MIL News Weekly

Edward: Welcome to the Mil Weekly
Briefing, 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.

We’ll 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.

Here’s what’s happened this past week.

Issues That Affect Active
and Reserve Military

Troop Deployment Amid Domestic Unrest:
President Donald Trump federalized

over 2,000 California National
Guard members and deployed 700 U.S.

Marines to Los Angeles to protect
federal facilities during widespread

immigration policy protests.

This move, starting June 7,
came amid significant unrest

following immigration raids.

Armed troops, under strict rules
of engagement, focused on defending

property, not law enforcement.

Governor Gavin Newsom challenged
the action in court, calling

it unlawful militarization.

Despite protests and curfews, a federal
court initially permitted the deployment.

Pentagon leaders emphasized that
military involvement was for federal

protection only, not civil policing.

This rare domestic deployment raised
concerns over federal authority

and civil-military boundaries.

Defense Leadership Cuts: Defense
Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a 20%

cut in four-star positions and a 10%
reduction in general/flag officers.

The National Guard Bureau will eliminate
one-fifth of top officer roles.

This move aligns with a
drive to streamline military

leadership and reduce overhead.

However, critics argue it may be
politically motivated and damage

morale by purging experienced leaders.

The changes could affect promotions,
command structure, and military programs,

leading to a period of transition.

Policy on Transgender Service Members:
The Pentagon began separating service

members with gender dysphoria,
following a January executive order.

Members had until June 6 to voluntarily
separate or face involuntary discharge.

Those who came forward
received separation pay.

The policy, citing readiness and
unit cohesion, drew criticism from

LGBT advocates and some commanders.

Legal challenges are expected, and
reserve members have until early

July before facing similar policies.

Defense Budget and Pay: The
House advanced the FY2026

defense budget, proposing a 3.8%

pay raise starting in January
for active-duty personnel.

Junior troops may receive
about $1200 more annually, and

officers could see up to $2,500.

The budget also includes
measures to slow PCS moves and

reduce the civilian workforce.

Some controversial provisions, such
as limits on reproductive health

travel reimbursements, were included.

Senate lawmakers expressed concern
over lagging budget details.

Service members await the final
budget outcome, which will shape their

pay, benefits, and quality of life.

Training Incidents and
Overseas Deployments: Sgt.

Aaron Cox, 24, of the 101st Airborne
Division, died in a training accident in

Hungary during Exercise Saber Guardian 25.

Another soldier was injured.

The Army is investigating.

U.S.

forces continued deployments
in Eastern Europe and the

Asia-Pacific, while maintaining
alert status in Iraq and Syria.

Reserve troops proceeded with June
training, including short-notice missions

like the deployment to California.

These developments underscore the
risks and demands of military service.

Issues That Affect Retired Military

Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) Billing
Delay: DFAS postponed a shift

from Treasury-managed SBP premium
payments to DFAS-managed billing.

This affects retirees who pay
directly rather than through

retirement pay deductions.

Retirees should continue using the
current system until further notice.

DFAS will provide detailed instructions
before implementing the change,

expected later in the summer.

Military retiree groups supported the
delay, ensuring no loss of coverage.

TRICARE Updates and Health Costs:
Retirees saw modest TRICARE Prime

and Select fee increases in 2025.

Annual Prime family premiums rose to $744.

Co-pays also increased slightly.

New regional contractors caused
some prescription access issues.

The VA announced upcoming reductions in VA
life insurance premiums starting in July.

Retiree advocacy groups are
pushing for smoother transitions

and clearer communication to
prevent service disruptions.

Retiree Legislation and Tax
Relief: Congress is considering

bills like the Major Richard Star
Act to expand concurrent receipt

for combat-injured veterans.

Though no laws passed this
week, momentum continues.

States including Michigan and New
York are advancing laws to exempt

military retirement pay from taxes.

Over 30 states now offer
full or partial tax relief.

Military retirees are encouraged
to monitor changes, which can

significantly affect post-service
finances and relocation plans.

Customer Service Enhancements: DFAS
introduced tools on its website

to allow retirees to download tax
forms and submit inquiries online.

The "AskDFAS" portal received positive
feedback for reducing wait times.

The VA promoted its expanded
digital services, including the

VA Health and Benefits app, which
allows users to manage healthcare,

view payments, and access claims.

These tools aim to improve
accessibility and ease

interactions with benefit systems.

Webinars and help lines are also
assisting less tech-savvy retirees.

Issues That Affect Veterans’
Affairs (VA) and Veterans’ Services

VA App Reaches 3 Million Downloads:
The VA Health and Benefits mobile app

surpassed 3 million downloads, with 1.4

million active users.

It enables veterans to refill
prescriptions, manage claims, access

payments, and use a digital VA ID card.

Officials praised the app’s
role in enhancing convenience

and reducing office visits.

Continuous updates based on
feedback are planned to further

improve user experience.

Legislation to Improve VA Claims and
Appeals: House Veterans’ Affairs Committee

Chair Mike Bost introduced several bills:

H.R.

3835: Veterans Appeals Efficiency
Act to reduce delays and remands.

H.R.

3834: Protecting Veteran’s Claim
Options Act to ensure veterans don’t

lose effective dates when appealing.

H.R.

3833: Veterans’ Caregiver
Appeals Modernization Act for

fair review of denied stipends.

H.R.

3854: Modernizing Claims Processing
with AI to tackle backlogs.

These bipartisan efforts aim to improve
timeliness and fairness in the VA system.

New VA Legal Aid Grants: On June
11, the VA announced $42 million in

grants for community organizations
aiding homeless veterans.

These funds will support legal services
to help veterans avoid eviction, resolve

civil issues, and remove housing barriers.

Although announced after this reporting
week, planning occurred in early June.

This continues the VA’s push to end
veteran homelessness, especially

in cities like Los Angeles.

Oversight on VA Programs and Staffing:
Congress prepared for oversight hearings

on the Transition Assistance Program
(TAP) and concerns about its effectiveness

in helping separating service members.

Lawmakers also reviewed VA budget
shortfalls and staffing issues due to

expanded eligibility under the PACT Act.

Reports by the GAO and VA Inspector
General highlighted infrastructure

concerns and quality inconsistencies.

The VA is finalizing its return-to-office
policy to improve service accessibility,

but unions raised retention concerns.

Second Amendment Legislation
and Federal Retirement Issues:

H.R.

1041: Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection
Act would bar the VA from reporting

beneficiaries to the firearm background
check system solely due to having a

fiduciary, unless ruled by a judge.

The bill advanced in the House.

Budget talks in the Senate
addressed House-proposed federal

pension cuts, especially affecting
veterans in civil service.

The Senate aimed to soften these
measures but debated options like

increased pension contributions for new
hires in exchange for job protections.

Veteran groups are lobbying
to protect current and future

federal retirement benefits.

And that's your Weekly Briefing.

Staying on top of these changes
is key to navigating your career,

your retirement, and your benefits.

Thank you for tuning in.

Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your
podcasts, so you never miss an update.

We’ll be back next week with another
roundup of the news that matters most

to the military and veteran community.