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MIL News Weekly 4-10 Jan 2026 (Episode 32)
Episode 32

MIL News Weekly 4-10 Jan 2026 (Episode 32)

MIL News Weekly

January 11, 202628m 19s

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Show Notes

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. The episode covers new military construction funding, a shift in defense contractor oversight, global deployment updates, and changes to retirement and veteran benefits—including a 2.8% COLA increase and adjustments to TRICARE pharmacy copays. We also discussed ongoing efforts to improve veteran healthcare and the push for the Major Richard Starr Act, which seeks to end the current offset of retirement pay for combat-injured veterans. The briefing closes with emphasis on staying informed to navigate changes in career, retirement, and benefits.

Topics

military newsveteran newsDepartment of DefensePentagonVA benefitsmilitary pay raisemilitary retireesactive duty forcesreserve forcesrecruitment task forceenlistmentNational Guarddefense appropriationsservice member benefitsretiree payCOLAwounded veteransVA disability compensationlife insurance premiumsSurvivors Benefit PlanDFASVA discriminationVA healthcareveterans legislationveterans committees