MIL News Weekly

Edward: Welcome to the MIL News Weekly
for 13 - 19 July 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

Congress Moves on Landmark
Defense Bills, Shaping Pay,

Healthcare, and Quality of Life

This week marked a critical legislative
period on Capitol Hill, as House and

Senate committees advanced versions
of the Fiscal Year 2026 National

Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and
its associated appropriations bills.

These massive legislative packages set
the policy and budget for the entire

Department of Defense, dictating
everything from troop pay and benefits to

the procurement of major weapons systems.

The primary legislative vehicles
are the Senate's NDAA, with

provisions from last session's S.

4638 being debated, and the House's
"Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement

and National Defense Authorization
Act for Fiscal Year 2025," H.R.

5009.

A central feature of both proposals is
a significant investment in personnel.

A general pay raise of 3.8%

is on the table for most service members.

Family support and healthcare
are also major focus areas.

The proposed NDAA legislation includes
provisions to improve the portability

of professional licenses for military
spouses, a crucial step to ease the career

disruption caused by frequent relocations.

On the healthcare front, S.

4638 would expand TRICARE Select
eligibility for hearing aids to include

children of retired members, while H.R.

5009 proposes a demonstration
program for the cryopreservation

and storage of gametes.

Both bills mandate assessments on
covering assisted reproductive technology

(ART), signaling a growing recognition
of the importance of family-building

support for service members.

However, these financial and
quality-of-life improvements

are being legislated alongside
controversial social policies.

The Senate's NDAA text includes a
restriction on sex-change surgeries,

while the House version prohibits
TRICARE from covering certain

medical procedures for children
that could result in sterilization.

This coincides with a PBS News report
on July 19 highlighting the ongoing

fight by transgender service members
to continue their careers in the face

of the Trump administration's ban.

This creates a fundamental
tension within the legislation.

The Pentagon is attempting to solve
its recruitment and retention crisis

with significant financial incentives,
yet the simultaneous codification of

these restrictive social policies may
alienate or disqualify a segment of

potential recruits and current personnel,
potentially undermining the very goals

the pay raises are meant to achieve.

Funding for these initiatives is
being hammered out in appropriations

bills, including the FY2026
Military Construction and Veterans

Affairs Appropriations Act, H.R.

3944.

Separately, the House demonstrated
ongoing commitment to foreign

policy objectives by passing H.R.

4016 with a decisive 353-76 vote
to extend military aid to Ukraine.

Two other bills under consideration
provide further insight into

congressional priorities.

The Protecting Military Installations
and Ranges Act of 2025 (S.

197) would mandate national security
reviews of land purchases near military

facilities by entities linked to
China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea,

aiming to bolster base security.

Meanwhile, the Pay Our
Military Act of 2025 (S.

876) seeks to provide financial
stability by ensuring service members

and essential civilian personnel are paid
during any future government shutdown.

National Security Frontline:
Major Cyberattack on National

Guard and Global Tensions

While lawmakers debated budgets,
a stark reminder of the threats

facing the nation emerged.

A leaked Department of Homeland
Security memo confirmed a massive and

prolonged cyber intrusion of a U.S.

Army National Guard network
by a China-associated threat

actor dubbed "Salt Typhoon".

The breach, which was active
for nine months throughout 2024

without being detected, was
far more than simple espionage.

The hackers successfully exfiltrated
administrative credentials,

internal network diagrams, and
over fourteen hundred configuration

files related to 70 U.S.

government and critical
infrastructure entities.

The implications are severe.

The attackers were strategically mapping
critical infrastructure at scale,

creating persistent access and potential
pathways for future disruptive attacks

against other state Guard units, defense
contractors, and even federal systems.

The fact that such a comprehensive
intrusion went unnoticed for

three-quarters of a year within a
military network reveals a troubling gap

in the nation's defensive cyber posture.

This strategic failure is compounded
by a notable disparity in the proposed

defense budget: $1 billion is allocated
for offensive cyber operations in

the Indo-Pacific, while civilian
defensive agencies are facing $1.23

billion in cuts.

This suggests a focus on projecting
power abroad while the digital homeland

remains dangerously porous, creating
a critical vulnerability that could

undermine national security from within.

This cyber threat exists within
a tense global environment.

The U.S.

continues to place troops on high alert
over the Russia-Ukraine conflict and

has prioritized sending Patriot air
defense systems to Ukraine, even delaying

deliveries to allies like Switzerland.

In the Pacific, Taiwan conducted
its annual Han Kuang military

exercises, simulating a war of
attrition and highlighting the

persistent threat in that region.

Boots on the Ground at Home: Domestic
Deployments Spark Legal and Moral Debate

The use of military personnel within
the United States continues to be

a point of significant friction.

This week, the Pentagon announced
the end of a controversial 60-day

deployment of 2,000 National
Guard troops in Los Angeles.

The troops were sent to
address protests related to the

administration's immigration
policies, a move that California's

governor had legally challenged.

This event is part of a broader
pattern that is raising alarm

among veterans and legal experts.

The creation of new military
zones along the U.S.-Mexico

border in Arizona and New Mexico,
where military personnel are

authorized to detain migrants,
has intensified the debate.

On a press call, former service
members, including a U.S.

Army JAG Corps veteran, argued that
these domestic operations likely

violate the Posse Comitatus Act, a
foundational law restricting the use of

the military for civilian law enforcement.

This trend toward the normalization
of domestic military deployments

has profound potential consequences.

It risks eroding the trust between
the American public and the military,

politicizing a traditionally non-partisan
institution, and placing service

members in legally and morally ambiguous
situations for which they are not trained.

Furthermore, it diverts
critical resources.

The top military commander in Los Angeles
had previously requested that some troops

be returned to their primary mission of
fighting wildfires, a clear example of

how these domestic deployments can strain
the National Guard's ability to perform

its traditional state-level duties.

Force Readiness: Training
and Recruitment in Focus

Despite these high-level
challenges, the operational

tempo for the force remains high.

Throughout July, thousands of
active-duty and reserve-component

troops have been engaged in training at
installations like Fort McCoy, Wisconsin.

National Guard units across the
country have been particularly active,

conducting medical evacuation exercises
in New York, live-fire training in

Pennsylvania, assisting with firefighting
efforts in Nevada, and responding to

search and rescue missions in Oregon.

On the recruitment front,
there is positive news.

After several years of significant
shortfalls, all military services are

reportedly on track to meet or exceed
their recruiting goals for fiscal year

2025, with the Army having reached its
target four months ahead of schedule.

To maintain this momentum, Defense
Secretary Pete Hegseth has established

a new Recruitment Task Force.

The group is charged with streamlining
the waiver process for minor medical

or legal issues, which has been a major
bottleneck, and leveraging technology

like artificial intelligence to better
identify and engage potential recruits.

Issues That Affect Retired Military

Navigating the Transition: Critical
Steps for TRICARE and Benefits Enrollment

For the thousands of service members
retiring in 2025, the transition

from active duty is a period fraught
with administrative complexity.

Ensuring a seamless continuation of earned
benefits requires proactive engagement

and a keen awareness of strict deadlines.

Failure at any step can
result in a temporary or even

permanent loss of coverage.

The most critical deadline
involves healthcare.

Upon retirement, service members have a
90-day window to enroll themselves and

their families in a new TRICARE plan,
such as TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select.

Missing this window results
in a gap in health coverage.

While retroactive enrollment is possible
for up to 12 months, it requires the

retiree to pay all back-premiums from
the retirement date, a potentially

significant financial burden.

The process is multi-faceted: retirees
must first update their status in the

Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting
System (DEERS), obtain new retiree

ID cards, research and select the
appropriate health plan, and establish

a method for paying monthly premiums.

Experts strongly recommend setting up
an allotment directly from military

retirement pay to avoid missed payments.

This administrative load is compounded
by separate deadlines for other benefits.

Active duty dental and vision coverage
also terminates at retirement.

To maintain this coverage, retirees must
enroll in the Federal Employees Dental

and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP).

This requires a separate
action within a 60-day window

following the retirement date.

The system places a heavy burden on the
individual to navigate multiple agencies,

deadlines, and enrollment systems during
what is already a major life change.

DFAS and Financial Management:
SBP and CRDP Updates

The Defense Finance and Accounting
Service (DFAS) has highlighted

several key programs for retirees.

A recent legislative amendment now allows
retirees to direct Survivor Benefit Plan

(SBP) annuity payments for a dependent
child into a Special Needs Trust (SNT).

This valuable financial planning
tool can preserve the beneficiary's

eligibility for other federal or
state disability benefits, and DFAS

has released a new checklist to
guide families through the process.

For retirees with service-connected
disabilities, Concurrent

Retirement and Disability Pay
(CRDP) remains a vital benefit.

This program allows eligible retirees with
a VA disability rating of 50% or higher

to receive both their military retired
pay and their VA disability compensation,

bypassing the standard requirement to
waive retired pay dollar-for-dollar.

For most who qualify,
enrollment in CRDP is automatic.

These tailored options, along with
the complex choices within the

Blended Retirement System (BRS)
like the lump-sum payment option,

represent a positive shift toward
more personalized financial planning.

However, this customization
comes at the cost of simplicity.

The downstream effect is a growing
need for a high degree of financial

literacy among retiring service members.

The old one-size-fits-all retirement
briefing is no longer sufficient, creating

an unstated requirement for retirees to
become sophisticated financial planners

or seek professional advice, which
introduces its own costs and barriers.

Base Access and Administrative Alerts

On the administrative front, the
Department of Defense is continuing

its transition to the NextGen ID card.

Retirees still holding older ID cards with
an "INDEF" (indefinite) expiration date

are strongly encouraged to visit a RAPIDS
ID Card Office to obtain a new card.

While the old cards still grant base
access for now, they will eventually be

invalidated, and proactive replacement
is the best way to avoid future issues.

Additionally, the U.S.

Coast Guard's Retiree Services
Program announced that retirees

must now actively opt-in to continue
receiving a physical copy of its

"The Long Blue Line" newsletter.

Issues That Affect Veteran's Affairs

The Department of Veterans Affairs is in
the midst of a significant transformation

that is causing apprehension among
veterans and their advocates.

The department confirmed plans to reduce
its workforce by nearly 30,000 employees

by the end of the current fiscal year.

The VA states this will be
achieved primarily through

attrition, retirements, and hiring
freezes, not large-scale layoffs.

In response, the Disabled American
Veterans (DAV) expressed "cautious

optimism" that the cuts could be
made without degrading services

but emphasized that transparency is
critical, especially as the demand

for VA care continues to rise due
to an aging population and expanded

eligibility under laws like the PACT Act.

This announcement of workforce reduction
is paired with a new internal policy

that has drawn sharp criticism.

An internal memo revealed a
plan to strictly scrutinize

remote work accommodations for
employees with disabilities.

Under the new rule, any request for
telework lasting more than eight

weeks must be approved by a member
of the Senior Executive Service.

Furthermore, all existing long-term remote
work arrangements are now subject to at

least an annual review to assess their
"appropriateness and effectiveness".

The American Federation of Government
Employees (AFGE), the union representing

the VA workforce, condemned the policy
as an "outrageous" and "clear attempt to

force disabled veterans out the door".

The union highlighted the deep irony
of the VA, one of the largest employers

of disabled veterans in the country,
implementing a policy that creates

significant new bureaucratic hurdles
for its own disabled employees.

These simultaneous actions
create a troubling paradox.

The VA is publicly celebrating
record-breaking efficiency,

having processed over 2 million
disability claims faster than

ever before in fiscal year 2025.

Yet, it is simultaneously planning
to cut its workforce by 30,000 and

implementing an internal policy
that could drive out experienced

employees with disabilities—the
very people processing those claims.

It is difficult to reconcile how service
delivery can be maintained, let alone

improved, under these conditions.

The potential long-term result could
be a "brain drain" of institutional

knowledge and a future decline in
the quality of care and benefits

delivery, directly harming the
veterans the VA is sworn to serve.

Your Earned Benefits: Key Updates on
Compensation, Insurance, and Support

Amid these policy shifts, there are
several important updates on benefits.

The VA's 2025 disability compensation
rates will include a 2.5%

cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).

For a veteran with a 90% disability
rating and no dependents, this translates

to a monthly payment of $2,297.96.

A veteran with the same rating
but with a dependent spouse and

parent will receive $2,634.38.

According to the VA payment schedule,
benefits for the month of July will

be paid on or around July 31, 2025.

In other positive news, premiums for
Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI)

will be reduced starting July 1, 2025.

The discounts will range from 2%
to 17%, with an average reduction

of 11%, making this important
coverage more affordable for veterans

after they separate from service.

The VA also announced it will
propose a rule to extend eligibility

for the Program of Comprehensive
Assistance for Family Caregivers.

This would continue the program
for "legacy" veterans—those

injured on or before September 11,
2001—through September 30, 2028.

While this extension is welcome news
for those families, its temporary

nature, combined with the rollback of
remote work flexibilities, suggests

that support systems expanded during
the pandemic are now under review.

This creates a climate of uncertainty
for vulnerable veterans and families

who have come to rely on these programs
for their stability and well-being.

Congressional Oversight
and Veteran Initiatives

Congress continues its
oversight of the department.

This week, the House Committee on
Veterans' Affairs held hearings

on the VA's community care
programs and its Veteran Readiness

and Employment (VR&E) service.

The committee also advanced a bill
to the full Senate aimed at providing

foreclosure relief for veteran homeowners
and preventing veteran homelessness.

Finally, the spirit of the military
community was on display at the

2025 Department of Defense Warrior
Games in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The annual event showcases the resilience
and determination of wounded, ill, and

injured service members and veterans
through adaptive sports competition.

It serves as a powerful reminder
of the enduring strength

of those who have served.

And that's your Weekly Briefing.

Staying on top of these changes
is key to navigating your career,

your retirement, and your benefits.

Thank you for tuning in.

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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.