The Department of Defense fails to provide accurate cost-of-living allowances or COLA for over a quarter million service members due to flawed data collection practices and inconsistent policies from base to base, according to a Government Accountability Office report released in April 2026. That report says DoD methods for calculating these payments rely on unreliable sampling and poor communication.
The Pentagon proposes increases to combat-related special pay for U.S. troops serving in qualifying areas. The proposal is included in the fiscal year 2027 budget and focuses on two types of special compensation: hostile fire pay and imminent danger pay.
Understand TRICARE coverage for durable medical equipment and find out what qualifies as medically necessary DME.
The White House has released its Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal. It contains a plan to increase national defense spending to $1.5 trillion, a 44% surge that stands in contrast to a proposed $73 billion reduction in non-defense discretionary spending. Learn more.
The Pentagon has authorized hazardous duty / combat zone pay for United States troops in the Indian Ocean and at Diego Garcia. This hazardous duty pay update follows a March 20, 2026, missile attack when Iran targeted the area. The authorization affects thousands, including those permanently assigned to the Diego Garcia Naval Support Facility and… Read more »
The TRICARE Extended Care Health Option, known as ECHO, is a resource for Exceptional Family Member program families who require services beyond the scope of standard TRICARE coverage. TRICARE updated its guidance for this program in 2026, clarifying how families can access these benefits. >> Never miss benefits news and updates that are important to… Read more »
The Department of Defense has launched the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record, designed to provide service members with direct access to their personal environmental and occupational toxic exposure history related to military service. This initiative is part of a larger federal effort to address military toxic exposures and give troops the documentation required to secure healthcare… Read more »
The ACLU has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) over book removals and curriculum changes in Department of Defense-run schools. The lawsuit, filed in April 2025 by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of 12 students and military families, challenged the removal of nearly 600 books from DoDEA libraries.
Between deployments, training rotations, and living in remote or rural areas, getting into a dentist’s chair isn’t always as simple as making an appointment down the street. Enter the newest evolution in military healthcare, teledentistry. Virtual medicine isn’t exactly new, but TRICARE is now making digital dental care a standard part of its operations through… Read more »
On February 14, 2026, a partial government shutdown went into effect, forcing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to cease all non-essential functions, including civilian employee labor at the U.S. Coast Guard. In spite of the partial shutdown, active duty and reserve component members of the Coast Guard have not missed paychecks, but it’s unclear… Read more »