MIL News Weekly

Edward: Welcome to the MIL News Weekly
for dd-dd month June 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

Personnel serving on active duty or
in the reserve components began the

reporting period of 11 January 2026 to 17
January 2026 adjusting to the financial

realities of the 2026 calendar year.

Effective 1 January 2026,
service members received a 3.8

percent increase in their basic pay,
a move designed to help military

compensation keep pace with the
broader national labor market.

This increase was paired with a 4.2

percent average rise in the Basic
Allowance for Housing, although

the specific impact for individual
service members varies by their

geographic location and the
local cost of civilian housing.

Additionally, those
receiving a Cost-of-Living

Adjustment for 2026 saw a 2.8

percent increase, reflecting the
latest inflation data provided by

the Social Security Administration.

Institutional readiness remains
a concern, as highlighted by a

Government Accountability Office
report released on 16 January 2026.

The GAO noted that the Navy lacks
a cohesive plan to replace its

aging self-defense test ship,
which is a remotely operated vessel

essential for testing how warships
defend against incoming missiles.

Furthermore, the Naval Sea Systems
Command reported that only 41 percent

of ships undergoing maintenance in
service-owned shipyards were completed

on schedule in the previous year.

To address this, the Navy has set a
goal to have 80 percent of the fleet

deployable by 2027, with a focus on
earlier contract awards and more rigorous

advance planning for maintenance periods.

The Air Force is also navigating
a shift toward next-generation

and uncrewed systems.

During the week of 11 January 2026,
the service continued developing its

Collaborative Combat Aircraft program,
which focuses on semi-autonomous

"drone wingmen" intended to
fly alongside crewed fighters.

The Air Force requested 804 million
dollars for this program in fiscal

year 2026, with production decisions
for prototypes from General Atomics

and Anduril expected later this year.

However, the National Defense
Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026 has

slowed the retirement of legacy platforms
to ensure mission mass is maintained.

Specifically, the legislation prohibits
the retirement of A-10 Thunderbolt II

aircraft below a fleet of 103 units and
delays the planned drawdown of F-15E

Strike Eagles until at least 2027.

Domestic military presence in the
nation's capital was a major focus

on 14 January 2026, when a memo
signed by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll

authorized the extension of National
Guard deployments in Washington, D.C.,

through the end of 2026.

As of 16 January 2026, there are
2,429 troops committed to this

mission, including 712 from the
District of Columbia National Guard

and 1,717 from eleven other states,
including Indiana, South Carolina,

Florida, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.

This deployment follows a tragic
incident on 26 November 2025, where

20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom of
the West Virginia National Guard

was shot and killed while on duty.

Special operations forces were active in
the North Atlantic during this period,

where elements of the Army’s 160th
Special Operations Aviation Regiment

participated in the seizure of the
Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera.

Operating from bases near the United
Kingdom, the unit used MH-6 Little Bird

helicopters to support the enforcement
of a global blockade on sanctioned

Venezuelan oil infrastructure.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed
on 17 January 2026 that the blockade

remains in full effect globally
to target "Dark Fleet" vessels.

On the same day, United States Central
Command announced a retaliatory strike

in Syria under "Operation Hawkeye Strike"
that killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, an

Al-Qaeda-affiliated leader tied to a
December ambush that killed two American

soldiers and a civilian interpreter.

The Marine Corps implemented unified
physical fitness and body composition

standards starting 1 January 2026, which
remained a top transition priority for

units during the week of 11 January 2026.

Marines in combat arms specialties are
now required to adhere to sex-neutral

scoring for the Physical Fitness Test,
necessitating a minimum of 210 points out

of 300 using male, age-normed standards.

Additionally, the Corps is replacing
its traditional tape test with a

waist-to-height ratio method to evaluate
body composition, where a ratio below 0.55

is generally considered the
threshold for acceptable risk.

Despite these rigorous standards, the
Marine Corps achieved its retention

goals for 2026 within the first month
of the fiscal year, a success attributed

to the Talent Management 2030 strategy.

In the Army, new standards
for professional image and

performance were introduced.

Beginning in early 2026, the service
is standardizing the use of the drill

sergeant campaign hat for all trainers.

Simultaneously, the Army expanded
its Holistic Health and Fitness

program, which focuses on a culture
of human performance to ensure that

warfighting readiness remains the
primary focus for every soldier.

Significant Congressional Bills
for Active and Reserve Personnel

Several pieces of legislation were
introduced or actively discussed

between 11 January 2026 and 17 January
2026 that directly impact current

personnel and federal employees.

H.R.

7137, titled the Pay and Allowances
of Federal Employees and Armed Forces

Act, was introduced by Representative
Dusty Johnson on 16 January 2026.

This bill appropriates funds for
the pay and allowances of federal

employees, contract employees,
and members of the Armed Forces

during any lapse in appropriations.

For current federal employees and
service members, this legislation

provides critical financial protection,
ensuring that they receive their

standard rate of pay on schedule
even if a government shutdown occurs.

Link:

H.R.

5401, known as the Pay Our Troops
Act of 2026, was sponsored by

Representative Jennifer Kiggans.

This bill provides continuing
appropriations for military pay during

any period in fiscal year 2026 when
regular appropriations are not in effect.

It ensures that members of the Armed
Forces, including reserve components

on active service, as well as necessary
civilian personnel and contractors of

the Department of Defense, remain paid
until 1 January 2027, during a shutdown.

This provides immediate peace of
mind for federal employees whose

pay would otherwise be suspended.

Link:

H.R.

7016, introduced by Representative William
Keating on 12 January 2026, seeks to

prohibit the use of federal funds to
invade NATO countries and territories.

While primarily a foreign policy
measure, this bill affects current

military personnel by restricting
the operational deployment of forces

to certain conflict zones unless
specific legal criteria are met.

This would impact the mission
planning and potential deployment

orders for thousands of active and
reserve troops stationed in Europe.

Link:

Issues That Affect
Retired Military Personnel

For military retirees and survivors,
the week of 11 January 2026 to

17 January 2026 was focused on
the implementation of the 2.8

percent Cost-of-Living Adjustment.

This increase, which began appearing
in January 2026 payments, means

that standard military retirees will
receive an additional 28 dollars

for every 1,000 dollars of military
retirement pension they receive.

However, retirees who opted for the
Career Status Bonus (CSB/Redux) plan

see a smaller increase of 18 dollars
per 1,000 dollars, as their COLA is

reduced by a percentage point by law.

Those who retired in 2025 will receive
a prorated adjustment based on the

specific quarter of the year in which
they separated from the service.

Retirees must also navigate changes
in healthcare administration.

TRICARE benefits remain portable, but
retirement is a qualifying life event that

requires action within 90 days to avoid
a break in coverage for civilian care.

Retirees must enroll in TRICARE
Prime or TRICARE Select and begin

paying annual enrollment fees.

Furthermore, once a retiree or their
family member becomes eligible for

Medicare Part A, they must also
enroll in Medicare Part B to maintain

their TRICARE For Life coverage.

For those seeking additional
benefits, the Federal Employees

Dental and Vision Insurance Program
remains available to retired

service members and their families.

Financial management for retirees also saw
a change in Department of Veterans Affairs

policy during the week of 11 January 2026.

On 13 January 2026, the VA affirmed
a new ruling that limits the

"apportionment" of disability benefits.

Apportionment is a process where
the VA pays a portion of a veteran's

benefits directly to their dependents.

Starting 9 February 2026, the VA
will stop making new need-based

apportionments to avoid conflicts
with state family courts, which the

department views as better situated
to handle domestic financial matters.

Current apportionments will not be
affected, and new requests will only be

granted if the veteran is incarcerated or
institutionalized at government expense.

Planning for future retirement
has also been bolstered by new

limits on the Thrift Savings Plan.

For the 2026 calendar year, the catch-up
contribution limit has increased to 8,000

dollars for employees aged 50 and older.

Additionally, under the SECURE 2.0

law, a special catch-up limit of 11,250
dollars is now available for federal

employees between 60 and 63 years old.

This allows late-career employees
and those nearing retirement to

significantly increase their savings.

Significant Congressional
Bills for Retired Personnel

Legislation introduced this week also
sought to address the long-term security

of federal and military retirees.

H.R.

491 and S.

624, collectively known as the
Equal COLA Act, were central to

retiree advocacy efforts during
the week of 11 January 2026.

These bills aim to revise the formula for
calculating Cost-of-Living Adjustments

for the Federal Employee Retirement
System to match the more generous formula

used for CSRS and Social Security.

For retired federal employees under
the FERS system, this bill would result

in larger annual pension increases
during periods of high inflation,

correcting the current cap that
prevents their raises from exceeding 2.0

percent in certain economic conditions.

Link:

H.R.

7033, the Federal Correctional
Officer Recruitment and Retention Act,

was introduced on 13 January 2026.

While primarily a recruitment
tool, this bill improves the

retirement incentives for federal
correctional officers by enhancing

their long-term pension security.

For retirees from the correctional
service, this bill reflects a

recognition of the high-risk nature
of their former employment and

ensures that future retirees have
a more stable financial foundation.

Link:

Issues That Affect Veterans Affairs

Developments within Veterans Affairs
during the week of 11 January 2026

to 17 January 2026 were headlined
by a critical evaluation from the

Government Accountability Office.

On 14 January 2026, the GAO testified
before the House Subcommittee on

Disability Assistance and Memorial
Affairs, revealing that the VA is

still making disability compensation
decisions based on earnings loss

data that dates back to 1945.

While the VA has updated medical
criteria for 11 of the 15 body systems

in its rating schedule, the department
is ten years past its original

deadline for full modernization.

The GAO warned that without
updated earnings loss data, certain

veterans—particularly those with
mental health conditions—may be

significantly undercompensated
relative to the modern labor market.

The VA's disability compensation
program has been on the GAO’s

High-Risk List since 2003.

Although the department has
met three of five criteria for

removal—leadership commitment, an
action plan, and monitoring—it has

failed to meet the criteria for
capacity and demonstrated progress.

This is a massive operation; in
fiscal year 2025, the VA provided

approximately 195 billion dollars
in compensation to over 6.9

million veterans and their families.

For disabled veterans, the 2026
disability pay rates have been

officially increased by 2.8

percent.

A veteran with a 10 percent
disability rating now receives 180.42

dollars per month, while a 100 percent
disabled veteran with a spouse and

child receives approximately 4,671.47

dollars.

Special Monthly Compensation rates for
veterans who have lost the use of limbs

or certain organs now range from 4,584.77

dollars to 11,843.74

dollars per month.

VA education benefits are also undergoing
a significant administrative shift.

Beginning in January 2026, all
beneficiaries of VA education

programs, including students under
Chapter 35 (Survivors' and Dependents'

Educational Assistance), are required
to verify their enrollment every month

to receive their benefit payments.

This measure is intended to prevent
overpayments and ensure the accuracy

of the benefit distribution.

Simultaneously, the department celebrated
the three-year anniversary of the VALife

program, which has provided over 2.2

billion dollars in total life insurance
coverage to more than 70,000 veterans

with service-connected disabilities.

In healthcare, the VA announced plans
on 17 January 2026 to reorganize

the management structure of the
Veterans Health Administration.

The goal is to streamline
operations by empowering local

hospital directors and eliminating
duplicative layers of bureaucracy.

The department also launched a request
for proposals for new community care

contracts to expand healthcare choice
for veterans over the next decade.

To support veterans in underserved
areas, the VA launched an offline

mobile app for Home-Based Primary Care
teams, allowing clinicians to provide

care and document visits in remote
locations without internet access.

Further support for disabled veterans was
realized through an increase in building

and material cost grant amounts for
the Specially Adapted Housing program.

This ensures that severely disabled
veterans can afford to modify

their homes for accessibility
despite rising construction costs.

Additionally, the VA completed Phase One
of its new case management system for the

Veteran Readiness and Employment program,
modernizing the platform to improve

job placement outcomes for veterans
with service-connected disabilities.

Significant Congressional
Bills for Veterans

Several legislative efforts were
introduced between 11 January

2026 and 17 January 2026 to expand
the scope of veteran support.

S.

3591, the Veteran Benefits Notice
Act of 2026, was introduced by

Senator Angus King on 7 January
2026 and discussed extensively

during the week of 11 January 2026.

This bill requires the Department of
Labor and the VA to create a standard

notice detailing all available
veteran benefits, which employers

must display in the workplace.

For federal employees who are veterans,
this bill ensures they are fully

aware of the healthcare and education
programs they have earned, potentially

increasing the utilization of these
services across the federal workforce.

Link:

H.R.

7047, the Homeless Veterans Assistance
Act, was introduced by Representative

Raul Ruiz on 13 January 2026.

This bill seeks to expand eligibility
for and make permanent several programs

designed to assist homeless veterans.

For federal employees within the Veterans
Benefits Administration, this legislation

provides long-term stability for the
administrative roles and social work

positions that manage these programs,
moving them from temporary status

to permanent authorized functions.

Link:

H.R.

3944, the Military Construction
and Veterans Affairs

Appropriations Act of 2026, is a
comprehensive bill providing 153.3

billion dollars in discretionary
funding for the VA, including 115.1

billion specifically for medical care.

This bill fully funds the VA's
workforce for the upcoming year,

supporting the salaries of clinicians,
nurses, and administrative staff.

Notably, the bill includes a provision
that prohibits the VA from referring

veterans with appointed fiduciaries to
the National Instant Criminal Background

Check System without a judge's order,
a major policy shift regarding the

second amendment rights of veterans.

Link:

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.