Did you know that VA death benefits can be accelerated if there is a terminal illness? VA policy allows servicemembers and families to request “up to 50% of the face value of your coverage in increments of $5,000—paid to you before death.” You or your spouse may qualify for benefits early if you have SGLI,… Read more »
The Basic Allowance for Subsistence, or BAS, is a military benefit offered to individual military members to help with the cost of meals while on duty. The core purpose of BAS, according to one source, is to provide a “standardized, non-taxable payment” to service members to offset the costs of meals when a standard military dining facility or other options aren’t available or practical. Learn more.
Military life doesn’t always line up with traditional banking hours or traditional banking needs. Between relocations, deployments, and pay schedules that don’t always follow a typical pattern. Security Service Federal Credit Union (SSFCU) was built with service members in mind. But how does it rank against the offerings of other military credit unions? >Never miss… Read more »
When dealing with military life, from frequent moves and sudden orders to the shift between active duty and civilian work, your choice of bank matters more than most people realize. USAA Savings Bank often enters the conversation early, but before you sign up, it’s worth asking: What does USAA actually offer?Our breakdown looks at how USAA Bank fits into the broader world of military-focused financial institutions. We’ll cover who’s eligible, what services stand out, and where it may or may not meet your needs. Learn more.
Are you a single soldier living in Army barracks with serious neglect issues? Are you a member of a military family dealing with leaking pipes, lead paint, and pests? Have you reported these issues but have gotten no resolution? You are not alone. One source reports, “Roughly 700,000 service members and their families live in… Read more »
The United States military has a set of standards for potential new recruits, with each service branch setting specific requirements. There are standards for education, physical fitness, and personal conduct, to name a few. Most recruits have few issues when answering a recruiter’s questions, but some feel the need to conceal certain aspects of their… Read more »
In May 2025, the Pentagon announced a plan to take $1 billion away from Army barracks improvement programs and shift those funds to the southern U.S. border mission. This controversial move has long-term implications for recruiting and retention. Why is this news so polarizing? The official site for the United States Army acknowledges the importance… Read more »
NFCU was created in 1933 when seven Navy Department employees came together with a shared goal—to make it easier for themselves and their colleagues to borrow and save money. They wanted an alternative to high-interest lenders and a place where they believed they could get fair loan terms and safely grow their savings. What began… Read more »
A PCS (Permanent Change of Station) move is a big event for military families in the best of times, and the 2025 PCS season is definitely not that, due to the Defense Department’s seeming inability to work out their problems with HomeSafe Alliance, the DoD’s single contractor for global household goods shipments and deliveries. Many… Read more »
UPDATE July 1, 2025: The Department of Defense announced it has cancelled its global PCS contract with HomeSafe Alliance. DoD officials have promised that a PCS move hotline associated with the DoD PCS Move Task Force will be operational sometime in July 2025. More than a quarter million permanent station moves occur every year, with… Read more »