In the summer of 2023, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) announced an extension of a 2013 pilot program allowing the DoD to provide military members and their families with certain healthcare testing that fell outside FDA regulatory procedures. TRICARE has since made its own announcement, adding coverage for some testing previously offered in the pilot program.
Update: September 5 2023 The United States Army updated its suicide prevention policy on 1 September 2023 to include congressionally-mandated mental health rules permitting soldiers to request mental health care for any reason. This means the Army is finally in compliance with the Brandon Act of 2021. What follows is preserved here for archival purposes…. Read more »
Due to what the VA termed a “glitch,” over 30k veteran disability claims have languished in the VA processing system. Learn more.
UPDATE: November 28, 2023 The Department of Veterans Affairs reminded qualifying veterans about an important deadline–September 30, 2023, which was the final day for vets who deployed to a combat zone after 9/11 but never enrolled in VA healthcare to apply for VA healthcare benefits. Veterans who left active duty between September 11, 2001, and… Read more »
The federal government has until September 30, 2023, to reach an agreement on stopgap funding for the federal government or risk a federal government shutdown this fall. The problem? Members of an organization within the House of Representatives called the House Freedom Caucus refuse to commit to any deal that falls short of its demands… Read more »
In August of 2023, wildfires ravaged parts of Hawaii, including Lahaina, resulting in massive damage to property and loss of life. On Friday, August 18, 2023, the Department of Veterans Affairs issued a press release announcing mortgage relief for those who have VA mortgages living in the affected areas. There are some 100 thousand veterans… Read more »
The Air Force’s Rated Officer Retention Demonstration Program is up and running. It offers retention bonuses to qualifying pilots worth up to $50 thousand per year to renew their Air Force commissions and keep flying in uniform. But pilots don’t have much time to take advantage of the offer. Air Force Rated Officer Retention Demonstration… Read more »
Some members of the Army Reserve can try out a Reserve pilot program designed to help soldiers find childcare during annual training and drill weekends. The pilot program is offered to Reservists stationed in eastern Iowa and western Missouri – so Reserve families in those areas can find child care while serving. Childcare Issues in… Read more »
A study published on the National Institute for Health official site links “forever chemicals” to testicular cancer among some military members. The study says some troops have an elevated risk of cancer due to a group of substances commonly known as PFAS, which are used in a variety of applications, including military firefighting operations where… Read more »
In August 2023, the Army Reserve found itself out of funding for the Army Reserve Scholarship program some two weeks before school was supposed to start at many colleges and universities. The Army Reserve used up its entire $20 million scholarship budget and, according to Military.com, failed to notify troops of the lack of funding…. Read more »