Suicides among veterans remain unchanged despite federal focus
The figures are the latest available from federal census data and suggest limited progress on the issue of suicide prevention by Veterans Affairs leaders.
Pentagon & Congress
Looming government shutdown could hurt military families, veterans
Plans to avert a partial government shutdown starting this weekend appeared scuttled after President-elect Donald Trump opposed the bipartisan deal.
Live in the Tricare West Region? Do this before Dec. 31.
Beneficiaries in the West Region who don't provide recurring payment information could risk losing Tricare coverage.
Senate finalizes plans for a massive junior enlisted pay boost in 2025
Troops ranked E-4 and below would see a 14.5% raise and all other troops a 4.5% raise under legislation headed to the White House.
Plan to avert government shutdown does not include extra VA funds
VA leaders had asked for roughly $6.6 billion in extra funding for FY25, and said they could face problems with hiring and programs without it.
Plan would cover all health care costs for thousands of vets overseas
Providing more health care coverage for disabled veterans living abroad could be a major focus of the next session of Congress.
Troops to get an average housing allowance boost of over 5% in 2025
The new rates take effect Jan. 1.
Trump says he’ll begin Jan. 6 pardons ‘the first hour’ in office
Trump said he would look at each individual case, rather than issue a blanket pardon for all Jan. 6 defendants.
Army to cut credentialing benefit, drop officers from program
The cap for credentialing reimbursements through the Army program will drop from $4,000 to $2,000 in coming months.
Medical care limits for transgender minors complicate defense bill
A provision in the must-pass defense measure would block certain military medical care options for transgender youth.
Lawmakers call for in-depth VA study on blast pressure injuries
The 10-year research plan would examine blast injuries among veterans and offer suggestions for treatments.
Will senior enlisted troops see a targeted pay boost in 2026?
After lawmakers agreed to plans to boost pay for junior enlisted troops, they are now shifting focus to more senior enlisted members.
Congress to boost junior enlisted pay by thousands of dollars in 2025
Troops E-4 and below will see a 14.5% pay raise under a deal reached by congressional negotiators this week.
Nonprofits urge Biden to pardon veterans with bad paper discharges
Buoyed by Joe Biden's pardon of his son, veterans advocates are urging the president to use his pardoning power to help veterans with bad paper discharges.
DOD civilians can shop at these 16 commissaries during expansion test
The Defense Department is testing whether to expand the commissary benefit to stateside military civilian employees.
VA plans to expand caregiver benefits, postpone program discharges
Rules surrounding VA's caregiver support have been in limbo for more than two years after families complained about harsh eligibility guidelines.
Trust in the military on the rise, but still below pre-pandemic levels
More than half of the individuals polled said they have a great deal of trust in the U.S. armed forces.
