Edward: Welcome to the MIL News Weekly for dd-dd month June 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.
Issues That Affect Active and Reserve Military Personnel
Personnel serving on active duty or in the reserve components began the
reporting period of 11 January 2026 to 17 January 2026 adjusting to the financial
realities of the 2026 calendar year.
Effective 1 January 2026, service members received a 3.8
percent increase in their basic pay, a move designed to help military
compensation keep pace with the broader national labor market.
This increase was paired with a 4.2
percent average rise in the Basic Allowance for Housing, although
the specific impact for individual service members varies by their
geographic location and the local cost of civilian housing.
Additionally, those receiving a Cost-of-Living
Adjustment for 2026 saw a 2.8
percent increase, reflecting the latest inflation data provided by
the Social Security Administration.
Institutional readiness remains a concern, as highlighted by a
Government Accountability Office report released on 16 January 2026.
The GAO noted that the Navy lacks a cohesive plan to replace its
aging self-defense test ship, which is a remotely operated vessel
essential for testing how warships defend against incoming missiles.
Furthermore, the Naval Sea Systems Command reported that only 41 percent
of ships undergoing maintenance in service-owned shipyards were completed
on schedule in the previous year.
To address this, the Navy has set a goal to have 80 percent of the fleet
deployable by 2027, with a focus on earlier contract awards and more rigorous
advance planning for maintenance periods.
The Air Force is also navigating a shift toward next-generation
and uncrewed systems.
During the week of 11 January 2026, the service continued developing its
Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, which focuses on semi-autonomous
"drone wingmen" intended to fly alongside crewed fighters.
The Air Force requested 804 million dollars for this program in fiscal
year 2026, with production decisions for prototypes from General Atomics
and Anduril expected later this year.
However, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026 has
slowed the retirement of legacy platforms to ensure mission mass is maintained.
Specifically, the legislation prohibits the retirement of A-10 Thunderbolt II
aircraft below a fleet of 103 units and delays the planned drawdown of F-15E
Strike Eagles until at least 2027.
Domestic military presence in the nation's capital was a major focus
on 14 January 2026, when a memo signed by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll
authorized the extension of National Guard deployments in Washington, D.C.,
through the end of 2026.
As of 16 January 2026, there are 2,429 troops committed to this
mission, including 712 from the District of Columbia National Guard
and 1,717 from eleven other states, including Indiana, South Carolina,
Florida, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.
This deployment follows a tragic incident on 26 November 2025, where
20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom of the West Virginia National Guard
was shot and killed while on duty.
Special operations forces were active in the North Atlantic during this period,
where elements of the Armyâs 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment
participated in the seizure of the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera.
Operating from bases near the United Kingdom, the unit used MH-6 Little Bird
helicopters to support the enforcement of a global blockade on sanctioned
Venezuelan oil infrastructure.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed on 17 January 2026 that the blockade
remains in full effect globally to target "Dark Fleet" vessels.
On the same day, United States Central Command announced a retaliatory strike
in Syria under "Operation Hawkeye Strike" that killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, an
Al-Qaeda-affiliated leader tied to a December ambush that killed two American
soldiers and a civilian interpreter.
The Marine Corps implemented unified physical fitness and body composition
standards starting 1 January 2026, which remained a top transition priority for
units during the week of 11 January 2026.
Marines in combat arms specialties are now required to adhere to sex-neutral
scoring for the Physical Fitness Test, necessitating a minimum of 210 points out
of 300 using male, age-normed standards.
Additionally, the Corps is replacing its traditional tape test with a
waist-to-height ratio method to evaluate body composition, where a ratio below 0.55
is generally considered the threshold for acceptable risk.
Despite these rigorous standards, the Marine Corps achieved its retention
goals for 2026 within the first month of the fiscal year, a success attributed
to the Talent Management 2030 strategy.
In the Army, new standards for professional image and
performance were introduced.
Beginning in early 2026, the service is standardizing the use of the drill
sergeant campaign hat for all trainers.
Simultaneously, the Army expanded its Holistic Health and Fitness
program, which focuses on a culture of human performance to ensure that
warfighting readiness remains the primary focus for every soldier.
Significant Congressional Bills for Active and Reserve Personnel
Several pieces of legislation were introduced or actively discussed
between 11 January 2026 and 17 January 2026 that directly impact current
personnel and federal employees.
H.R.
7137, titled the Pay and Allowances of Federal Employees and Armed Forces
Act, was introduced by Representative Dusty Johnson on 16 January 2026.
This bill appropriates funds for the pay and allowances of federal
employees, contract employees, and members of the Armed Forces
during any lapse in appropriations.
For current federal employees and service members, this legislation
provides critical financial protection, ensuring that they receive their
standard rate of pay on schedule even if a government shutdown occurs.
Link:
H.R.
5401, known as the Pay Our Troops Act of 2026, was sponsored by
Representative Jennifer Kiggans.
This bill provides continuing appropriations for military pay during
any period in fiscal year 2026 when regular appropriations are not in effect.
It ensures that members of the Armed Forces, including reserve components
on active service, as well as necessary civilian personnel and contractors of
the Department of Defense, remain paid until 1 January 2027, during a shutdown.
This provides immediate peace of mind for federal employees whose
pay would otherwise be suspended.
Link:
H.R.
7016, introduced by Representative William Keating on 12 January 2026, seeks to
prohibit the use of federal funds to invade NATO countries and territories.
While primarily a foreign policy measure, this bill affects current
military personnel by restricting the operational deployment of forces
to certain conflict zones unless specific legal criteria are met.
This would impact the mission planning and potential deployment
orders for thousands of active and reserve troops stationed in Europe.
Link:
Issues That Affect Retired Military Personnel
For military retirees and survivors, the week of 11 January 2026 to
17 January 2026 was focused on the implementation of the 2.8
percent Cost-of-Living Adjustment.
This increase, which began appearing in January 2026 payments, means
that standard military retirees will receive an additional 28 dollars
for every 1,000 dollars of military retirement pension they receive.
However, retirees who opted for the Career Status Bonus (CSB/Redux) plan
see a smaller increase of 18 dollars per 1,000 dollars, as their COLA is
reduced by a percentage point by law.
Those who retired in 2025 will receive a prorated adjustment based on the
specific quarter of the year in which they separated from the service.
Retirees must also navigate changes in healthcare administration.
TRICARE benefits remain portable, but retirement is a qualifying life event that
requires action within 90 days to avoid a break in coverage for civilian care.
Retirees must enroll in TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select and begin
paying annual enrollment fees.
Furthermore, once a retiree or their family member becomes eligible for
Medicare Part A, they must also enroll in Medicare Part B to maintain
their TRICARE For Life coverage.
For those seeking additional benefits, the Federal Employees
Dental and Vision Insurance Program remains available to retired
service members and their families.
Financial management for retirees also saw a change in Department of Veterans Affairs
policy during the week of 11 January 2026.
On 13 January 2026, the VA affirmed a new ruling that limits the
"apportionment" of disability benefits.
Apportionment is a process where the VA pays a portion of a veteran's
benefits directly to their dependents.
Starting 9 February 2026, the VA will stop making new need-based
apportionments to avoid conflicts with state family courts, which the
department views as better situated to handle domestic financial matters.
Current apportionments will not be affected, and new requests will only be
granted if the veteran is incarcerated or institutionalized at government expense.
Planning for future retirement has also been bolstered by new
limits on the Thrift Savings Plan.
For the 2026 calendar year, the catch-up contribution limit has increased to 8,000
dollars for employees aged 50 and older.
Additionally, under the SECURE 2.0
law, a special catch-up limit of 11,250 dollars is now available for federal
employees between 60 and 63 years old.
This allows late-career employees and those nearing retirement to
significantly increase their savings.
Significant Congressional Bills for Retired Personnel
Legislation introduced this week also sought to address the long-term security
of federal and military retirees.
H.R.
491 and S.
624, collectively known as the Equal COLA Act, were central to
retiree advocacy efforts during the week of 11 January 2026.
These bills aim to revise the formula for calculating Cost-of-Living Adjustments
for the Federal Employee Retirement System to match the more generous formula
used for CSRS and Social Security.
For retired federal employees under the FERS system, this bill would result
in larger annual pension increases during periods of high inflation,
correcting the current cap that prevents their raises from exceeding 2.0
percent in certain economic conditions.
Link:
H.R.
7033, the Federal Correctional Officer Recruitment and Retention Act,
was introduced on 13 January 2026.
While primarily a recruitment tool, this bill improves the
retirement incentives for federal correctional officers by enhancing
their long-term pension security.
For retirees from the correctional service, this bill reflects a
recognition of the high-risk nature of their former employment and
ensures that future retirees have a more stable financial foundation.
Link:
Issues That Affect Veterans Affairs
Developments within Veterans Affairs during the week of 11 January 2026
to 17 January 2026 were headlined by a critical evaluation from the
Government Accountability Office.
On 14 January 2026, the GAO testified before the House Subcommittee on
Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, revealing that the VA is
still making disability compensation decisions based on earnings loss
data that dates back to 1945.
While the VA has updated medical criteria for 11 of the 15 body systems
in its rating schedule, the department is ten years past its original
deadline for full modernization.
The GAO warned that without updated earnings loss data, certain
veteransâparticularly those with mental health conditionsâmay be
significantly undercompensated relative to the modern labor market.
The VA's disability compensation program has been on the GAOâs
High-Risk List since 2003.
Although the department has met three of five criteria for
removalâleadership commitment, an action plan, and monitoringâit has
failed to meet the criteria for capacity and demonstrated progress.
This is a massive operation; in fiscal year 2025, the VA provided
approximately 195 billion dollars in compensation to over 6.9
million veterans and their families.
For disabled veterans, the 2026 disability pay rates have been
officially increased by 2.8
percent.
A veteran with a 10 percent disability rating now receives 180.42
dollars per month, while a 100 percent disabled veteran with a spouse and
child receives approximately 4,671.47
dollars.
Special Monthly Compensation rates for veterans who have lost the use of limbs
or certain organs now range from 4,584.77
dollars to 11,843.74
dollars per month.
VA education benefits are also undergoing a significant administrative shift.
Beginning in January 2026, all beneficiaries of VA education
programs, including students under Chapter 35 (Survivors' and Dependents'
Educational Assistance), are required to verify their enrollment every month
to receive their benefit payments.
This measure is intended to prevent overpayments and ensure the accuracy
of the benefit distribution.
Simultaneously, the department celebrated the three-year anniversary of the VALife
program, which has provided over 2.2
billion dollars in total life insurance coverage to more than 70,000 veterans
with service-connected disabilities.
In healthcare, the VA announced plans on 17 January 2026 to reorganize
the management structure of the Veterans Health Administration.
The goal is to streamline operations by empowering local
hospital directors and eliminating duplicative layers of bureaucracy.
The department also launched a request for proposals for new community care
contracts to expand healthcare choice for veterans over the next decade.
To support veterans in underserved areas, the VA launched an offline
mobile app for Home-Based Primary Care teams, allowing clinicians to provide
care and document visits in remote locations without internet access.
Further support for disabled veterans was realized through an increase in building
and material cost grant amounts for the Specially Adapted Housing program.
This ensures that severely disabled veterans can afford to modify
their homes for accessibility despite rising construction costs.
Additionally, the VA completed Phase One of its new case management system for the
Veteran Readiness and Employment program, modernizing the platform to improve
job placement outcomes for veterans with service-connected disabilities.
Significant Congressional Bills for Veterans
Several legislative efforts were introduced between 11 January
2026 and 17 January 2026 to expand the scope of veteran support.
S.
3591, the Veteran Benefits Notice Act of 2026, was introduced by
Senator Angus King on 7 January 2026 and discussed extensively
during the week of 11 January 2026.
This bill requires the Department of Labor and the VA to create a standard
notice detailing all available veteran benefits, which employers
must display in the workplace.
For federal employees who are veterans, this bill ensures they are fully
aware of the healthcare and education programs they have earned, potentially
increasing the utilization of these services across the federal workforce.
Link:
H.R.
7047, the Homeless Veterans Assistance Act, was introduced by Representative
Raul Ruiz on 13 January 2026.
This bill seeks to expand eligibility for and make permanent several programs
designed to assist homeless veterans.
For federal employees within the Veterans Benefits Administration, this legislation
provides long-term stability for the administrative roles and social work
positions that manage these programs, moving them from temporary status
to permanent authorized functions.
Link:
H.R.
3944, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs
Appropriations Act of 2026, is a comprehensive bill providing 153.3
billion dollars in discretionary funding for the VA, including 115.1
billion specifically for medical care.
This bill fully funds the VA's workforce for the upcoming year,
supporting the salaries of clinicians, nurses, and administrative staff.
Notably, the bill includes a provision that prohibits the VA from referring
veterans with appointed fiduciaries to the National Instant Criminal Background
Check System without a judge's order, a major policy shift regarding the
second amendment rights of veterans.
Link:
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.