MIL News Weekly

Edward: Welcome to the MIL News Weekly
for 9-15 November 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

Operational Stabilization
and Readiness Restoration

The successful enactment of H.R.

5371 was directly responsible for
injecting financial stability into the

operations of the Department of War.

The continuing resolution secured full
funding for active duty and reserve pay

and ensured the necessary allocations for
military construction and infrastructure

projects for the full fiscal year 2026.

The preceding 43-day shutdown had
degraded military readiness by

forcing the administration to expend
emergency funds to maintain troop pay.

With the new funding stream
established, full-scale training,

maintenance, and complex logistics
support operations, which had been

curtailed, resumed immediately.

Furthermore, critical services for
transitioning service members, including

essential transition assistance services
and career counseling, were restored after

being suspended since October 1, 2025.

The immediate focus now pivots to
mitigating any long-term effects on

the training pipeline and equipment
maintenance schedules that accumulated

during the six-week fiscal uncertainty.

Strategic Rebranding and Doctrinal
Shift at the Department of War

The transition from the Department
of Defense (DOD) to the Department

of War (DOW), initiated earlier
in the year, achieved a new level

of physical reality this week.

On November 13, 2025, facilities
personnel at the Pentagon replaced

the outdated bronze plaques at
two main entrances with new ones

bearing the name "Department of War".

This symbolic act was physically realized
when Secretary of War Pete Hegseth

personally fastened the last screw on the
newly minted plaque at the River Entrance.

These new plaques, weighing approximately
60 pounds and measuring roughly 30 by

20 inches, replaced the old "Department
of Defense" signage that had been

in place for more than 70 years.

This action is intended to draw a
direct line back to the department's

original name, held from 1789 to 1947,
connecting the current institution to

America's founding history under figures
like Henry Knox and George Washington.

Secretary Hegseth emphasized that the
change was designed to ensure that

"everybody who comes through this door
to know that we are deadly serious about

the name change of this organization".

The Secretary explained that the DOW
represents a "new era" focused resolutely

on "winning wars," thereby reestablishing
deterrence based on a strategy of "peace

through strength and common sense".

The name change thus serves as a
public declaration of an institutional

commitment to kinetic operational doctrine
and the prioritization of decisive

victory in great power competition,
directly impacting the strategic

training and force design priorities
for active and reserve components.

Global Force Posture and
Escalating Deployments

Global operations also reflected a
significant increase in strategic

engagement and readiness.

Reports confirmed an expansion of the U.S.

military footprint in the Caribbean,
particularly with the deployment of

specialized aircraft to El Salvador.

Satellite imagery and flight-tracking
data reviewed during the week

revealed that at least three U.S.

military aircraft, including a heavily
armed AC-130J Ghostrider gunship,

have begun flying missions from El
Salvador’s main international airport.

This is notable as it represents the
first known instance of a foreign

country in this region hosting U.S.

aircraft capable of
regional strike operations.

The AC-130J is a precision asset,
armed with Hellfire missiles, 30mm

cannons, and a 105mm howitzer.

While U.S.

officials linked the deployment to
expanded counter-narcotics missions, the

operational context involves a massive
regional military build-up by the Trump

administration, initiated in late August
2025, as potential military action

in Venezuela was under consideration.

The broader presence
includes nearly 10,000 U.S.

personnel, bombers, drones,
and a significant naval

force, with the USS Gerald R.

Ford carrier expected
to reinforce the effort.

The employment of a high-value,
limited-inventory asset like the

AC-130J Ghostrider for extended
counter-narcotics and regional deterrence

missions places operational stress
on the readiness cycle of active duty

elite Special Operations components.

This utilization pattern demonstrates
a strategy of employing specialized,

high-impact forces to establish
effective deterrence and operational

capability against non-conventional and
regional threats, directly influencing

the operational tempo and deployment
schedules for special warfare units.

Future Defense Technology:
The Railgun Revival

In the domain of advanced acquisition,
General Atomics Electromagnetic

Systems (GA-EMS) re-entered the
conversation regarding hypersonic

defense, publicly pitching a modular,
containerized railgun system.

The company is actively promoting
this technology for integration into

critical missile defense architecture,
including the defenses of Guam and

the Army’s "Golden Dome" initiative.

This system represents a
significant conceptual leap from

traditional chemical propulsion.

It is designed to use stored
electrical energy to launch inert,

tungsten projectiles at hypersonic
speeds, reaching up to Mach 6.

GA-EMS proposes launcher variants
ranging from 3 to 32 megajoules,

capable of engaging missions from
short-range drone defense up to cruise

and ballistic missile intercepts.

The system's appeal lies in its
sustainment economics: substituting

multi-million-dollar missile interceptors
with low-cost kinetic rounds.

The kinetic lethality, relying solely on
impact energy, also simplifies complex

storage, transport, and logistics
requirements for active and reserve units.

The renewed focus on this technology,
despite previous technical challenges

experienced by the Navy, signals a
strategic investment in achieving

an affordable, deep-magazine defense
capability essential for countering

rising sophisticated missile and drone
threats posed by peer competitors.

Issues That Affect
Retired Military Personnel

Financial and Employment Continuity
for Retired Federal Employees

A substantial portion of the retired
military community pursues second careers

within the federal civilian service.

For this population,
the provisions of H.R.

5371 were crucial for
stabilizing their current income.

The guaranteed retroactive pay
ensured that all civilian federal

income, interrupted by the shutdown,
was restored, preventing a major

financial shock for those families
relying on this income stream.

Moreover, H.R.

5371’s success in compelling the
administration to reverse thousands

of October reductions-in-force
(RIFs) and impose a moratorium on

future RIFs until late January 2026
provided important protection for

older, experienced federal workers,
many of whom are military retirees.

This policy protects the employment
trajectory of those nearing federal

civilian retirement, safeguarding
their eligibility and benefits

accrual from abrupt employment
termination due to fiscal uncertainty.

The ability of the government
to reverse RIFs not only secured

individual livelihoods but also provided
psychological reassurance to the dedicated

civilian workforce, heavily populated
by veterans, stabilizing the operational

continuity of critical federal agencies.

Stability of Military Entitlement Programs

Throughout the period of fiscal lapse,
core benefits for the retired community

maintained a notable degree of stability,
primarily because they are funded

through mandatory appropriations or
self-funded mechanisms, differentiating

them from VA operational budgets.

The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), which
provides annuities to surviving military

spouses and children, continued without
interruption, reinforcing its reliability

as a foundational mandatory entitlement.

Similarly, key healthcare
and dental/vision insurance

programs remained robust.

Military pharmacies continued
operation, although some hours of

service were subject to change.

For dental and vision coverage,
the Federal Employees Dental and

Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP)
open enrollment period remained

on schedule for November 2025.

Crucially, retired federal employees
who participate in FEDVIP, and whose

premiums are deducted from their federal
pay, maintained continuous coverage

throughout the appropriations lapse.

The missed premiums will be
retroactively deducted from

the back pay authorized by H.R.

5371 when that pay is posted, ensuring
no coverage gaps or financial penalties

were incurred by the policyholder.

The continuity demonstrated by SBP
and FEDVIP highlights the inherent

resilience of mandatory entitlement
programs and insurance models.

This stands in contrast to the disruption
experienced by discretionary-funded

services, such as the VA’s GI Bill
hotline and regional benefits offices,

illustrating a necessary distinction in
the level of financial security afforded

to the retired community depending on the
funding source of their specific benefit.

Legislative Efforts for
Permanent Pay Protection

While H.R.

5371 provided immediate relief, the
legislative session this week also

saw the failure of competing bills
aimed at establishing permanent pay

protections during future shutdowns.

Debates in the Senate included measures
like the Shutdown Fairness Act (S.

3012) and the True
Shutdown Fairness Act (S.

3039).

The Shutdown Fairness Act failed to
advance because it was criticized

for only authorizing pay for
excepted federal employees and

military service members, thereby
excluding furloughed federal workers.

Conversely, the True Shutdown Fairness
Act, which aimed to guarantee pay

for all federal employees—furloughed,
excepted, and servicemembers—during

both the current and future shutdowns,
was objected to and did not pass.

The failure of these proactive measures
underscores the ongoing legislative

challenge in providing reliable, long-term
financial predictability for the entire

federal workforce, a priority of great
significance to the thousands of retired

service members who continue their
public service as government civilians.

Issues That Affect Veterans Affairs

Securing Cost-of-Living
Adjustments for Disabled Veterans

The Senate acted swiftly to secure the
annual adjustment of compensation rates

for service-connected disabilities.

On Sunday, November 9, 2025, the Senate
passed the Veterans' Compensation

Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025 (S.

2392) by Unanimous Consent.

Summary of S.

This legislation mandates that
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs

implement an increase in the rates
of compensation for veterans with

service-connected disabilities and
the rates of Dependency and Indemnity

Compensation (DIC) for their survivors.

The increase is directly linked to
the percentage by which benefits under

the Social Security Act are increased.

The mandated increase is
effective as of December 1, 2025.

The cost-of-living adjustment applies
to all dollar amounts related to wartime

disability compensation (38 U.S.C.

1114), additional compensation
for dependents (38 U.S.C.

1115(1)), the clothing
allowance (38 U.S.C.

1162), and DIC payments for
surviving spouses and children.

The passage of S.

2392 gains enhanced significance in the
wake of the government shutdown, as it

reaffirms the Congressional consensus and
commitment to maintaining the purchasing

power of these core entitlements.

This action guarantees that compensation
rates for disabled veterans, a

mandatory appropriation, will
predictably adjust to inflationary

economic conditions, insulating these
essential benefits from the political

and fiscal uncertainties that affected
operational funding for the VA.

VA Healthcare Policy: New
Copayments for Whole Health Services

The VA announced a significant
policy update on November 14, 2025,

regarding its billing practices for
Whole Health well-being services.

This change, driven by regulatory
compliance, ensures VA alignment

with statutory requirements after
a proposal to exempt these services

was withdrawn in January 2025.

Effective for services rendered on or
after October 1, 2025, the VA will apply a

$15 copayment for Whole Health well-being
services billed under Stop Code 139.

These services include integrative
and preventative care such as health

coaching, guided imagery, meditation,
yoga for well-being, and tai chi/qigong.

Exemption for Disabled Veterans

It is crucial to note that this
new copayment policy specifically

does not apply to the most
severely disabled veterans.

The $15 fee is only applicable to
Veterans in Priority Groups 6, 7,

and 8, who are already responsible
for other outpatient copayments.

Veterans are statutorily exempt from
this new copayment if they meet any

of the existing exemptions, including:

Veterans with a service-connected
disability rating of 50% or more.

Veterans who are receiving care
for a service-connected condition.

The introduction of copayments
for preventative, holistic care

creates a new financial barrier for
lower-priority veterans, even as it

ensures compliance with federal law.

While severely disabled veterans are
protected, the $15 fee could deter

engagement in wellness programs
for other veterans who are highly

motivated to manage chronic conditions
preventatively, potentially shifting

the demand back toward more expensive,
acute medical care in the future.

Operational Resumption
and Administrative Updates

The end of the 43-day government shutdown
meant the immediate resumption of

critical, previously paused VA services,
including the claims process, access

to regional benefits offices, grounds
maintenance at national cemeteries,

and permanent headstone placement.

VA Secretary Doug Collins issued
a statement on November 10, 2025,

ahead of Veterans Day, highlighting
recent departmental achievements

under the current administration.

Key accomplishments cited included
a more than 49% reduction in the

backlog of veterans waiting for VA
benefits since January 20, 2025, and

major reforms implemented to ease
access to benefits for survivors.

Furthermore, the VA demonstrated
its ongoing commitment to fighting

homelessness by awarding $84 million
in grants during this news cycle.

Administrative reforms also included
the acceleration of the integrated

electronic health record system
deployment, the termination of union

contracts, and the phasing out of
treatment for gender dysphoria,

reversing what the VA characterized
as "divisive Biden-era policies".

For disabled veterans and
other beneficiaries who rely on

monthly payments, the VA issued
a standard reminder concerning

the November payment schedule.

VA disability compensation, pension,
and DIC payments are processed

after the month is complete.

Therefore, benefits covering the
month of November 2025 are scheduled

for distribution on the first
business day of the following month,

which is Monday, December 1, 2025.

The significant focus on the 49% backlog
reduction is a noteworthy metric of

administrative success; however, the
immediate challenge for the VA following

the shutdown is effectively managing the
administrative wave of delayed transition

applications, claims, and inquiries
that accumulated over the 43-day period.

Rapid action is required to
ensure that the positive trend in

benefits processing is not reversed
by the recent protracted lapse.

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.