MIL News Weekly

From June 29 to July 5, 2025, active-duty and reserve military personnel were heavily involved in domestic missions, including assisting ICE facilities in Florida, Texas, and Louisiana, with thousands of Guard and reserve troops stationed along the U.S.-Mexico border. Financially, a defense budget reconciliation package allocated up to $157 billion for housing, pay raises, and bonuses to improve retention and conditions for military families. Recruitment also surged in the Air Force and Space Force, though the Army and Navy struggled.

For retired military personnel, the main update was a shift in the billing process for the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) premiums, starting in August 2025, through DFAS. Additionally, the House is considering the Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act (H.R. 333), which would allow veterans with service-connected disabilities to receive both retired pay and VA disability compensation concurrently.

In veterans' affairs, there was significant concern over proposed changes to SNAP exemptions for disabled veterans, which could cut benefits for many low-income veterans. Other legislative efforts, including the "Putting Veterans First Act" and the "Veterans' ACCESS Act," aim to improve veterans' health services, care options, and mental health support, particularly for disabled veterans. Several bills also focus on veterans' housing and legal protections.