MIL News Weekly

Edward: Welcome to the MIL News Weekly
for 16-22 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

The Aftermath of the Government
Shutdown: Pay and Personnel Status

The immediate aftermath of the
federal government reopening dominated

the operational conversation for
active and reserve personnel.

The week began with the armed
forces navigating the administrative

thaw following the appropriations
lapse that had threatened to cause

a major financial catastrophe.

The nation’s uniformed service members
narrowly avoided an unprecedented

failure of financial continuity.

Analysis of the budgetary constraints
during the shutdown period revealed

that 14 November 2025 would have
marked the first occasion in

history that members of all military
branches risked missing a paycheck.

This fiscal peril
endangered approximately 1.3

million active-duty personnel
and more than 750,000 National

Guard and reserve personnel.

Earlier payments made through
October 31 were only achieved through

the necessary, yet complicated,
reallocation of other funding streams.

The mechanism of relying on ad-hoc
funding rather than secure mandatory

appropriations demonstrates that
operational and personnel readiness

is fundamentally vulnerable
to political budget impasses.

The fact that the financial infrastructure
for military pay required these emergency

measures exposes a systemic risk that
continuous appropriations instability

erodes the long-term readiness of the
force by diverting essential financial

bandwidth away from routine management
toward perpetual crisis mitigation.

The end of the shutdown, which occurred
on 12 November 2025 , allowed furloughed

federal employees—a critical component
of the Total Force, including DoD

civilians and technicians—to begin
returning to work on 13 November 2025.

These employees were guaranteed
retroactive pay for the time they

were furloughed, a measure mandated
by the Government Employee Fair

Treatment Act of 2019 (GEFTA).

Crucially for military families,
the administrative freeze on

personnel actions began to lift.

Personnel offices, including S1s, MPFs,
and transition offices, were directed

to prioritize updating separation
timelines for service members who had been

involuntarily extended during the lapse.

Similarly, Permanent Change of Station
(PCS) orders and travel arrangements

that were frozen or delayed must now
work through a substantial backlog.

The delay of critical life milestones,
such as separations and moves,

directly contributes to morale and
logistical stress, illustrating that

administrative efficiency is a direct
component of military effectiveness.

Sweeping Department of War Policy Overhaul

The week was marked by the announcement
of significant and potentially

culture-altering policy directives by
Secretary Hegseth, signaling a major

institutional re-engineering effort
aimed at sharpening the force's focus.

These directives are comprehensive,
affecting nearly every aspect of

soldier life and command oversight.

A primary goal of the new guidance
is the reduction of administrative

burdens that detract from
core warfighting capabilities.

This includes the directive for the
"Reduction of Mandatory Training

Requirements to Restore Mission Focus".

This acknowledgement suggests a high-level
recognition that non-mission-essential

training requirements had grown
disproportionately large, negatively

impacting the time service members
could dedicate to core combat skills.

Specific policy reforms targeting
personnel management and

discipline were also announced.

These include the implementation of
new "Grooming Standards for Facial Hair

Implementation" , a change likely to
affect daily life and unit appearance

standards across the branches.

Furthermore, changes were mandated in
internal justice and retention mechanisms,

such as the implementation of an
"Adverse Information Policy," revisions

to the "Policy Memorandum Revision
- Special Selection Review Boards,"

and a fundamental "Review of Hazing,
Bullying, and Harassment Definitions".

These changes signal a commitment
to improving fairness and due

process in career progression
and conduct adjudication.

The success of these rapid cultural
and administrative shifts, particularly

the implementation of the new
military education standards, will

depend heavily on the clear and
decisive guidance resulting from the

mandated 60-Day Review of Military
Education and Training Standards.

Legislative Framework: The FY2025 NDAA (S.

4638)

The policy and funding goals for the
military were further contextualized

by legislative activity in Congress.

A legislative recap on 21 November 2025
highlighted the continued movement of S.

4638, the National Defense Authorization
Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025.

Although the bill text available
is a committee report version from

July 2024, its structural components
illustrate the foundation of personnel

policy for the future fiscal year.

Title IV of the NDAA addresses crucial
manpower mandates, setting the authorized

End Strengths for the Active forces (Sec.

401) and the Reserve forces (Sec.

411, Selected Reserve).

These sections determine the size
and deployment capacity of the U.S.

military.

Title V further addresses internal
management, including detailed policies

on officer personnel, talent management,
and personnel retention strategies (Sec.

502).

Crucially, the NDAA includes provisions
that reinforce the stability and

incentives for the federal civilian
workforce, particularly those who are

also members of the Reserve component.

The legislation authorizes an
increase in military leave accrual

and accumulation for federal employees
performing military reserve duty.

This provision directly supports
military readiness by mitigating the

strain placed on reservists who must
juggle federal employment with their

drilling and training obligations.

Additionally, the NDAA ensures the
continued operability of the Defense

Department’s global footprint by
extending the authority to waive the

annual limitation on premium pay for
certain Federal civilian employees

working overseas or in combat
zones through calendar year 2025.

By incorporating these pay and leave
flexibilities, Congress has protected

these mandatory measures from the
annual appropriations volatility,

recognizing the indispensable nature
of the civilian support apparatus.

Issues That Affect
Retired Military Personnel

The most pivotal financial news for the
retired military community during this

period was the official confirmation of
the Cost of Living Adjustment for 2026.

This announcement provided crucial
financial stability after a volatile

period of government funding uncertainty.

The 2026 COLA was finalized at 2.8%.

This rate, determined by the Consumer
Price Index (CPI), is legislatively

mandated to ensure that retired
pay maintains its purchasing power

against inflationary pressures.

This adjustment will take effect
in January 2026 and applies

to all military retired pay.

This certainty serves as a
necessary buffer against economic

volatility for retired households.

The practical effect of the 2.8%

COLA is immediately evident in the
monthly financial outlook for retirees.

For instance, a military retiree
who receives $2,500 in monthly

retired pay will see an increase
of approximately $70 per month.

This rate is slightly higher than
the 2025 COLA, which was 2.5%,

providing slightly
greater economic relief.

It is noteworthy that the official
announcement of this COLA rate

was delayed by nine days due to
the preceding government shutdown.

This delay, despite the mandatory nature
of the funding, shows that political

gridlock can still impact the timing of
financial news for benefit recipients.

Furthermore, the COLA applies
to all auxiliary benefits

tied to military retirement.

Survivors receiving benefits
under the Survivor Benefit Plan

(SBP) will receive the same 2.8%

increase in their monthly payments.

For those service members retiring in
2025, the 2026 COLA will be prorated based

on the specific quarter of the year in
which their retirement became effective.

Social Security officials, who determine
the rate that military COLA follows,

will begin the process of notifying
individuals of their new benefit amounts

via mail starting in early December.

TRICARE Open Season:
Decisions for 2026 Coverage

The Defense Health Agency reminded
beneficiaries about the ongoing

TRICARE Open Season, the annual
opportunity for many military families

and retirees to adjust their health
care coverage for the coming year.

TRICARE Open Season began on 10 November
2025 and concludes on 09 December 2025.

Any changes made during this window will
become effective on 01 January 2026.

This applies specifically to beneficiaries
eligible for TRICARE Prime or TRICARE

Select, allowing them to evaluate
their choices and make changes based

on their family's health care needs.

This annual period represents a
critical administrative imperative

for the non-Medicare eligible retired
population, forcing an active review of

complex health care choices to ensure
optimal cost efficiency and access.

It is essential for retirees
to remember that Open Season

does not apply universally.

Active duty service members must
remain on TRICARE Prime and cannot

change their plan during this time.

More critically for the large
segment of the retired population,

Open Season does not apply to
those with TRICARE For Life (TFL).

TFL eligibility is automatic once a
retiree is Medicare-eligible and enrolled

in both Medicare Part A and Part B.

Similarly, beneficiaries in premium-based
plans such as TRICARE Reserve Select or

TRICARE Retired Reserve are excluded from
the annual open season enrollment process.

Legislative Oversight via H.R.

The financial security enjoyed
by retired service members,

particularly in light of the recent
shutdown, is buttressed by essential

legislative language in continuing
appropriations acts, such as H.R.

5371 (119th Congress).

This legislation ensured that mandatory
payments continued at current levels

during the appropriations lapse.

Specifically, H.R.

5371 mandates that entitlements
and other mandatory payments, whose

budget authority was provided in an
appropriations Act, shall be continued

at the rate necessary to maintain
program levels under current law.

This mechanism serves as a critical
financial shield, protecting military

retired pay from disruption even
during periods of extreme legislative

disagreement over funding the government.

Issues That Affect Veterans Affairs

Resilience of VA Disability
Benefits and Resumption of Services

For the disabled veteran community,
the end of the government shutdown

brought relief and the resumption
of essential support services,

while confirming the fundamental
security of core benefit payments.

A critical point of assurance for
veterans during the entire period of

volatility was the confirmed stability
of VA disability compensation payments.

These tax-free monthly benefits were not
interrupted by the government shutdown

because they fall under mandatory
funding, which must continue to be

approved due to prior legal commitments.

This legislative design ensures
that the veteran community’s primary

source of income is protected
against political gridlock.

However, the mandatory funding
status applies only to the direct

payments themselves, leaving many
supporting services vulnerable.

With the government fully
reopening, veterans could expect

the immediate resumption of vital
discretionary services that had

been halted or severely curtailed.

These included VA outreach programs,
the full staffing of public-facing

regional offices, career counseling,
transition assistance, and the

Veterans Benefits Administration
(VBA) Education Call Center.

The operational reality here is that
while mandatory funding protects

the veteran’s income, discretionary
funding protects the essential quality

of life and access to care services.

The immediate normalization of these
services is crucial to prevent vulnerable

veterans from slipping into crises, such
as unemployment or housing insecurity,

that the VA is mandated to address.

2026 COLA for Disability
Compensation and Related Benefits

Consistent with retired military pay,
veterans receiving disability compensation

and related benefits also received
official confirmation of the 2026 COLA.

The 2.8%

Cost of Living Adjustment for 2026 applies
directly to VA disability compensation,

the clothing allowance, and Dependency
and Indemnity Compensation (DIC).

The 2024 legislation passed by
Congress, which ties these benefit

increases to the Social Security COLA
rate, guarantees the predictability

and delivery of this adjustment.

This mechanism ensures that the
tax-free monthly benefit, which

varies significantly depending on the
service-connected disability rating,

continues to keep pace with inflation.

To illustrate the financial impact,
a veteran who receives $1,500

per month in benefits will see an
increase of about $42 in their monthly

payment starting in January 2026.

For many service-disabled veterans whose
disability compensation represents their

sole or primary source of income, this
increase is an essential inflation buffer.

VA Claims Backlog Status:
A Persistent Challenge

Despite the focus on returning to
normalized operations, the Veterans

Benefits Administration continues
to face a significant structural

hurdle: the claims backlog.

Data updated on 17 November 2025
provided a current measure of this

persistent administrative challenge.

As of that date, the VBA reported a
total claims backlog of 198,378 claims.

The backlog is specifically defined as
rating bundle disability compensation and

pension claims that have been received by
the VA and have been pending for more than

125 days, thus requiring development and a
rating decision by a VA claims processor.

This inventory includes initial and
supplemental claims for service-connected

disabilities, Agent Orange-related
claims, and standard pension claims

for veterans and their survivors.

Importantly, this total figure tracks
initial decision requests and does not

include claims that have been appealed
by veterans after a benefits decision,

which are tracked in a separate inventory.

The sustained high volume of the
backlog immediately following the

shutdown demonstrates that the
difficulty in timely claims processing

is a structural impediment related
to procedural complexity, technology

integration, or staffing levels, rather
than a problem solely attributable

to short-term funding lapses.

Therefore, future legislative efforts
must focus not only on guaranteeing

benefit payments but also on sustained,
mandated modernization efforts within

the VBA to reduce waiting times
for veterans seeking compensation.

Veterans Health Administration
(VHA) Public Health and Research

The Veterans Health Administration
continued to highlight its commitment

to modern and preventative care
models throughout the week.

The VHA emphasized the "Whole Health"
initiative, which leverages resources

such as Tele Whole Health and digital
VA tools to ensure veterans are placed

at the center of their care decisions.

In preventative health, the VHA issued
targeted communications promoting

crucial services, specifically urging
veterans to utilize lung cancer

screening resources, noting that
early detection can dramatically

improve outcomes and save lives.

Furthermore, VA research findings,
released on 22 November 2025,

showcased the VHA’s ongoing
leadership in medical innovation.

The research wrap-up detailed new findings
on brain-computer interfaces, advanced

cancer treatment protocols, and the
expansion of age-friendly care practices.

This dedication to high-tech and
specialized research demonstrates

the VHA’s forward-looking strategy
necessary to address the complex and

evolving health needs of the modern
veteran population, particularly

those dealing with traumatic injuries
and service-related toxic exposures.

Legislative Mandates and Conclusion

The legislative efforts tracked
during the week of 16 November 2025

through 22 November 2025 highlighted
two crucial mechanisms maintaining

the stability of the federal
military and veteran communities.

Referenced Bills in
Congress and Their Effects

1.

S.

4638 (118th): National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025

This legislation contains provisions
that directly support the civilian

component of the Department of Defense.

It increases military leave accrual
and accumulation for Federal

employees who perform military
reserve duty , thus reducing

administrative burden for reservists.

Furthermore, it extends the authority
to waive the annual limitation on

premium pay for certain Federal civilian
employees working overseas or in combat

zones through calendar year 2025.

For active and reserve military
personnel, the bill sets authorized

end strengths and dictates policy
on talent management and retention.

2.

H.R.

5371 (119th): Continuing
Appropriations and Emergency Measures

This measure contains language that
provides essential financial security

during appropriations disputes.

It ensures that budget authority
for entitlements and other mandatory

payments, including military retired pay
and veterans disability compensation,

continues at the rate necessary to
maintain current program levels.

This protects both retired employees
and disabled veterans from the

financial instability caused
by government funding lapses.

The bill also includes extensions
of various expiring authorities

related to veterans benefits.

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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roundup of the news that matters most

to the military and veteran community.