Education & Transition

Everything service members and veterans need to know about getting an education, finding a job, starting a business and transitioning out of the military

Military quality of life a key focus of Congress in 2024

A special House panel has been examining the issue for the last year.

8 hours ago

The Capitol in Washington, D.C., is seen Nov. 4, 2022.

New year brings same government shutdown threats

Congress enters 2024 without a clear plan for federal spending, just a few weeks before another budget deadline.

3 days ago

A cashier at a Travelex Bureau de Change counts U.S. dollars in February 2004.

Pay & Benefits

Junior enlisted pay to be key congressional focus in 2024

House Republicans are already looking at ways to put more money into the wallets of lower-ranking service members.

Disability payouts help some vets earn more than healthy peers

Veterans with low disability ratings see higher income than non-disabled peers, but individuals with significant health issues lag far behind.

11 days ago

Homelessness among veterans jumps more than 7%

The rise comes after years of progress in reducing the number of veterans facing stable housing issues.

2 weeks ago

Most Americans respect vets but would not recommend enlisting

The new survey from RAND suggests that positive views of veterans are enough to boost military recruitment.

2 weeks ago

Black women’s group defends affirmative action at military academies

Lawsuits filed against West Point and the Naval Academy seek to end the use of race as a factor in admissions there.

2 weeks ago

$30M military wreath charity buys solely from its founders’ farm

About 60,000 volunteers are expected at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday for this year’s wreath layings.

2 weeks ago

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Piketinal Alou, left, and Airman 1st Class Destiny Story, 502d Comptroller Squadron, hold positive messages of support at base gates during the morning inbound commute as part of their on-going initiative, “We Care,” at JBSA-Lackland, Texas, Sept. 16, 2022. They spent the morning at various gates letting each person know that the simple, yet powerful display allows for everyone to stand together in support of those struggling with depression and thoughts of suicide. (Thomas Coney/Air Force)

Lawmakers press for more outside help in stopping veteran suicides

Some want to expand a $174 million grant program which funds suicide prevention efforts run by community groups.

2 weeks ago

Political fights aren’t discouraging recruits, military recruiters say

Service officials said one of their biggest obstacles is explaining the basics of military service to teenagers who rarely interact with veterans.

3 weeks ago

Total number of VA claims lost in online systems tops 120,000

The number of veterans discovered to be affected by the mistakes has grown in recent months.

4 weeks ago

Defense authorization deal expected this week

Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of Dec. 4, 2023.

4 weeks ago

Lawmakers press VA for stronger rules against discrimination

Congressional Democrats and outside advocates say updated policies for the department are long overdue.

4 weeks ago

VA workers face more mandatory overtime amid record claims processing

The backlog of overdue disability claims is expected to keep rising over the next year.

4 weeks ago

VA again found homes for 38K struggling vets in 2023

Department outreach efforts have helped nearly 80,000 veterans since the start of 2022.

4 weeks ago

VA delays disputed change in how it pays for veterans’ ambulance trips

New rules were set to go into effect next February but will now be delayed until 2025.

5 weeks ago

Concern about military toxic exposure injuries remains high among vets

Roughly four in 10 veterans think they may have been exposed to harmful chemicals or toxic conditions during their time in the service.

5 weeks ago

Transgender vets threaten to sue VA over delay in surgery options

VA officials announced plans to provide gender conforming surgeries more than two years ago, but have not moved ahead on the promise.

5 weeks ago

Federal aid to veteran-owned small businesses grew in FY23

The number of veterans receiving aid to start their own companies has risen significantly over the last three years.

6 weeks ago