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Edward: Welcome to the MIL News
Weekly for 28 September - 4 October

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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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Immediate Activation of TRICARE
Reserve Select Survivor Benefits

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Effective October 1, 2025, a significant
expansion of healthcare benefits for the

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survivors of non-activated National Guard
and Reserve members went into effect.

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This change is monumental for Reserve
component families who face the

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immediate loss of healthcare coverage
following the death of a sponsor.

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The regulatory shift extends the
eligibility period for surviving

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family members to continue or
purchase TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)

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coverage for up to three years from
the date of the sponsor’s death.

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This action is a massive increase
in support, moving the eligibility

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period from the previous, highly
constrained window of just six

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months following the sponsor's death.

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This legislative adjustment effectively
mitigates the severe financial and

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logistical stress often referred
to as the "benefits cliff" faced

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by surviving Reserve families.

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Previously, the short six-month
window forced these families into

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a rapid transition to either the
Continued Health Care Benefit Program

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(CHCBP)—which is often significantly
more expensive—or onto the commercial

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healthcare market, coinciding with
a time of intense bereavement.

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The extension to three years provides
crucial stability, allowing families the

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necessary time to adjust their financial
planning and securing affordable coverage.

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This change also elevates the level of
support offered to Reserve component

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families, strengthening the overall
commitment to quality-of-life benefits

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for the Reserve component, thereby
bolstering overall talent retention.

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In addition to medical coverage, surviving
spouses who enroll in the TRICARE Dental

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Program (TDP) Survivor Benefit Plan
during the new three-year window will

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have the government cover 100 percent
of their monthly premium, further easing

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the financial burden on these families.

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Legislative Focus: National
Defense Authorization Act

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for Fiscal Year 2026 (H.R.

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3838)

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The primary legislative focus
during this period centered on H.R.

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3838, the Streamlining Procurement
for Effective Execution and Delivery

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and National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2026, which had been

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reported to the House in August 2025.

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The bill dictates the appropriations
and policy framework for the DoD.

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The legislation specifies authorizations
of appropriations totaling $884.3

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billion for fiscal year 2026.

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This massive budget is aligned with
the DoD's strategic goals, including

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the Department of the Air Force’s
stated mission to rebuild the

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military and optimize its structure
to maintain an advantage against

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growing global military capabilities.

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Notably, the bill proposes an $11.5

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billion, or 6 percent, increase
for military personnel accounts

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compared to the previous year.

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Proposed 2026 Military Compensation

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Central to the debate were proposals
regarding military compensation

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for the upcoming fiscal year.

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Base Pay Increase: Both the House and
Senate versions of the NDAA currently

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support a base pay increase of 3.8

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percent for 2026.

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This figure is precisely synchronized
with the automatic statutory requirement

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mandated by the Employment Cost
Index (ECI), which serves as the

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benchmark for military pay raises.

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Family Separation Allowance
(FSA): The House version of H.R.

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3838 aims to establish a new floor
for the Family Separation Allowance,

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boosting it to $400 per month.

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This increase provides a meaningful
financial benefit for service members

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who are deployed or otherwise separated
from their families for extended periods.

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Housing and Subsistence Allowances:
Recognizing that allowances are crucial

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to real purchasing power, the House
version mandates specific studies aimed

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at improving the accuracy of both the
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and the

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Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS).

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The proposed 3.8

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percent raise should be viewed as
the minimum compensation floor.

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Given that Congress previously
exercised its authority to supersede

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the automatic ECI mandate in
the 2025 NDAA—providing a 14.5

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percent raise for junior
enlisted members—the 3.8

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percent figure is highly likely to be
the starting point for negotiation.

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Legislative advocacy during the conference
process will likely push for targeted,

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above-inflation raises to address
retention challenges and ensure military

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compensation remains robustly competitive
with private-sector wages, particularly

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for high-demand or junior ranks.

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Furthermore, the significant 8
percent increase in authorization

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for military construction and family
housing included in the $884.3

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billion budget , combined with the
mandated studies on BAH and BAS

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accuracy , signals a strong strategic
commitment to improving service member

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quality of life and infrastructure,
which is widely recognized as a

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primary factor in retention efforts.

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Legislative Impacts on
Federal Civilian Employees

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H.R.

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3838 also contains critical provisions
that directly impact the DoD’s federal

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civilian workforce, which is increasingly
integrated into the "Total Force" concept.

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Combat Zone Protections: The bill
includes a one-year extension of

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the temporary authority to grant
specific allowances, benefits, and

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gratuities to civilian personnel
on official duty in a combat zone.

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This ensures that deployed civilian
support staff receive equivalent

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protections alongside military personnel.

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Hiring Protections and Leave:
Other provisions address personnel

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management, including an exemption from
civilian hiring freezes for delayed

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DoD appointments resulting from the
employee’s active military duty.

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Additionally, an amendment proposes
to correct a longstanding error,

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clarifying that District of Columbia
National Guard members who were

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federal civilian employees during their
mobilization in 2020 were entitled

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to leave without loss in pay or time.

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These provisions related to
civilian combat zone benefits

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and leave coordination underscore
a policy trend toward formally

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protecting and integrating the DoD’s
civilian and military components.

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As expeditionary and sustainment
operations rely heavily on

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specialized civilian expertise, the
evolution of these legal frameworks

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is essential to recognize their
indispensable role in the Total Force.

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Issues That Affect
Retired Military Personnel

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2026 Cost-of-Living
Adjustment (COLA) Projection

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The COLA determination for military
retirement annuities, Civil Service

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Retirement System (CSRS) annuities, and
Social Security benefits is determined

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by comparing the average Consumer
Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and

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Clerical Workers (CPI-W) during the
third calendar quarter (July, August, and

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September) of the current year against
the third-quarter average of the previous

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year (the fiscal year 2025 baseline).

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Based on the August 2025 CPI-W
data, which was released prior to

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this reporting period, the vast
majority of analysts project the

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2026 COLA to be approximately 2.7

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percent.

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The August 2025 CPI-W figure of 317.306

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registered 2.8

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percent higher than the FY 2025 baseline,
indicating a strong trend toward the 2.7

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percent forecast.

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The official and final COLA figure
cannot be formally announced by the

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Social Security Administration until
the release of the September 2025

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CPI-W figures, which is scheduled
for Wednesday, October 15, 2025, just

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outside the current reporting window.

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Impact Differentiation
Across Retirement Systems

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The COLA projection applies differently
across federal retirement programs:

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Military Retirement and CSRS: Annuitants
under military retirement and the

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Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)
are expected to receive the full 2.7

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percent adjustment, mirroring
the Social Security increase.

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FERS Annuities: Annuities under the
Federal Employees Retirement System

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(FERS) follow a different calculation
rule when inflation is high.

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However, because the projected 2.7

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percent COLA is below the 3.0

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percent threshold, FERS
beneficiaries are currently

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anticipated to receive the full 2.7

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percent increase, maintaining parity with
their CSRS and military counterparts.

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FECA Benefits: Benefits paid under
the Federal Employees Compensation Act

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(FECA) for work-related injuries utilize
a different mechanism, measuring the

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CPI-W change from December to December.

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Based on data through August 2025,
the projected adjustment for FECA

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benefits is slightly higher at 2.67

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percent.

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The projected 2.7

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percent COLA for 2026 is only
marginally higher than the 2.5

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percent COLA received in 2025.

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This relatively modest rate, combined
with the fact that wages for civilian

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workers saw an increase of only 0.8

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percent in real (inflation-adjusted)
terms over the 12 months ending

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June 2025 , suggests that while
hyper-inflationary pressures have

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stabilized compared to previous years,
retirees may not experience significant

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net gains in purchasing power.

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The focus of military and retiree advocacy
organizations remains centered on ensuring

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that these adjustments are protected
to preserve the purchasing power of

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service-earned benefits against inflation.

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Legislative Support for Retired Personnel

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The NDAA (H.R.

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3838) also provides specific support
mechanisms for the retired community.

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A key allocation within H.R.

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3838 is the authorization of $77
million designated for the Armed

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Forces Retirement Home (AFRH).

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This funding is essential for the
continued operation and maintenance of

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the facilities that provide housing and
care for thousands of eligible retired

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service members, confirming the role
of the defense authorization bill as

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a comprehensive funding vehicle for
military-related institutional support.

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Additionally, legislative engagement
with federal retirement flexibility was

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evidenced by an amendment proposed to H.R.

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3838.

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This provision aims to allow members of
the Foreign Service to utilize Voluntary

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Early Retirement Authority (VERA) when
their agency is undergoing a reduction

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in force or other restructuring.

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Issues That Affect Veterans Affairs

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Critical Overhaul of VA
Disability Rating Criteria

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Veterans policy during this period
is dominated by preparations for

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upcoming, highly complex updates to
the VA disability rating schedule for

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three high-volume conditions: mental
health, sleep apnea, and tinnitus.

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These changes, expected to take effect
later in 2025 or 2026, represent

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a fundamental shift in how the VA
evaluates service-connected disabilities.

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Mental Health VA Rating Criteria

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The regulatory change dictates that the
VA will transition its evaluation standard

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away from judging social or occupational
impairment and toward measuring the

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severity and frequency of symptoms.

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This shift is intended to foster greater
consistency in claim evaluations.

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The potential benefit for veterans
with severe mental health symptoms

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is substantial, as they could receive
higher ratings regardless of their

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current employment status or ability
to function socially, provided their

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claims documentation accurately reflects
the new symptom-focused criteria.

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Sleep Apnea VA Rating Criteria

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This update involves a substantial
reduction in potential compensation

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for a common condition.

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Under the updated criteria, veterans
diagnosed with service-connected

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sleep apnea who require a Continuous
Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine

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may receive only a 10 percent rating.

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This marks a massive adjustment,
as the current VA system generally

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awards a 50 percent rating for
sleep apnea requiring a CPAP device.

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Standalone Tinnitus Ratings

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The VA is eliminating the
separate, primary 10 percent rating

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historically awarded for tinnitus.

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Going forward, tinnitus will only be
compensable if it is deemed secondary

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to, or etiologically tied to, another
primary compensable condition.

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This change will directly reduce
compensation for veterans who

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claimed tinnitus as a standalone
disability, requiring them to

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reevaluate how this condition is
linked to other service-connected

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hearing or neurological issues.

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The combined regulatory tightening
surrounding sleep apnea and tinnitus,

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which are two of the fastest-growing
service connections, represents a

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clear, substantial measure to control
long-term disability compensation costs.

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Reducing the compensability thresholds
for these high-volume claims optimizes

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financial outlays while the change to
mental health criteria simultaneously

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allows the VA to defend the system as
being more objective and consistent.

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Veterans currently receiving
benefits for these conditions must

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monitor the effective dates of
these regulatory shifts closely.

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This news necessitates proactive
planning to consult with Veterans

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Service Organizations (VSOs) or
legal counsel to ensure claims and

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documentation align with the new
symptom-focused evaluation criteria.

00:13:12.712 --> 00:13:15.202
VA Operational and Legislative
Support Initiatives

00:13:15.575 --> 00:13:19.115
The VA continues its mission with
targeted operational successes

00:13:19.155 --> 00:13:20.895
and ongoing legislative support.

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Combating Homelessness: The VA
announced the award of $84 million

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in grants aimed specifically at
combating veteran homelessness.

00:13:29.241 --> 00:13:32.201
This substantial release
underscores housing security as a

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persistent, high-priority federal
focus for the veteran population.

00:13:36.317 --> 00:13:40.507
Quality of Care: External validation
of VA healthcare quality was confirmed

00:13:40.507 --> 00:13:44.347
when the VA earned top scores in the
latest Centers for Medicare & Medicaid

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Services (CMS) hospital ratings report,
demonstrating a commitment to high

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standards of medical care nationwide.

00:13:50.886 --> 00:13:54.316
Insurance Milestone: The Veterans
Affairs Life Insurance Program

00:13:54.316 --> 00:13:58.466
reached a major financial milestone,
surpassing $2 billion in coverage for

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service-connected veterans, highlighting
the success and financial protection

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provided by VA insurance options.

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Facility and Program Funding: H.R.

00:14:06.735 --> 00:14:12.625
3838 includes an authorization of
$163 million for a Department of

00:14:12.625 --> 00:14:15.955
Veterans Affairs medical-facility
demonstration fund, providing

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dedicated resources for innovative
facility development and expansion.

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Separately, the VA featured the success
of its driver rehabilitation programs

00:14:24.435 --> 00:14:26.395
in restoring independence for veterans.

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Legislative Focus on Vulnerable Veterans

00:14:29.033 --> 00:14:30.493
Proposed amendments to H.R.

00:14:30.493 --> 00:14:34.063
3838 highlight legislative
efforts to address persistent

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socioeconomic vulnerabilities
within the veteran population:

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SNAP Eligibility: Amendments aim to
significantly benefit economically

00:14:41.987 --> 00:14:45.827
disadvantaged veterans by seeking
to exempt veterans from Supplemental

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Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) work
requirements and, more specifically, by

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expanding SNAP eligibility for certain
catastrophically disabled veterans.

00:14:55.557 --> 00:14:58.507
This action reflects ongoing
legislative attention to food

00:14:58.507 --> 00:15:00.347
insecurity issues, such as the

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Feed Hungry Veterans Act of 2025.

00:15:03.176 --> 00:15:07.096
Women Veterans’ Health: A bipartisan
amendment proposes requiring a joint

00:15:07.096 --> 00:15:10.556
report from the Secretary of Defense
and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs

00:15:10.556 --> 00:15:15.276
on current research and gaps related to
perimenopause and menopause, specifically

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impacting servicewomen and women veterans.

00:15:17.986 --> 00:15:21.076
This mandated research signals
an increasing focus on addressing

00:15:21.076 --> 00:15:24.536
specific, often underserved,
areas of women’s health within the

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military medical and VA systems.

00:15:27.017 --> 00:15:30.947
This confluence of targeted grants for
homelessness and specific legislative

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fixes addressing food insecurity
demonstrates a multidimensional strategy

00:15:35.307 --> 00:15:40.047
focused on ensuring basic needs are met
for the most economically disadvantaged

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segments of the veteran population.

00:15:42.063 --> 00:15:43.603
And that's your Weekly Briefing.

00:15:44.053 --> 00:15:47.883
Staying on top of these changes
is key to navigating your career,

00:15:48.043 --> 00:15:50.323
your retirement, and your benefits.

00:15:50.658 --> 00:15:51.548
Thank you for tuning in.

00:15:51.978 --> 00:15:55.778
Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your
podcasts, so you never miss an update.

00:15:56.268 --> 00:15:59.318
We’ll be back next week with another
roundup of the news that matters most

00:15:59.318 --> 00:16:01.138
to the military and veteran community.