was also issued to beneficiaries in the TRICARE West
Region: a waiver that had allowed easier access to specialty care
referrals expired on June 30, 2025.
As of July 1, all TRICARE Prime beneficiaries in the West Region
must follow normal referral processes to avoid incurring point-of-service
charges or other out-of-pocket costs.
Finally, the TRICARE Operations Manual was updated on July 8 with
Change 44, which pertains to new online training applications.
Global Engagements and Domestic Operations
The U.S.
military's global posture and domestic activities remained robust.
On July 11, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress
of two potential major foreign military sales: HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters
to Norway for an estimated $2.6
billion and sustainment support for Lebanon's A-29 Super Tucano
aircraft for $100 million.
Support for Ukraine continues to be a focus.
HASC Chairman Rogers praised the administration's decision
to resume military aid to the country , and on July 8, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers announced it would formalize cooperation with Ukraine's
State Special Transport Service to assist with infrastructure development.
These diplomatic and material efforts occurred as reports from the region
detailed continued Russian drone attacks and Ukrainian counter-operations.
At home, the Army National Guard and Reserve components were active.
News from the week included a Colorado Guard Soldier receiving the Soldier's
Medal for heroism, the Idaho Guard conducting two successful rescue
missions, and the Army Reserve being honored at a Chicago White Sox game.
Issues That Affect Retired Military
For the military retiree community, the week was defined by a major, long-awaited
correction to a retirement benefit inequity and further clarification on the
financial outlook for the coming year.
Major Win for National Guard - Early Retirement Credit Made Retroactive
In a landmark decision announced on July 7, the Pentagon formally directed
that Army National Guard soldiers mobilized under the 12304b authority
will receive credit toward early retirement retroactively to 2012.
This decision is the culmination of a multi-year advocacy campaign and
represents a significant financial victory for tens of thousands of reservists.
The issue stemmed from the creation of the 12304b mobilization authority
in the FY2012 NDAA, which, unlike other mobilization authorities, did
not initially include provisions for early retirement credit.
This created a frustrating inequity where some overseas deployments counted toward
an earlier pension, while others did not.
The National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) led a persistent
lobbying effort to fix this disparity, first succeeding in getting Congress
to add the credit in the FY2020 NDAA.
However, the battle was not over.
Army Human Resources Command continued to deny retroactive credit for any service
performed before the 2019 enactment date of that law, effectively nullifying
the benefit for years of deployments.
Undeterred, NGAUS continued to press the issue with DoD officials and
the Army's Judge Advocate General.
The result is a new memo from Stephanie P.
Miller, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military
Personnel Policy, which finally corrects the misinterpretation
and makes the benefit retroactive.
For affected Guard and Reserve members, this means they can now receive their
retirement pension three months earlier than the traditional age of 60 for every
90-day period of qualifying active duty, potentially accelerating their receipt
of retirement pay by several years.
2025 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) and Pension Details
The 2025 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for military retirement pay
and Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities has been finalized at 2.5%.
This increase, tied to the Consumer Price Index, is intended to help
benefits keep pace with inflation.
For most retirees, this will translate to a $25 increase for every $1,000 of
monthly retirement pay they receive.
However, for those under the CSB/REDUX retirement plan, the COLA is calculated
at one percentage point less than the full CPI, resulting in a 1.5%
increase, or $15 per $1,000 of retired pay.
Military retirement pay for the month of June was delivered on July
1, 2025, and the July payment is scheduled to arrive on August 1, 2025.
TRICARE and Health Benefits in Retirement
Retirees are reminded that a smooth transition to post-service
healthcare requires proactive steps.
This includes updating their information in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility
Reporting System (DEERS), obtaining new Uniformed Services ID cards, and
actively enrolling in a TRICARE plan, such as TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select,
within 90 days of their retirement date to avoid any gaps in coverage.
With the TRICARE regional contracts having changed in 2025, retirees
in the West Region are now served by TriWest Healthcare Alliance.
Those who pay their premiums via electronic funds transfer or credit/debit
card must ensure their payment information has been updated directly with TriWest
to maintain continuous coverage.
Additionally, a provision in the FY2025 NDAA (Section 704) expanded
eligibility for hearing aids to include the children of retired
members enrolled in TRICARE Select, a positive change for military families.
Issues That Affect Veteran's Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs presented a complex and often
contradictory picture this week, announcing major administrative
changes and workforce reductions while simultaneously rolling out new benefits
and celebrating record productivity.
VA to Cut 30,000 Jobs, Sparking Concerns Over Service Quality
On July 7, the VA confirmed its plan to reduce its total workforce
by nearly 30,000 employees by the end of fiscal year 2025.
The department stated the reduction would be achieved primarily through attrition.
This announcement immediately drew sharp criticism from veteran advocacy groups.
The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) released findings from a recent
survey indicating that veterans are already experiencing increased
wait times for appointments and inconsistent customer service.
The FRA warned that these problems are likely to be exacerbated by the staffing
cuts, directly challenging the VA's assurances that all "mission-critical"
positions would be protected.
This move appears to be part of a high-risk, corporate-style
"shrink to grow" strategy.
The VA's official justification is that it can achieve greater efficiency
by consolidating administrative functions like IT, procurement, and
budgeting across its vast enterprise.
In theory, these back-office savings are meant to allow the
department to do more with less.
However, the ground-level data from the FRA survey suggests that
these "efficiency" cuts are already being felt at the point of care.
This strategy risks a significant degradation in service delivery if the
projected administrative efficiencies fail to materialize or if the cuts
inadvertently bleed into mission-critical healthcare and benefits processing roles.
The record-setting claims processing numbers touted by the VA this week
could prove to be a temporary surge from clearing backlogs, a pace
that may be unsustainable with a significantly smaller workforce.
New and Expanded VA Benefits Announced
Even as it planned for a smaller workforce, the VA announced
several new and expanded benefits for veterans and their families.
On July 10, the department announced a temporary expansion of burial
benefits, authorized by the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans
Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act.
This new provision addresses a long-standing gap in coverage.
It ensures that veterans who are discharged from a VA facility to
receive VA-provided hospice care at home, and who pass away between July
1, 2025, and October 1, 2026, will be eligible for a full VA burial allowance.
Effective July 1, 2025, the VA also automatically discounted premiums
for several life insurance programs, including Servicemembers' Group Life
Insurance (SGLI), Family SGLI (FSGLI), and Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI),
providing direct financial relief to millions of service members and veterans.
At the state level, the Florida Veterans Foundation announced the continuation
of its statewide Veterans Dental Program into 2026, providing crucial support
for a healthcare need that is often not covered by standard VA benefits.
Legislative Action and Disability Compensation
The funding and oversight of the VA remained a key focus in Congress.
The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act for 2026 (H.R.
3944), which has already passed the House, is the legislation that provides
the actual funding for all VA programs.
Its progress through the Senate will be critical for the
VA's entire budget next year.
In addition, a new bill, the BRAVE Act of 2025 (S.
609), was introduced in the Senate to improve VA mental health services
by enhancing Vet Center outreach and improving coordination with the DoD
for transitioning service members.
For disabled veterans, the 2.5%
COLA will directly increase their monthly disability compensation payments.
VA Operations and Infrastructure
On the ground, the VA continued its work to modernize and serve.
On July 12, the Houston VA broke ground on a new, state-of-the-art outpatient
clinic in Beaumont, a facility that will nearly double the size of the
current clinic and offer a more comprehensive range of health services.
The department also continues to process a historic number of claims related to
the PACT Act, having approved over 1.1
million such claims as of July 2024.
Veterans were also advised that the main VA.gov
website would undergo scheduled maintenance from the evening of
Friday, July 11, through the afternoon of Sunday, July 13, potentially
affecting access to online services.
And that's your Weekly Briefing.
Staying on top of these changes is key to navigating your career,
your retirement, and your benefits.
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Weâll be back next week with another roundup of the news that matters most
to the military and veteran community.