When you ship out to Basic Training, do you have to buy your own uniform? The short answer is yes and no. Yes, trainees must purchase their initial set of uniforms in basic training. No, they aren’t asked to pay out of pocket. Instead, the DoD provides an Initial Clothing Allowance meant to cover the… Read more »
If you’re reading this, you are likely familiar with standard military benefits like healthcare and the GI Bill. But many lesser-known veteran benefits are designed to support service members and families. Take our quiz and test your understanding of these often-overlooked benefits, from financial protections to wellness programs. You may learn about a resource or… Read more »
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is trying to reassure veterans that their benefits are not being cut. This comes in the wake of concerns raised in the veteran community over firings, possible benefits cuts, and privacy issues related to a 2025 push to eliminate what some believe to be wasteful government spending. And those concerns… Read more »
UPDATE: Time is running out for veterans and family members to download their legacy medical records from the old TRICARE system before it is deactivated in favor of the DoD’s replacement, MHS GENESIS. If you have electronic medical records in the TRICARE system you must download them by 1 April 2025 to avoid losing access… Read more »
What can new recruits expect when they enlist in the US military? They will receive basic pay, healthcare, money for college, and other incentives and benefits. Learn more.
Kroger Pharmacies have rejoined the TRICARE Pharmacy Program network in 2025, adding more than two thousand network pharmacies in the TRICARE system across 35 states. The re-expanded network comes after a conflict between Kroger and TRICARE. In late 2022, the Air Force issued a press release noting that Kroger’s departure was due to “changes to… Read more »
The Pentagon’s amended reproductive healthcare travel policy has been revised yet again to clarify specifically what it bans and what it does not. Under the original revision, the Pentagon seemed to rescind its reproductive healthcare services travel policy altogether. However, clarification since the original announcement seems to indicate (assuming the Pentagon doesn’t change its mind… Read more »
Update: The Pentagon has issued updated guidance on its reproductive healthcare travel policy. You can learn all about the new policy in our article on the Pentagon update. A 2025 policy change at the Department of Defense (DoD) has eliminated government-funded travel for service members seeking certain types of reproductive healthcare, including abortions. The decision… Read more »
Women in the US military has grown to over 2 million veterans. The VA offers benefits designed to meet the unique needs of this population. Learn more.
In the same way the Department of Veterans Affairs provides home loans, the VA also offers refinancing options for qualifying VA loan applicants, including veterans who already have a VA-backed mortgage. Refinancing can help veterans adjust their mortgage to their current financial situation. This includes potentially lowering monthly payments, changing from an adjustable-rate to a… Read more »