MIL News Weekly

Edward: Welcome to the MIL News Weekly
for 21-27 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 Legislative Standoff and
The Pay Our Troops Act of 2026

The primary concern dominating the end
of September 2025 was the heightened

risk of a government shutdown,
with current federal funding set

to expire on September 30, marking
the beginning of Fiscal Year 2026.

Congressional gridlock over appropriations
intensified, leading lawmakers to

scramble to ensure basic financial
continuity for uniformed personnel.

Efforts to pass a Continuing
Resolution (CR) to avert a

shutdown failed in the Senate.

A Republican proposal for a CR, intended
to continue spending at Fiscal Year

2024 levels, lacked the requisite
60 votes, failing by a 47-45 margin.

Similarly, a Democratic
proposal was rejected 44-48.

The legislative impasse stems largely
from Democratic demands for an extension

of healthcare tax credits under the
Affordable Care Act (ACA), which

Republican opponents are resisting.

The potential standoff raised immediate
fears that servicemembers would be

required to report for duty without
receiving scheduled paychecks.

In response to this legislative
instability, the bipartisan Pay

Our Troops Act of 2026 (H.R.

5401) was reintroduced in the House on
September 16, 2025, led by Congresswoman

Jen Kiggans, a Navy veteran.

This legislation is a crucial measure
designed to isolate military pay from the

political fallout of a budget failure.

The core purpose of H.R.

5401 is to provide continuing
appropriations for military pay

for any period during which interim
or full-year appropriations for

Fiscal Year 2026 are not in effect.

The legislation draws upon
existing, unappropriated U.S.

Treasury funds to ensure
continuity of pay and allowances.

The authority granted by the
bill would remain in effect until

regular appropriations are enacted
into law or until January 1,

2027, whichever occurs earlier.

The legislation explicitly ensures
that all members of the Armed Forces,

including the Coast Guard, and reserve
components performing active service,

continue to receive their required pay
and benefits during the shutdown period.

This guarantee is intended to
remove financial uncertainty from

military families who sacrifice
daily for national defense.

An important provision within H.R.

5401 extends pay protection to a specific
segment of the civilian federal workforce.

It covers civilian personnel employed
by the Department of Defense and

the Department of Homeland Security
(specifically the Coast Guard) who provide

direct support to military members.

This measure protects those
civilian employees whose roles are

inextricably linked to military
operations and readiness, though the

majority of federal employees across
other agencies would still face

potential furloughs or deferred pay.

Force Structure Restructuring
and Resource Redirection

The DoD announced significant
restructuring efforts during the

reporting period, applying "lean
six sigma to overhead reduction" and

"network-centric warfare principles
to administrative domains".

These consolidations are
methodologically aimed at reducing

decision nodes by 22 percent to speed
up planning and execution cycles.

These changes involve the elimination
of high-ranking billets and the

redirection of tens of millions of
dollars toward new defense priorities.

U.S.

Cyber Command Reorganization

The U.S.

Cyber Command underwent consolidation,
merging its infrastructure with

the Naval Information Warfare
Command and integrating Joint

Force Headquarters-Cyber with U.S.

Cyber Service Academy oversight.

This restructuring resulted in the
elimination of nine O-7 billets (Brigadier

General/Rear Admiral (lower half)).

Financially, the consolidation
allowed for the redirection of funds

towards immediate defensive needs.

$16 million was directed toward
defensive cyber operations toolkits.

Additionally, $21 million that
had been previously allocated for

undersea cable protections was cut.

These combined savings generated
an estimated $59 million to bolster

Fiscal Year 2026 readiness accounts.

U.S.

Strategic Command Adjustments

U.S.

Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) also
saw force structure modifications.

The command merged logistics
functions with U.S.

Transportation Command posture
statements and flagged Missile Defense

Agency liaison roles for elimination.

These actions led to the reduction of
two O-8 positions (Major General/Rear

Admiral) and nine senior slots overall.

The resulting savings were immediately
reinvested into critical capabilities

and emerging strategic priorities.

$14 million was saved and redirected
for hypersonic defense prototyping.

Furthermore, $30 million was
cut from programs related to

collaborative combat aircraft swarms.

The most substantial financial outcome
of the USSTRATCOM consolidation was

the generation of $180 million in
projected offsets for Fiscal Year

2026 border security augmentations.

This aggressive push to eliminate
senior leadership overhead and redirect

funds represents a tangible shift
in the National Defense Strategy.

The reallocation of significant
capital—particularly the $180 million

earmarked for border security and
millions more for domestic defensive

cyber and hypersonic research—underscores
a high-level prioritization of immediate

homeland defense capabilities, which
has been elevated to Tier 1 status.

This action signals a strategic
pivot, shifting resources and

focus away from certain traditional
long-term power projection logistics

or information dominance activities
and towards domestic security and

rapid technological defense systems.

Personnel Management and Force Retention

The Army continued to emphasize
force retention, focusing on

maintaining operational readiness
and improving lethality by retaining

personnel in critical Military
Occupational Specialties (MOS).

Recent announcements included the
launch of new warrant officer retention

bonuses, introduced on September
19, 2025, and continued data-driven

talent alignment initiatives aimed
at enhancing operational capability.

The Army’s retention program aims not
only to sustain end strength but also to

facilitate the smooth transfer of highly
skilled Soldiers leaving the Regular

Army into Reserve Component units.

The Marine Corps released updated
guidance concerning the Fiscal Year

2025 Active Reserve (AR) Noncommissioned
Officer (NCO) meritorious promotions.

Promotions to Corporal and
Sergeant took effect earlier in

the month, on September 2, 2025.

Eligibility for these meritorious
promotions is non-waiverable and

requires Marines to be complete with
their Professional Military Education

(PME) and to submit a nomination
package that includes a detailed

Commandant of the Marine Corps Reading
List Book Report, emphasizing the

high standards of intellectual and
professional development required.

Legislatively, an amendment to title
37, United States Code, Section

910(g), was confirmed, extending the
expiration date for the Reserve Income

Replacement Program from December
31, 2024, to December 31, 2025.

This critical DoD-administered program
provides income stability for reserve

component members who face financial
strain due to frequent and extended

mobilization for active duty service,
ensuring that reserve families have

continued financial protection.

Congressional Commemoration

In an effort to honor the sacrifices
of military families, the House

of Representatives introduced H.

Res.

744.

This resolution specifically supports
the designation of the week of

September 21 through September 27,
2025, which corresponds exactly

with the reporting period, as "Gold
Star Families Remembrance Week".

The resolution recognizes and supports
the families of fallen servicemembers.

Issues That Affect
Retired Military Personnel

The Defense Finance and Accounting
Service (DFAS) provided confirmation

regarding routine compensation
matters for military retirees.

The 2025 Cost of Living Adjustment
(COLA) was confirmed at 2.5

percent for most military retired pay and
Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities.

This adjustment was effective
starting December 1, 2024, and

factored into 2025 payments.

DFAS also reminded retirees eligible for
both Concurrent Retirement and Disability

Payments (CRDP) and Combat-Related
Special Compensation (CRSC) about

the annual CRDP/CRSC Open Season.

During this period, DFAS issues letters
containing instructions on how retirees

may change their election preferences
between the two payment types.

Legislative and Administrative Challenges
Facing Retired Federal Employees

For retired federal employees,
the looming threat of a government

shutdown carried certain guarantees
concerning their benefits.

Annuity payments from both the Civil
Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)
are categorized as mandatory spending.

Consequently, regularly scheduled
annuity payments will continue

without interruption, even
during a lapse in appropriations.

Furthermore, the Federal Retirement
Thrift Investment Board, which administers

the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), remains
funded through employee contributions,

not congressional appropriations.

As a result, the TSP will continue
to function unimpaired, although

employee contributions will halt
until agencies officially reopen.

The Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) clarified eligibility for

the deferred resignation program.

Federal employees whose retirement
dates fall between October 1, 2025,

and December 31, 2025, remain eligible
for this program, unless their specific

position is exempted by their agency.

OPM Retirement Processing
Crisis: A Legislative Aftershock

The federal retirement system continues to
face severe administrative strain, leading

to delays and confusion for personnel
transitioning to annuitant status.

The Office of Personnel
Management has confirmed a

significant processing backlog.

As of August 2025, OPM had received 88,062
claims but successfully processed only

77,580, leaving just over 10,000 claims
pending in the transition pipeline.

This administrative crisis is
the result of compounding factors

related to legislative uncertainty
and system modernization:

Surge in Retirement Claims

Earlier proposals in the year had sought
significant cuts to federal retirement

benefits, including measures such as the
elimination of the FERS supplement for

most federal employees retiring early.

This legislative risk prompted a defensive
reaction among the federal workforce,

leading to a massive, preemptive
surge in retirement applications

throughout the summer months of 2025.

OPM experienced claim volumes far
exceeding typical rates, receiving

15,048 claims in May and 13,430
claims in June, compared to fewer than

7,000 in those months during 2024.

This extraordinary volume strained
agency retirement specialists, who

often process around 10 applications
a month during normal periods.

The unprecedented load contributed
significantly to the current backlog and

the resulting delays faced by retirees
waiting for their full annuities.

New System Implementation
and Workflow Complexity

The claim surge coincided with
the launch of OPM's new Online

Retirement Application (ORA) system.

While ORA is designed to increase
efficiency and accuracy by requiring

"healthy submissions"—complete
applications with all necessary

documentation—its introduction
during a period of peak claim

volume has added complexity.

Retirees who had previously submitted
applications using the legacy Government

Retirement and Benefits (GRB) software
were required to resubmit their paperwork

through ORA if they planned to retire
in September 2025, causing additional

confusion and slowing the preparation
process for HR and payroll offices.

The standard transition process
involves inherent delays, as the HR

office and payroll provider cannot
finalize the necessary service and

salary records for OPM until after
the employee’s separation date.

Consequently, federal employees
retiring in September 2025 or later are

advised to submit their applications
several months in advance, confirm the

accuracy of their service records, and
consult their human resources office

for guidance, as the full transition
from the final employee paycheck to

the receipt of the initial full annuity
can take between three and five months.

The current OPM crisis demonstrates
how legislative instability generates

widespread administrative chaos.

The mere threat of future benefit
cuts, even if the legislation

is not enacted, spurred tens of
thousands of early retirements.

This action, driven by employees
seeking to secure existing benefits,

overwhelmed OPM's capacity, directly
resulting in extensive processing delays.

This illustrates a severe disruption where
attempted political cost-saving measures

immediately generated massive operational
strain and financial uncertainty for the

very retirees they intended to govern.

Issues That Affect Veterans Affairs

The Veterans Affairs Life Insurance
(VALife) program, designed to provide

coverage for service-connected disabled
veterans, reached a significant

milestone in September 2025.

Since its inception in 2023, the program
has provided over $2 billion in total

coverage to more than 60,000 Veterans.

VALife offers guaranteed acceptance whole
life insurance coverage of up to $40,000.

Veterans age 80 or younger with
a service-connected disability

rating between 0 and 100 percent
receive guaranteed acceptance

without medical underwriting.

Premiums are competitive with the
private sector, are not based on medical

conditions, and will not increase over
the life of the policy, depending only

on the Veteran's age upon enrollment.

Critical Deadline for S-DVI Holders

A crucial deadline exists for Veterans
currently holding policies under the

legacy Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance
(S-DVI) program, which stopped accepting

new applications on December 31, 2022.

Veterans must apply for VALife
by December 31, 2025, to avoid

a potential coverage gap.

Applying by this date allows the Veteran
to retain their S-DVI coverage during

the two-year waiting period required for
the full VALife coverage to take effect.

If a Veteran applies for VALife
on or after January 1, 2026, their

S-DVI policy will be immediately
terminated upon VALife approval.

Although they would only have to pay
VALife premiums during the subsequent

two-year waiting period, they would
lack full coverage during that time.

While the $2 billion coverage
milestone underscores the successful

expansion of access to life insurance
for service-disabled Veterans, the

$40,000 maximum benefit is often
noted as a point of advocacy by VSOs.

Many funerals and final expenses alone
can consume $10,000 to $15,000, meaning

the VALife coverage, while guaranteed,
often functions as a basic final

expense policy rather than a source
of comprehensive financial security

for surviving family members in 2025.

Digital Access Requirement

To ensure continuous access to VA health
and benefits services, all Veterans

utilizing digital tools were reminded
that they must transition from the

legacy DS Logon system to a Login.gov

or ID.me

account by September 30, 2025.

This shift supports modernized
security and authentication

standards for online VA services.

Additionally, the VA highlighted the
ease of submitting mileage-only travel

reimbursement claims using the VA
Health and Benefits mobile application.

Expanding Health Care Access
for Rural and Remote Veterans

The VA formally spotlighted the
expansion of its rural and remote

infusion program on September 27, 2025.

This initiative addresses significant
historical challenges faced by Veterans

living in remote areas, including lengthy
travel times, extended wait times,

and financial burdens associated with
accessing specialized medical treatments.

The remote infusion care delivery model
brings complex cancer care, including

chemotherapy treatments and survivorship
support, closer to the Veteran’s home.

By leveraging and optimizing VA’s
existing infrastructure, the program is

a strategic mechanism to ensure timely
access to high-quality care, reinforcing

the access standards originally
established by the MISSION Act of 2018.

This expansion has been critically
important, having experienced

significant growth since January 2025.

To further ensure accessibility,
VA outreach events continued across

the nation during this period,
including resource fairs designed

to inform Veterans about their
eligibility for PACT Act benefits

and available health care options.

An example of this concerted effort
was the Blue Gap/Tachee Veterans

Services Event, held in Blue Gap,
Arizona, on September 25, 2025.

PACT Act Administration
and Policy Transparency

The Honoring Our PACT Act continues
to be the central pillar of toxic

exposure policy, expanding and extending
eligibility for VA health care and

benefits for Veterans across the Vietnam,
Gulf War, and post-September 11 eras.

The law added over 20 presumptive
conditions for various exposures,

including new cancers like male
breast, urethral, and genitourinary

cancers, as well as hypertension and
MGUS for Agent Orange exposure, with

five new Agent Orange presumptive
exposure locations officially

recognized as of January 8, 2025.

Mandatory requirements, such as providing
a toxic exposure screening to every

Veteran enrolled in VA health care,
remain crucial elements of the law.

Shift to Quarterly Performance Reporting

In a significant administrative
change, the VA announced a

modification to its transparency
metrics for PACT Act implementation.

Effective with the start of Fiscal
Year 2026 (October 2025), the VA

PACT Act Performance Dashboard will
transition from a monthly publication

schedule to a quarterly one.

The last monthly report (Issue 53)
was published on September 19, 2025.

Under the new schedule, reports will
be released the month following the

completion of the full quarter (e.g.,

the report covering October through
December will be published in January).

While this change may reduce the
immense administrative burden

associated with aggregating and vetting
complex claims data on a monthly

basis, it inherently decreases the
frequency of external accountability.

Stakeholders, including veteran
advocacy groups and legislative

oversight committees, will now have
a longer, three-month lag time in

identifying and responding to potential
processing bottlenecks, changes in

denial rates, or resource shortfalls
in the execution of PACT Act benefits.

This administrative adjustment
balances the demand for internal

efficiency against the external
expectation of continuous, transparent

monitoring of claims processing.

Congressional Recognition
for Suicide Awareness

The House of Representatives introduced H.

Res.

737 on September 18, 2025, which
addresses the urgent issue of veteran

mental health and suicide prevention.

The resolution supports the designation
of September 22 as "National Veterans

Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day".

Furthermore, H.

Res.

737 recognizes the Suicide Awareness
and Remembrance (SAR) Flag and commits

to raising awareness of veteran
and military suicide via the flag.

The resolution specifically supports
the permanent posting of the SAR Flag

above all Federal buildings wherever the
American Flag and POW/MIA Flag are flown.

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.