The Senate approved a stopgap funding bill known as a continuing resolution (CR) early December 21, 2024, narrowly averting an end-of-year government shutdown that would have affected millions of federal employees, including service members. The CR was necessary because the House and Senate could not agree on the federal budget as a whole. This funding… Read more »
On December 23, 2025, President Joe Biden signed the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act or NDAA pay raise for Junior Troops into law. See all the details. Learn more.
The Army has made important changes to its Tuition Assistance and Credentialing Assistance programs. The initiative is meant to go beyond increasing financial aid and aims to ensure that assistance effectively helps soldiers achieve their goals while serving and beyond. Army Credentialing Assistance is described as a way for the military to help “pay for… Read more »
NASCAR now provides discounts to military members, first responders, and government employees. To make NASCAR races more affordable, NASCAR has created the Miltix program, which offers discounted tickets to eligible service members. Learn more.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that, starting on 1 July 2025, over 3 million Veterans, service members and their spouses will have lower VA life insurance premiums. The premium reductions apply to those with Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI), Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI), and Family Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (FSGLI). The lower… Read more »
Food insecurity affects too many military families. Factors like comparatively low pay for junior enlisted personnel, high costs of living, and PCS moves that force military spouses to seek new employment all contribute to food insecurity in the ranks. The Department of Defense (DoD) and other organizations provide support through food assistance and educational programs… Read more »
Update 12/26/2024: The President has signed the 2025 into law. As we have noted elsewhere, the House Armed Services Committee says the 2025 NDAA was passed in part thanks to a year-long effort by “the bipartisan Quality of Life panel, which focused on pay and compensation, housing, health care, childcare, and spousal support.” In a… Read more »
In 2024, there were growing reports of concern over food insecurity among military families, and in December of 2024, news stories like the one reported by Colorado Public Radio (CPR) raised additional concerns about the DoD’s ability to properly manage its troops. According to a CPR news story titled, Lima beans and toast: Fort Carson… Read more »
The DoD continues its push to make life easier for military families with bumps in pay and BAH to new healthcare options. Learn more.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is actively investigating the health effects of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of manufactured chemicals used in numerous products, including those used by the military to fight fires. In the fall of 2024, the VA began an assessment “to determine if there is a relationship… Read more »