MIL News Weekly

We deliver a comprehensive roundup of key military, retiree, and veterans affairs news for the week of 26 July – 1 August 2026. Highlights include a new MARSOC and Softworks initiative to replace manual armory record-keeping with a secure, non-radio-frequency, optical inventory system, and a congressional inquiry into inadequate medical response after a deadly drone strike in Kuwait. The Pentagon announced the deployment of 1st Cavalry Division troops to Eastern Europe and major naval activity in the Indo-Pacific. Defense technology advances included the final MV-22B Osprey delivery, Air Force A-10C squadron reactivation, and substantial Navy and Air Force procurement contracts. For retirees, the Major Richard Starr Act moved forward in Congress, aiming to end the offset that reduces pensions for medically retired, combat-injured veterans—potentially restoring over $1,000/month for 50,000+ retirees. Important updates to SGLI and VGLI insurance conversion deadlines were detailed, and the VA is set to streamline its disability claim process by reducing paperwork. VA also rolled out a HIPAA-compliant health data exchange pilot and announced significant investments in healthcare infrastructure and historical preservation.