MIL News Weekly

Edward: Welcome to the MIL News Weekly
for 14-20 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

The Department of War Restoration:
A New Name, a New Philosophy

The week was marked by the ongoing
fallout and implementation of a historic

change initiated on September 5, 2025.

On that date, President Donald J.

Trump signed an Executive Order
to restore the title "Department

of War" as a secondary designation
for the Department of Defense.

This directive permits the Secretary
of Defense, as well as department

officials, to utilize secondary
titles such as "Secretary of War"

and "Department of War" in official
correspondence, public communications,

and non-statutory documents.

The administration wasted no time in
executing the order; the Pentagon’s

official X account was immediately
rebranded, and the website was

redirected from defense.gov

to war.gov.

The rationale behind this move, as
articulated by the President and

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is
to restore a name that they believe

reflects the military’s true purpose
and signals a new national focus.

According to the White House, the name
"Department of War" projects a stronger

message of readiness and resolve,
emphasizing a willingness to wage war

to secure national interests rather than
focusing solely on defensive capabilities.

Defense Secretary Hegseth added that the
name change is not merely a rebranding

but a "restoring," arguing that the
name change from "Department of War"

to the "Department of Defense" in 1947
preceded an era in which the United

States "haven't won a major war since".

Proponents contend that a Department
of War will prioritize "maximum

lethality" and a "winning" attitude,
aligning with a more aggressive posture.

The name change, however, is a profound
political and philosophical declaration,

not a simple administrative change.

It signifies a public shift in
rhetoric and national identity

regarding the military's role.

It frames the military's purpose
in a specific, ideological context,

suggesting a return to what proponents
view as "old days" of American

exceptionalism and power projection.

This approach could influence foreign
policy by signaling a more aggressive,

less diplomatically-focused posture
and may have significant effects

on recruitment and retention by
appealing to a specific demographic

while potentially alienating others.

The debate is already playing
out in Congress, where lawmakers

are divided on the matter.

While Rep.

Greg Steube, a Republican from Florida,
introduced legislation to formalize the

change, Senator Mitch McConnell voiced
disapproval, arguing that a focus on

investment is needed, not just rebranding,
to ensure "peace through strength".

The administration's move to change
the name via executive action,

while also instructing the Secretary
to recommend legislative actions,

highlights the complex legal and
political hurdles that remain for the

permanent name change to take effect.

Congressional Action on the FY26
NDAA and Military Quality of Life

Beyond the symbolic changes, Congress
continued its work this week on

tangible issues impacting the lives
of service members and their families.

The Senate has begun considering S.

2296, the National Defense Authorization
Act for Fiscal Year 2026, a sweeping

bill that authorizes appropriations
for military activities, military

construction, and prescribes military
personnel strengths for the fiscal year.

As the foundational legislation that
funds the military, the NDAA dictates

everything from new ship procurement
to individual pay and benefits.

The sheer volume of amendments
proposed indicates a strong legislative

focus on a wide range of issues.

Of particular note is an amendment offered
by Senator Ernst that would require

the Comptroller General of the United
States to conduct a study on casualty

assistance and long-term care programs.

This signals a concerted effort
by lawmakers to address critical,

personal issues that affect
military families for years to come.

These legislative efforts align with
ongoing, quality-of-life initiatives

outlined by military leadership.

A report this week indicated that a review
of enlisted uniform allowance rates is

expected to be finalized by the end of
September 2025, and studies are ongoing

to evaluate the potential for increasing
enlisted household goods Permanent

Change of Station (PCS) weight limits.

Furthermore, policies are being
updated to increase Temporary Lodging

Expense (TLE) coverage from 14 to 21
days for moves within the continental

United States and to allow up to 60
days of Temporary Lodging Allowance

(TLA) for moves originating overseas.

These updates address a common source
of financial and logistical stress for

service members and their families.

The legislative and administrative
focus on these day-to-day concerns

demonstrates an understanding that
a strong and ready military is

fundamentally built on its people.

Unaddressed quality-of-life issues,
such as financial stress from moving

or poor living conditions, can lead
to low morale and high attrition.

The focus on these issues reveals that
the military is actively competing

for talent in the labor market.

Retaining skilled personnel is as
critical to national security as

procuring a new weapons system.

The bipartisan Servicemember
Residence Protection Act (H.R.

2334), which passed the House this
week, is another example of this trend,

as it directly addresses a domestic
concern that could impact a service

member's peace of mind and, by extension,
their readiness while deployed.

Issues That Affect
Retired Military Personnel

For retired military personnel and
federal employees, the news this week

contained a mix of financial changes,
some beneficial and others concerning.

A key development is the final
implementation of an executive

order signed in March to end
paper Social Security checks.

As of September 30, all recipients must
have a direct deposit set up with a

bank or use a Direct Express prepaid
debit card, with October marking the

first month without paper checks.

While this move is intended to
modernize the system, it requires a

significant behavioral change for many
retirees who rely on paper checks.

Another notable financial development
is the Department of Education's

resumption of garnishing Social Security
payments for defaulting student loans,

a practice that was paused in 2020.

The department announced plans to
resume garnishments in the summer,

with up to 15% of benefits at risk.

This decision, alongside the end of
paper checks, is part of a broader shift

toward tighter financial controls and
a rollback of pandemic-era protections.

When looking at benefits, the
news is a bit more nuanced.

Social Security benefits received a 2.5%

Cost-of-Living Adjustment, or COLA, for
2025, with analysts predicting a 2.7%

adjustment for the upcoming year.

This increase, however, may be
offset by rising healthcare costs.

Medicare Part B premiums are
estimated to increase by 11.5%

to $206.20

per month in 2026, up
from the current $185.

For many retirees, Medicare premiums
are automatically deducted from

their Social Security benefits.

This means that a significant portion,
if not all, of their COLA increase

will be consumed by the rising cost
of healthcare, leading to a de facto

reduction in their net monthly payments.

In terms of legislative efforts,
a bill with potential benefits

for military retirees, the Putting
Veterans First Act of 2025 (S.

1068), was introduced in the Senate.

The bill's stated purpose is to
"put veteran and military families

first" and provide protections
for federal employees who are also

members of the military community.

A key provision of the bill would
reverse any removal, demotion, or

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

from civil service that occurred since
January 20, 2025, and provide them

with back pay and restored benefits.

This legislation serves as a direct
response to recent policy decisions

that have impacted federal employees,
indicating a legislative effort to

check executive actions and protect the
employment of those with military ties.

The bill also includes limitations
on hiring freezes and office closures

at the Department of Veterans
Affairs, which could provide greater

stability for the federal workforce.

Issues That Affect Veterans Affairs

A Landmark Week for Veterans Legislation
in the House of Representatives

This week was marked by a flurry
of legislative activity in the

House of Representatives, where
the House Committee on Veterans'

Affairs passed 14 bipartisan bills.

The committee's chairman, Mike
Bost, called the passage of

these bills "fourteen wins for
veterans and their families".

This volume and diversity of legislation
point to a powerful trend of targeted,

technology-driven solutions to persistent,
systemic problems within the VA,

such as rural access, administrative
backlog, and specialized care.

While the bills are not yet law,
their passage out of the House

is a significant milestone.

Here is a summary of some of the key
bills that passed the House and were

referred to the Senate for consideration:

H.R.

1107, the Protecting Veteran Access
to Telemedicine Services Act of 2025:

This bill permanently authorizes
VA health care professionals to use

telemedicine to deliver, distribute,
or dispense controlled substances

to patients, regardless of whether
the health care professional is

licensed in the patient's state.

This bill is a direct response to
the perennial challenge of providing

consistent care to veterans across
state lines, particularly for

those in rural or remote areas.

H.R.

2721, the Honoring Our Heroes Act of
2025: This legislation establishes a

two-year pilot program to furnish a
headstone or burial marker to veterans

who died on or before November 1, 1990.

Previously, these benefits were
only available to veterans who

died after that date, and this bill
seeks to rectify that disparity.

H.R.

3481, the Delivering Digitally to
Our Veterans Act of 2025: This bill

requires the Department of Veterans
Affairs to provide a mechanism for

veterans to electronically send and
receive correspondence related to

educational assistance benefits.

This will streamline communication, reduce
reliance on postal mail, and modernize

the benefits administration process.

H.R.

3579, the Veterans Readiness and
Employment Program Integrity Act:

This bill aims to improve the Veterans
Readiness and Employment program

by requiring veterans to submit
their work and educational records

before their initial evaluation
and by mandating a review of the

program by a non-department entity.

H.R.

3951, the Rural Veterans' Improved
Access to Benefits Act of 2025: This

bill expands and extends a pilot
program that allows non-VA health care

professionals to perform disability
examinations for veterans, regardless

of their license jurisdiction.

The authority for this program is
extended through January 5, 2031,

which is a major win for veterans who
struggle to access timely medical exams.

H.R.

4446, the FAST VETS Act: This bill
modifies the conditions for redeveloping

a veteran's individualized vocational
rehabilitation plan under the Veteran

Readiness and Employment program, ensuring
a new plan is created if a veteran's

original goals are no longer feasible due
to changes in their employment handicap.

H.R.

1860, the Women Veterans Cancer
Care Coordination Act: This bill

requires the VA to hire or designate
regional care coordinators to help

women veterans navigate breast
and gynecologic cancer care.

This directly addresses the needs
of a growing population of veterans.

The bipartisan nature of this
legislative package is a notable theme,

demonstrating that improving veteran care
and benefits is a widely shared goal,

even amid broader political gridlock.

A Deep Dive into Key Veteran
Benefits and Policy Debates

Beyond legislative progress,
several critical updates to veteran

benefits were announced this week.

VA disability compensation
rates for 2025 reflect a 2.5%

COLA, with a 100% disability
rating now paying $3,737.85

per month, up from $3,652.83

in 2024.

Allowances for spouses and children have
also increased proportionally, providing

a financial boost to many families.

The VA has also added new conditions to
its presumptive list, including conditions

linked to burn pits and contaminated
water exposure at military bases, which

is expected to streamline claims and
provide relief to thousands of veterans.

The VA continues its efforts to accelerate
claims processing through the use of

artificial intelligence, reducing the
average time for initial disability claims

to 152 days, down from 184 days in 2024.

This administrative improvement, coupled
with the enhanced use of the VA mobile

app to upload documents and track
claims, represents a significant step

toward modernizing the bureaucracy.

Education benefits have also expanded
under the GI Bill, which now covers a

wider range of career-focused training
and vocational programs, providing

the same housing and book allowances
as traditional college programs.

Amidst these advancements, a major
controversy has emerged concerning

the CHOICE for Veterans Act (H.R.

3132), a bill that has sparked a
fundamental debate over the future

of veteran claims assistance.

Disabled American Veterans (DAV), a
major Veteran Service Organization,

has come out in strong opposition to
the bill, arguing that it would allow

unaccredited, for-profit companies
to charge veterans up to $12,500 for

claims assistance that is currently
provided for free by accredited VSOs.

DAV National Commander Coleman
Nee stated that the bill "puts

profits before veterans" and "risks
deterring those who need help the

most from ever filing a claim".

In contrast, supporters of the
bill, including the sponsor Rep.

Jack Bergman, R-MI, argue that it restores
what they call "freedom" to veterans

by giving them the right to choose
who assists them with their claims.

Proponents contend that the bill would
empower veterans by opening up claims

assistance to the private sector
while also establishing regulations

to hold companies accountable.

They accuse the VSOs and their allies
of trying to protect their "bureaucratic

class" and "dying" organizations
by limiting options for veterans.

This debate highlights a central
tension in the veteran community: the

desire for more options and flexibility
versus the need for protection against

potentially predatory practices.

Technological and Outreach
Initiatives at the VA

This week’s news reinforced the VA’s
ongoing strategic push to leverage

technology and community outreach
to address perennial challenges.

The week of September 14-20 was
designated as Telehealth Awareness Week,

a recognition of the transformative role
telehealth has played in delivering care.

Veteran trust in VA
telehealth has reached 89.0%,

and satisfaction has hit 91.9%

for the fifth consecutive year,
indicating the success of programs like

VA Video Connect, which has
facilitated over 10 million

visits this fiscal year alone.

This is a strategic response to the
perennial challenge of geography and

access, directly addressing the needs of
a diverse and aging veteran population.

The VA is not just relying on the
internet-savvy; it has also implemented

programs to bridge the digital divide.

Veterans who lack internet-enabled devices
can request a Digital Divide Consult to

get the resources they need, and ATLAS
(Accessing Telehealth through Local Area

Stations) sites provide comfortable,
private spaces for veterans to conduct

video visits with VA specialists.

These initiatives demonstrate a nuanced
understanding that technology is

not a one-size-fits-all solution and
that some veterans need foundational

support to access these benefits.

Other technological updates this
week include an improved VA Health

and Benefits mobile app that now
makes submitting mileage-only travel

claims faster and easier than ever,
eliminating the need for paper forms.

The VA is also urging
veterans to switch from their

DS Logon to more secure Login.gov

or ID.me

accounts by September 30 to
continue managing their benefits

online without interruption.

The overall picture is a VA that is
actively evolving to shed its old image

as a slow, bureaucratic institution
and is leveraging technology to

improve services across the board.

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.

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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.