MIL News Weekly

Edward: Welcome to the MIL News Weekly
for 7 - 13 September 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.

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 Personnel

Legislative and Policy Developments

On September 10, 2025, the House of
Representatives passed its version

of the Fiscal Year 2026 National
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), H.R.

3838, by a vote of 231 to 196.

The legislation, formally titled the
“Streamlining Procurement for Effective

Execution and Delivery and National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal

Year 2026,” includes a significant 3.8%

pay raise for all military
members, which is slated to become

effective on January 1, 2026.

This increase is consistent with
the budget proposal submitted by

the White House earlier in the year.

The passage of the House bill,
however, was not without controversy.

While the legislation contained bipartisan
agreements, such as a renewal of security

aid for Ukraine, it also included several
amendments that alienated many Democrats.

These contentious, largely party-line
provisions include a prohibition

on TRICARE from covering gender
transition care and the repeal of

the 2002 and 1991 authorizations
for the use of military force.

Democratic criticism was particularly
vocal after the Republican-led House

Rules Committee denied votes on a slate
of amendments that sought to address

concerns about the administration's
politicization of the military.

The inclusion of these highly
divisive amendments in a bill that

has historically been a model of
bipartisan cooperation indicates

that fundamental aspects of military
service are becoming battlegrounds

for broader political agendas.

This trend, where deeply personal
and social issues are woven into core

defense legislation, could present
challenges for recruitment and retention,

particularly as it may discourage service
members who value a more inclusive

and less politicized environment.

A separate, bipartisan effort
focused on military family welfare

also gained traction this week.

On September 12, 2025, U.S.

Congressman Blake Moore announced
his support for a bipartisan,

bicameral bill aimed at reducing food
insecurity among military families.

The legislation, known as the Military
Food Security Act, would ensure military

families have better access to affordable,
healthy food by excluding the Basic

Allowance for Housing (BAH) from the
income calculations used to determine

eligibility for the Basic Needs Allowance.

The legislation's sponsors argue that
many service members and their families,

particularly junior enlisted personnel,
struggle to afford groceries due to

outdated rules that fail to account for
the real financial challenges they face.

This initiative is a practical,
non-ideological effort to address

a persistent quality-of-life issue
that directly impacts readiness and

morale by alleviating the financial
stress on junior enlisted families.

The executive branch also made a
significant, if symbolic, move.

On September 5, 2025, President Donald J.

Trump signed an Executive Order
titled "Restoring the United

States Department of War".

The order authorizes the use of
"Department of War" as a secondary

title for the Department of Defense and
"Secretary of War" for the Secretary

of Defense in non-statutory contexts,
such as official correspondence

and public communications.

The order's stated purpose is to project
an image of strength and resolve,

demonstrating a willingness to "fight and
win wars" to secure national interests.

While the order directs the Secretary
of War to submit a recommendation

for a permanent legislative name
change within 60 days, it explicitly

states that statutory references to
the Department of Defense will remain

controlling until changed by law.

The order is a powerful symbolic
gesture meant to reframe the military's

mission in the public consciousness,
but it lacks the statutory authority

to effect a legal name change.

The contrasting approaches
of the House NDAA (H.R.

3838) with its tangible, if controversial,
policy changes, and the executive

order's focus on messaging and symbolic
action, illustrate a bifurcated

approach to military governance.

Readiness and Operations News

In a move to incentivize high-level
physical fitness, the Army has published

a new directive that exempts soldiers
who score 465 points or more on the

new Army Fitness Test (AFT) from
the service's body fat standards.

To qualify for the exemption, soldiers
must score at least 80 points in

each of the test's five events, and
no alternative events are permitted.

This policy, which is effective
immediately and applies to all Army

components, is a continuation of a
prior initiative under the former Army

Combat Fitness Test and is intended
to reward performance and promote

a culture of health and readiness.

The new policy shifts the focus
from strict, sometimes arbitrary,

body composition metrics
to a reward system based on

demonstrated physical performance.

This indicates a broader trend in military
policy that values demonstrable excellence

over compliance with cosmetic standards.

The U.S.

Navy Reserve's Cyber Warfare Technicians
(CWT) and Maritime Cyber Warfare

Officers (MCWO) are playing a critical
role in integrating cyber operations

into the Operational Level of War
(OLW), seamlessly bridging the gap

between strategic cyber capabilities
and tactical warfighting objectives.

A press release from September 11,
2025, highlighted the Navy's strategic

investment in this area, acknowledging
cyberspace as a decisive domain.

By cultivating and deploying highly
trained CWTs and MCWOs, the Navy

aims to project influence and defend
critical infrastructure in both

physical and digital environments.

The Navy's emphasis on a robust cyber
security Reserve Force highlights its

commitment to maintaining operational
superiority in the face of escalating

global tensions and increasingly
sophisticated adversary tactics.

This focus on developing specialized
skills shows a recognition that

modern warfare requires a highly
technical, adaptable force capable of

operating effectively in all domains.

New military hardware and technology are
also in development to enhance readiness.

The Army is preparing to field a
new Launched Effects system across

all divisions by the end of 2026,
with soldiers already participating

in a special user demonstration for
short-range capabilities at Joint

Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

Meanwhile, the Marine Corps is seeking
new radar systems to pair with its

mobile air defense capabilities,
the Marine Air Defense Integrated

System (MADIS) and Light-MADIS.

The desired radar is intended to detect
and track drones and manned aircraft, must

have a technology readiness level of eight
or higher, and should not exceed $1.5

million per unit.

These developments in both
technology and policy demonstrate

a clear military-wide commitment
to modernization and adaptation.

Issues That Affect
Retired Military Personnel

Federal and Military Retirement Matters

Federal employees are nearing a critical
administrative deadline for the Deferred

Resignation Program, with a final
resignation date of September 30, 2025.

The program, which has been the subject
of legal challenges, allows eligible

employees to submit a deferred resignation
letter in exchange for paid administrative

leave until the end of the period.

Employees who are eligible for normal or
early retirement before or on this date

can still accept the deferred resignation
offer, and their retirement election

will override the deferred resignation.

These employees will continue to accrue
retirement benefits and service credit

during the period of administrative leave.

This program was designed to
facilitate "workforce restructuring

and realignment efforts" to create
a "leaner, less expensive, less

wasteful" federal workforce.

However, the looming deadline could
place significant strain on the Office

of Personnel Management (OPM), which
is already dealing with a backlog

of federal retirement applications.

In August alone, OPM saw 9,416 employees
file for retirement, indicating that

the new policy could exacerbate an
existing administrative challenge.

Financial projections for 2026
Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) were

also a major topic of interest this week.

Based on the August 2025 Consumer Price
Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical

Workers (CPI-W), the projected 2026 COLAs
for federal civilian retirees are 2.8%

for the Civil Service Retirement
System (CSRS) and 2.0%

for the Federal Employees
Retirement System (FERS).

These projections are calculated
based on the increase in the average

CPI-W between the third quarter of
2024 and the third quarter of 2025.

The final COLA calculation will be
confirmed in October 2025, following

the release of the September CPI-W data.

These figures, while a measure
of relief, are based on a

past inflationary environment.

The fact that the final numbers are
determined in October and do not take

effect until January 2026 means retirees
on a fixed income will have absorbed

the full cost of inflation throughout
2025 without a commensurate adjustment.

This illustrates a fundamental aspect
of the COLA system, which lags behind

real-time economic conditions and can
place a financial burden on retirees

during periods of rapid inflation.

Healthcare and Benefits Updates

TRICARE beneficiaries in the West
Region received a crucial reminder

about the impending expiration of their
primary care manager referral waiver.

As of September 8, 2025, beneficiaries
were notified that if they are seeing

a specialist through the referral
waiver process, their care under that

waiver will end on September 30, 2025.

To avoid out-of-pocket costs and
point-of-service fees, beneficiaries

must obtain a new referral from their
primary care manager to a network

specialist, effective October 1, 2025.

This reminder is particularly relevant for
beneficiaries in the six states—Arkansas,

Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas,
and Wisconsin—that moved from the

East to the West Region on January
1, 2025, and now fall under the new

contractor, TriWest Healthcare Alliance.

This administrative change requires
proactive management from beneficiaries

and serves as a significant
example of how a failure to follow

administrative guidance can lead
to unexpected financial burdens.

Issues That Affect Veterans Affairs

Legislative and Claims Processing Reforms

Several key bills were active in
Congress this week, signaling a

continued focus on veterans' issues.

The Senate Veterans' Affairs
Committee received two new

bills on September 9, 2025: S.B.

2737, which would require the
VA to implement a pilot program

for hyperbaric oxygen therapy
for certain veterans, and S.B.

2698, which seeks to reinstate Post-9/11
Educational Assistance for victims of

sexual assault or domestic violence.

In the House, new bills were
also introduced, including H.B.

5203 on September 8, 2025,
which directs the VA to update

directives on the management of
acute sexual assault, and H.B.

5277 on September 10, 2025, which
aims to increase payments for

transporting veterans to VA facilities.

These legislative efforts demonstrate
a granular, issue-specific approach to

veterans' care, addressing particular and
often niche problems faced by different

segments of the veteran population.

Beyond new bills, a significant
piece of legislation, the "Putting

Veterans First Act of 2025" (S.1068),

continues to advance.

Introduced in the Senate on March 13,
2025, the bill aims to provide substantial

protections for veterans and military
families who are federal employees.

The bill's provisions include
limitations on hiring freezes at the

VA and restrictions on closing VA
offices or changing telework policies

without extensive prior notice.

A particularly notable provision
would nullify any removal, demotion,

or suspension of a veteran, military
spouse, caregiver, or reserve member

from a civil service position that
occurred after January 20, 2025, with

retroactive benefits and back pay.

The bill also prohibits the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs from concurrently serving

as the head of another federal agency,
whether on a permanent or acting basis.

This comprehensive bill is part of
a broader, multi-pronged legislative

strategy to support veterans by
protecting their employment rights

and ensuring the stability of the VA.

The VA announced a major administrative
achievement this week, having

processed more disability and pension
ratings claims in fiscal year 2025

than ever before, surpassing its
FY24 record nearly two months early.

As of August 8, 2025, the VA had
issued 2,524,115 claims, a remarkable

feat given that receipts were 10%
higher than the previous year.

The VA has processed claims 17.8%

faster in FY25 than in FY24, and
the backlog of veterans waiting

for benefits has dropped by more
than 37% since January 20, 2025.

These improvements are the direct result
of strategic policy changes, including

the implementation of artificial
intelligence tools to accelerate claims

processing and the expansion of weekend
and evening hours at regional offices.

The VA's success in streamlining this
bureaucratic process demonstrates that

strategic investment in technology and
human resources can lead to tangible,

positive outcomes for veterans.

Veteran Healthcare and
Benefit Enhancements

Veterans with service-connected
disabilities can expect a boost

in their monthly compensation.

The 2025 VA disability compensation
rates have increased by 2.5%

due to a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA).

For example, a veteran with a 100%
disability rating now receives a

base monthly payment of $3,737.85,

up from $3,652.83

in 2024.

Veterans with a spouse and two children at
the 100% rating can receive up to $4,196

per month, all of which is tax-free.

These payments, which for September
2025 were distributed on September 30,

provide crucial financial stability
for veterans and their families.

The VA has also made significant
improvements to the claims process

by adding several new conditions
to its presumptive list for 2025.

This change streamlines the process for
veterans who were exposed to burn pits

and contaminated water, allowing them to
receive disability compensation without

needing extensive medical evidence.

Respiratory conditions and rare
lung diseases are now eligible for

expedited processing for burn pit
exposure, while veterans exposed to

contaminated water at military bases
can now file claims for kidney cancer,

liver cancer, and multiple sclerosis
with a streamlined approval process.

This proactive approach by the VA
demonstrates a clear commitment

to addressing the long-term health
consequences of military service

and reducing the burden on veterans
to prove their service connection.

Healthcare access and education
benefits also saw enhancements.

The VA has implemented major
improvements to healthcare access,

including the expansion of its formulary
with over 200 new medications for

conditions ranging from migraines
to advanced cancer therapies.

New mobile medical units have also
been deployed to provide direct care

to veterans experiencing homelessness.

On the education front, the Senator
Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans

Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act
of 2025 brought significant changes,

including a temporary expansion of
the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John

David Fry Scholarship and the payment
of a full monthly housing stipend

during a veteran's final semester,
regardless of their enrollment status.

These improvements indicate a holistic
view of veteran well-being, recognizing

that care extends beyond physical
health to encompass financial stability,

housing, and educational opportunities.

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

to the military and veteran community.