MIL News Weekly

In this episode of MIL News Weekly, we provide key updates impacting the military and veteran community for the week of January 4–10, 2026. Highlights include a 3.8% pay raise for active-duty and Reserve service members, increased allowances to offset the rising cost of living, and legislative developments, such as the Pay Our Troops Act, to protect service members' pay during government shutdowns...

On this episode of MIL News Weekly, we cover key updates impacting military members, retirees, and veterans for the week of December 28, 2025, to January 3, 2026. Highlights include a 3.8% basic pay raise for active and reserve personnel, adjustments to housing and subsistence allowances, and the disparity between military and civilian federal pay increases. For retirees, new COLA rates are explai...

This episode of MIL News Weekly covers the key military and veteran developments from December 21-27, 2025. Highlights include the distribution of the Warrior Dividend—a one-time, $1,676 tax-free payment to over 1.45 million active and some Reserve service members to boost holiday morale. The funding was reallocated from housing supplements, sparking debate about its impact on military housing. In...

In this episode of MIL News Weekly, we cover significant developments impacting the military and veteran community for the week of December 14–20, 2025. Key updates include the distribution of a one-time “warrior dividend” bonus to 1.5 million junior and mid-level service members, passage of the $900 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes a 3.8% military pay raise, fundi...

This episode of MIL News Weekly covers key military and veteran updates for December 7-13, 2025. Highlights include passage of the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes nearly $900 billion in defense spending, offers a 3.8% pay raise for all active duty and reserve personnel, mandates increased transparency in housing allowances, and raises the Family Separation Allowance. Th...

This episode of MIL News Weekly covers military, retiree, and veteran news from November 30 to December 6, 2025. Highlights include the extended deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., under a hybrid federal-state framework, and the unveiling of the $1 billion Drone Dominance Program, which aims to scale up loitering munitions rapidly. Fiscal updates feature President Trump’s exte...

This episode of MIL News Weekly covers crucial military and veteran updates for November 23–29, 2025. Highlights include the Pentagon’s rebranding from the Department of Defense to the Department of War, signaling a doctrinal shift toward offensive readiness and a $2 billion budget for the rebrand. Key legislation, such as HR 5371, averts a government shutdown while safeguarding military pay. New...

In this episode of MIL News Weekly, we cover key updates impacting military personnel, retirees, and veterans from November 16-22, 2025. Major topics include the aftermath of a government shutdown, which nearly disrupted pay for 2 million service members and highlighted vulnerabilities in military financial systems. The reopening restored retroactive pay for furloughed employees and lifted adminis...

In this episode of MIL News Weekly, we recap critical updates for the military and veteran community from November 9-15, 2025. Highlights include the passage of HR 5371, which restored funding and readiness following a 43-day government shutdown, and the physical rebranding of the Department of Defense to the Department of War. The episode covers expanded U.S. military operations in the Caribbean,...

This episode of MIL News Weekly covers the week of November 2-8, 2025, focusing on critical issues impacting military personnel, retirees, and veterans. We discuss the severe effects of the ongoing government shutdown on military pay, family financial stability, and logistics, including PCS moves and food assistance. Key legislative updates include the failure of the Shutdown Fairness Act in the S...

This episode of MIL News Weekly covers critical military and veteran news from October 26 to November 1, 2025. The government shutdown triggered an urgent pay crisis for active duty and reserve personnel, with stopgap funds running out and families facing financial strain. Legislative measures, such as the Pay Our Troops Act, were proposed to safeguard military compensation, but broader political...

This episode of MIL News Weekly, covering October 19–25, 2025, highlights major issues affecting the military and veteran community. The ongoing federal government shutdown has created unprecedented financial uncertainty, with active-duty, Reserve, and civilian personnel facing missed paychecks, and stopgap measures sparking legal controversy. The Pentagon’s acceptance of a major private donation...

This episode of MIL News Weekly covers essential updates from October 12–18, 2025, focusing on the impact of the federal funding lapse on the military community. Active and Reserve service members faced delayed pay due to the shutdown, with financial institutions stepping in to offer support, while Coast Guard pay was safeguarded by special legislation. Military retirees saw stable payments thanks...

This week’s episode covers the ongoing effects of the 2025 government shutdown on military personnel, with active duty and Reservists continuing to serve without pay until Congress finalizes appropriations. The Senate passed the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act, but pay will remain delayed until an appropriations bill passes. Key policy updates include an extension of TRICARE Reserve Select...

Here are major updates impacting military families, retirees, and veterans. Key changes include the extension of TRICARE Reserve Select survivor benefits to three years, easing the financial burden for Reserve families. The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) proposes a 3.8% military pay raise, increased family separation allowance, a focus on accurate housing and subsistence allowances...

This episode of MIL News Weekly covers critical military and veteran updates for September 21–27, 2025. The main story is the looming government shutdown and its impact on military pay, with a focus on the reintroduction of the bipartisan Pay Our Troops Act to ensure uninterrupted pay for service members and key civilian defense personnel. The episode also details major Pentagon restructuring desi...

The top story is President Trump’s executive order restoring the Department of War as a secondary name for the Department of Defense, signaling a shift in national military philosophy. Congress is debating this change while also working on the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act, with amendments focusing on casualty assistance, moving allowances, and service member quality of life. Retirees fa...

This episode of MIL News Weekly covers key developments affecting the military and veteran community for September 7–13, 2025. Highlights include the House passing the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, featuring a 3.8% military pay raise and several controversial amendments related to TRICARE and authorizations for the use of force. Bipartisan efforts to address military food insecurity g...

This episode of MIL News Weekly covers major military and veteran developments between August 31 and September 6, 2025. Key topics include U.S. global military operations in Europe and the Caribbean, force modernization efforts like the M1E3 Abrams tank program, and domestic readiness exercises. The episode highlights ongoing challenges in military recruitment, rising mental health issues, and det...

This episode covers key military and veteran developments, focusing on the National Guard’s armed deployment in Washington, D.C., amid federal-local tensions and potential expansion to Chicago. The Department of Defense announced the establishment of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 to combat drone threats, reflecting a broader shift toward modern warfare technologies and updates from the Space Fo...

In this episode of MIL News Weekly, Miles and Edward cover key developments impacting military personnel, veterans, and their families from August 17-23, 2025. Significant highlights include the administration’s expanded deployment of National Guard troops for domestic law enforcement in Washington, D.C., and the controversial federalization of the D.C. police. They discuss a wave of executive ord...

This episode of MIL News Weekly, covering August 10-16, 2025, delivers key updates for the military and veteran community. Major stories include ongoing National Guard deployments to Washington, D.C., amid protests and political tension, details on the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act impacting active, reserve, and retired personnel, and significant changes at the Department of Veterans Aff...

This episode of MIL News Weekly (August 3–9, 2025) covers key developments affecting military personnel, retirees, and veterans. Host Edward highlights the National Guard’s critical role in domestic emergency response, including firefighting in Colorado and disaster rescues in New Mexico. Legislation updates focus on the Senate-passed HR 3944 appropriations act, which ensures continued support for...

This episode of MIL News Weekly covers key updates for the military and veteran community from July 27 to August 2, 2025. Major highlights include the Department of Defense launching a new call center for permanent change of station (PCS) support, ongoing reforms to military relocation, and expanded childcare options—measures aimed at improving service members’ quality of life. Legislative news fe...

A confluence of landmark legislative achievements, major administrative overhauls, and significant global military developments has reshaped the landscape for service members, retirees, veterans, and their families. Congress and the White House finalized a historic, two-tiered pay raise aimed at bolstering the financial security of junior enlisted personnel. Simultaneously, the Department of Defen...