Lawmakers earlier this year backed plans for a 5.2% pay raise for all service members on Jan. 1, the largest annual pay raise in 22 years. The boost is not a result of congressional or executive branch generosity, but instead reflects the federal formula tying military salaries to civilian pay trends.

By that formula, the 2025 pay raise for troops should be 4.5%, the third consecutive year of pay hikes above 4% for military members.

White House officials or members of Congress could change that increase in their budget battles over coming months, either raising it to make up for higher cost-of-living concerns or dropping it to save money for other military priorities. But that has not happened since the early 2010s.

Pay boosts for junior troops not yet a priority for Pentagon planners

Lawmakers are more likely to keep the 4.5% raise mark and instead focus on targeted increases for troops with high-demand skills and junior enlisted personnel, a group whose annual base pay typically does not top $30,000.

Last summer, House Republicans advanced legislation to guarantee that even the lowest-ranking service members make at least $31,000. But the legislation was opposed by the White House, in part because of questions surrounding the cost and the other compensation those troops receive — things like housing stipends and enlistment bonuses.

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s special military quality of life panel, has said he plans to make the junior enlisted pay issue a key focus of the committee’s work on the annual defense authorization bill this summer.

Pentagon leaders have pushed to postpone the debate until they complete their Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation, a periodic review of troops’ pay and benefits. But work from that group isn’t expected to be finished until January 2025. Bacon has said the issue needs to be addressed sooner.

Work on the authorization bill is expected to start in February, but delays in Congress passing a full federal budget for fiscal 2024 could delay some of those hearings and debates.

Military families also know that sometimes the best way to bring back the holiday spirit is to give to others. One sure-fire way is bringing gifts to children, whether it’s at holiday gatherings, “adopting” a family, or air-dropping packages to islands in the Pacific. Often, local military chaplains are involved in getting toys and food to military families in need during this season. Many in the military community are involved in the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation’s annual toy drive.

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A number of organizations have programs for troops and military families throughout the year. These are just a few examples of what’s been happening.

Troops around the world still enjoy holiday meals

For those deployed to Northern Europe in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Defense Logistics Agency has sent at least 940 whole turkeys, 7,520 pounds of roast turkey, 16,435 pounds of beef, 9,738 pounds of ham, 228 pounds of shrimp, 161 cans of sweet potatoes and 11,539 pies and cakes.

For those deployed to Iraq, Jordan and Kuwait, 947 whole turkeys, 13,632 pounds of roast turkey, 27,602 pounds of beef, 7,401 pounds of ham, 8,467 pounds of shrimp, 1,110 cans of sweet potatoes, 14,253 cakes and pies, and 3,744 containers of eggnog were delivered to the region, officials said.

Planning for the worldwide holiday feeding of troops begins months in advance at the Defense Logistics Agency. At publication time, agency officials were still finalizing their numbers for the Christmas food poundage sent worldwide.

Troops and families all over the world participate in events in their communities

On Dec. 12 in Powidz, Poland, soldiers with the 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division made Christmas tree decorations with students during a holiday party at the Powidz school. They learned about local holiday customs, played games, and enjoyed some traditional holiday treats with the school children.

“Drops” of toys and other gifts have been happening around the world, too

In early December, six C-130 aircraft lifted off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in Operation Christmas Drop 2023, to deliver 210 parachuted bundles of donated items such as nonperishable food, toys, fishing supplies, schoolbooks and clothing to more than 42,000 islanders on 58 remote islands throughout Micronesia, covering about 1.8 million miles in six days. Pacific Air Forces, partner nations, and the University of Guam work together on the yearly event. Operation Christmas Drop’s first flight was in 1952, and it’s the Defense Department’s longest running humanitarian and disaster relief mission. Donations are collected on Guam and through the Operation Christmas Drop private organization.

Other toy missions have been happening with units based at installations such as Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and Fort Moore, Georgia.

Giveaways and charity events help provide enriching holiday experiences for service members and their families

More than 700 families of fallen military — to include 1,800 family members — spent five days the first week in December at Walt Disney World Resort, Florida, at a healing retreat. All their expenses are paid by the Gary Sinise Foundation, their partners and donations from the public. The families could participate in many workshops and activities, in addition to enjoying all four Walt Disney World theme parks. The Gary Sinise Foundation officially took over the Snowball Express program in 2017.

A number of efforts are focused on deployed service members too. More than 45,000 holiday stockings stuffed with various goodies were pledged this year in the nonprofit Soldiers’ Angels “Holiday Stockings for Heroes” campaign for deployed service members, hospitalized veterans, and National Guard and Reserve members around the country. In addition, through Soldiers’ Angels’ Adopt-A-Family program, donors adopted more than 2,000 military and veteran families and supported them with presents and grocery gift cards.

Operation Ride Home works with Jack Daniel’s partners with Armed Services YMCA to help active duty junior enlisted and their families travel home for the holidays. This year the program was slated to help more than 2,000 junior enlisted troops and family members make the trip home to see their loved ones. They provide subsidized plane tickets and prepaid gift cards for road travel to help offset expenses. Jack Daniel Distillery has donated $100,000 for this year’s trips, and the general public also donates. This marks the 13th year the distillery has offered the program.

Operation Homefront’s Holiday Toy Drive is designed to relieve financial stress for junior and mid-grade enlisted families, grades E1-E6. Toys and holiday meal kits are distributed at various events. Dollar Tree has helped collect toys in their stores for military children for 17 years; the program distributed about $6 million worth of toys to military families nationwide in 2022.

Armed Services YMCA also works to help financially strapped enlisted families with food and toys during the holidays and all year. Since 2004, through donations to Operation Holiday Joy, more than 320,000 toys and more than 25,000 baskets of food have been provided over Thanksgiving and Christmas for junior enlisted families in need. Many of their 12 branches around the country have participated in this program, and the events vary from branch to branch. Military parents can go in and “shop” for gifts for their children for the holidays.

The number of residents living at the Armed Forces Retirement Home system has declined in recent years, as has revenue, even as expenses continue to increase, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report on the program, known for short as AFRH.

The Armed Forces Retirement Home is the only federal retirement home of its kind. It consists of two campuses in Washington, D.C. and Gulfport, Mississippi. To be eligible, veterans must have spent more than half of their time in the service as an enlisted member, warrant officer, or limited-duty officer, among other criteria.

Its operations are financed by resident fees, deductions from the pay of currently serving enlisted troops, warrant officers and limited duty officers, fines and forfeitures from military personnel who have disciplinary violations, investment interest income on the trust fund, gifts and other sources.

Among other prescriptions, the GAO recommends that Congress require the Defense Department increase the monthly 50-cent deduction taken from the paychecks of all serving enlisted personnel to fund the homes.

The recommendations come as the retirement homes struggle to increase revenue on their own. In October, AFRH officials scrapped a plan that was designed to bring in more income.

That plan sought to partner with the private sector to develop AFRH’s Washington-based property to generate millions of dollars in income from underused grounds and facilities.

But the project faced tough economic conditions between rising interest rates, inflation, supply chain challenges, and a struggling office market in D.C., officials said.

“It was clear that the financial benefit to the Home was now significantly diminished and the terms of the long-term lease were riskier to AFRH,” John RisCassi, the Home’s Chief Operating Officer, said in an October statement.

AFRH remains open to future collaboration, officials said.

IG: Pentagon failed to address financial problems of Armed Forces Retirement Home

Continuing financial struggles

The GAO’s findings aren’t new, as the retirement homes have faced financial struggles for at least the past decade.

AFRH is financed through a dedicated trust fund, but the balance in that trust fund dropped from $186 million at the end of fiscal 2010, to $46 million at the end of fiscal 2015, with officials citing building repairs and improvements costs, increasing expenses and declining revenues.

By 2022, the trust fund balance had been built back up to $107 million, largely because of infusions of taxpayer dollars — starting with $20 million in fiscal 2016, increasing to $25 million of taxpayer funds in fiscal 2022.

But the GAO report warns the trust fund is on track to being exhausted within 20 years without a “significant effort to bolster it.”

Agency officials agreed that significant steps are needed to fortify the trust fund, and stated in their 13-page response to GAO that they are proud of accomplishments over the last few years, such as increasing operating efficiencies and some revenue initiatives, even in the midst of the pandemic.

GAO auditors recommended that AFRH develop and implement policies and procedures for making better financial projections, build a plan for increasing occupancy levels at both campuses, develop and implement policies for estimating the cost of deferred maintenance and update its financial management policy.

Officials have been updating their financial policies and procedures and have been updating their admissions procedures as well.

AFRH officials have requested $68 million for operating expenses for fiscal 2024, and $8.9 million for maintenance and improvements, according to their budget justification documents. Those combined amounts include a $25 million boost of taxpayer funds. AFRH has been averaging revenues of about $47 million a year.

Here's why the Armed Forces Retirement Home is slowing down its planned fee hikes

Declining numbers of residents

While AFRH costs are increasing, the two homes are being used less as well, according to the GAO.

The occupancy rate has declined by 40% at the two campuses combined, according to GAO, shrinking from 1,028 residents at the end of fiscal 2014 to 611 at the end of 2022. The two campuses have a combined capacity of 1,120.

During that period, the occupancy rate at the historic Washington campus decreased from 85% to 38% capacity. AFRH officials told the GAO that they had purposely kept occupancy low as they prepare for a major renovation of one of the residential buildings. And the outlook is improving, as the number of admissions have picked up this year over the two campuses, they said.

Officials noted that “herculean mitigation efforts” were undertaken during the COVID pandemic, resulting in no resident deaths directly related to the pandemic. But the pandemic also had a major impact on occupancy, with about one-fifth of the number of new residents admitted in the first year of the pandemic compared to prior years.

One action the new leadership took was to raise residents’ fees, as has been recommended in a number of studies.

AFRH residents pay fees based on their level of care, and as a percentage of their monthly income. Veterans generally must enter AFRH at the independent living level. At that level, they pay a fee of almost 47 percent of their income, which includes all the amenities provided, from their residential space to three meals a day, wellness and community services, and health care. Those in memory care, the highest level of care, pay 70% of their income in monthly fees.

GAO auditors noted that across all levels of care, the average overall residential fee at AFRH is less than $1,900 a month. In comparison, they cite American Council on Aging statistics of the nationwide average for all levels of care at a life plan community as being more than $7,300 per month. AFRH officials agreed that their resident fees are lower than market, but also note that comparisons often fail to take into account average resident incomes, which may be lower in the veteran community.

Married couples can now apply to live at the AFRH campuses, if they meet certain conditions. Spouses also pay fees based on their individual incomes.

DoD fires Armed Forces Retirement Home boss over refusal to enact new revenue plan

Deteriorating facilities

AFRH is also facing more financial risks from costly repairs needed for deteriorating facilities, GAO auditors stated. AFRH officials noted they have received $37 million in taxpayer dollars over the last three years to tackle critical deferred maintenance projects for electrical, water, roofing, elevators, heating and air conditioning and other infrastructure. They also received $77 million in taxpayer dollars to modernize and expand units at the Washington campus principal residential Sheridan Building, and designs have been finalized for that renovation.

But previous AFRH officials had determined that a number of buildings on the AFRH Washington property were no longer useful to AFRH, and they had been included in the redevelopment plan. A majority of buildings in the development area are slated for demolition.

“AFRH, with congressional and administration support, has been working to dig out of its deferred maintenance hole to keep electricity running and water flowing on our operating assets, much less nonoperating ones, while at the same time responding to a devastating pandemic, economic disruptions, and the too-common budgetary instability of volatile capital budgets, funding lapses, continuing resolutions, and government-wide threats of across-the-board cuts,” AFRH officials stated in their response to the GAO.

“It would be a waste of resources to conduct complete assessments and preventive maintenance on structures planned for demolition.”

The way forward

AFRH has worked on proposals to improve AFRH’s financial situation without cutting services to its residents, and Congress should consider these proposals, auditors stated.

According to the GAO, Congress should consider continued infusion of taxpayer dollars, which amounted to about $25 million in 2023.

Lawmakers should also consider legislation to require the Defense Department to increase the monthly 50-cent payroll deduction from all currently-serving enlisted members, and adjust it for inflation in the future. The Defense Department has the authority under law to raise the deduction to $1 a month, but defense and service officials have not done so. The amount hasn’t changed since 1977. Enlisted members pay this each month while serving, regardless of whether they ultimately live in the homes. Adding an extra 50 cent deduction could bring in an estimated $7 million in extra revenue a year, according to GAO.

Legislation authorizing similar withholdings from National Guard and Reserve members, who in 2021 became eligible for residence at AFRH, should also be considered, according to the GAO, which could bring in an extra $7 million annually. DOD hasn’t been given authorization to withhold money from these service members for deposit into the AFRH trust fund.

Congress might also authorize the AFRH to get reimbursement from sources such as Tricare, Medicare and Medicaid for health care. Nearly all AFRH residents are eligible for Tricare, but AFRH doesn’t have the authority by law to seek reimbursement from Tricare or other federal health insurance programs. This would bring in an estimated $1 million to $4 million extra a year. AFRH provides residents with routine health care, and bears the costs of these services as an operating expense. AFRH officials said they are putting new health record systems into place that will improve health care coordination for residents, and better facilitate reimbursement for medical care provided on site.

The legislation, expected to be signed into law later this month, allows military leaders to boost the Family Separation Allowance from $250 a month to $400, the first such increase for the stipend in two decades.

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, and a Navy veteran who was one of the sponsors of the provision, called the adjustment “much-needed relief” for families dealing with extra expenses caused by the separate living arrangements.

Under Defense Department rules, sailors who are on duty away from their home port for more than 30 continuous days are eligible for the payouts, as are troops on temporary duty away from their permanent duty station for more than 30 days.

Troops set for largest pay boost in 22 years under defense plan

However, troops who voluntarily choose to serve an unaccompanied tour of duty are not eligible for the extra payouts.

For junior enlisted service members with dependents, the extra stipend can be a much-needed boost to family finances. An E-2 with two years in service makes about $2,150 a month. An E-4 with four years service collects just under $3,000.

The authorization bill also requires a full review of the stipend as part of the Defense Department’s quadrennial review of military compensation, to ensure the payouts are adequately covering the needs of military families.

Lawmakers also included in the legislation language to study whether junior enlisted pay and military housing stipends are large enough to ensure military families are in good financial health. The bill also provides for a 5.2% increase in military base pay in 2024, the largest annual boost in 22 years.

President Joe Biden has voiced support for the authorization bill, but White House officials have not said when the measure will be officially signed into law.

On Thursday, House lawmakers voted to advance the annual defense authorization bill by a vote of 310-118. One day earlier, Senate lawmakers approved the legislation by a 87-13 vote.

The moves send the authorization bill — a massive defense policy measure which also outlines budget priorities for fiscal 2024 — to the White House for the 63rd consecutive year, a nearly unmatched level of bipartisan cooperation amid consistent political fights on Capitol Hill. Biden has already signaled that he will sign the measure.

Supporters praised the measure as a critical step in ensuring military readiness, preserving support for military families and positioning the Pentagon for future threats.

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“You cannot oppose this bill and claim that you support the national security of this country,” said Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee. “Nothing is more important to the national security of this country than the people who we ask to defend it. This bill protects them.”

The $874 billion bill closely tracks with Biden’s proposed spending level for fiscal 2024, but lawmakers will still need to approve an appropriations bill next month to actually boost the money available for the Defense Department.

The measure will allow a host of policy issues, meanwhile, to move ahead in coming weeks, including a 5.2% military pay raise in 2024. The pay bump is higher than the 4.6% pay raise troops saw at the start of 2023, and the largest one-year jump in basic pay since 2002.

For an enlisted military member ranked E-4 with three years in service, the 5.2% pay raise will mean about $1,700 more next year in take-home pay compared to their 2023 paychecks. For senior enlisted and junior officers, the hike equals about $3,000 more. For an O-4 with 12 years of service, it’s more than $5,400 in extra pay in 2024.

Lawmakers also included language mandating a review of military pay rates with an eye towards “comprehensive military pay table reauthorization” in the near future.

House members last summer had pushed for targeted pay raises for junior enlisted troops to bring all military members’ annual salaries over $31,000, but that proposal was abandoned in negotiations for the final authorization bill.

But House Armed Services Committee leaders have promised to revive the issue in 2024, and will use the Pentagon’s findings to craft future pay boost legislation.

The measure also sets military end strength for fiscal 2024 at 1,284,500 troops, the lowest level since 1940. Lawmakers blamed recruiting challenges in recent years for that low target.

It also boosts special pay and incentive pay for guardsmen and reservists, ensuring those payouts are equal to what active-duty troops receive when required training and certifications are identical.

Conservative concerns

House and Senate leaders also attached to the defense bill a provision to extend part of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act into mid-April, instead of allowing it to expire at the end of the year. That drew outrage from a number of conservative lawmakers who accused their leadership of caving to Democratic demands.

Lawmakers also took issue with a series of social issue provisions removed from the House-passed draft of the defense bill over the summer, including language undoing the military’s abortion access policies and rules regarding transgender medical care.

“This bill is insufficient to deal with the structural challenges that we have at the Department of Defense, where they have veered substantially left,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., one of five members of the conference committee to refuse to back the final compromise.

But Republican leaders pushed back on those accusations. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said the final bill “goes a long way towards ending woke policies being forced on our service members” and “includes provisions that ban critical race theory and require promotions based on merit.”

Much of the language on those issues was softened from the original House draft, backed almost solely by Republican members when it passed out of the chamber. Plans to eliminate the post of chief diversity officer for the military and prohibit all future mask mandates for pandemic prevention efforts were dropped completely.

But the final bill does include provisions to ease re-enlistment rules for some troops forced out of the ranks for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and includes requirements for more communication between parents and administrators at schools run by the Defense Department.

Biden has not said when he will sign the bill into law. On Tuesday, the Office of Budget and Management praised the compromise bill, saying in a statement the agreement “provides the critical authorities we need to build the military required to deter future conflicts while supporting the servicemembers and their spouses and families who carry out that mission every day.”

Alcohol will no longer be sold at Army & Air Force Exchange Service outlets between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Shop hours vary by base and type of store.

The change will affect 161 shops worldwide, including Express stores, Class Six stores and main exchange stores. Those that sell booze overnight comprise about a quarter of AAFES stores that offer packaged alcohol and spirits, AAFES spokeswoman Marisa Conner said in an email.

Feedback about the decision has been “nominal,” Conner said. Alcohol sales between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. at those 161 stores accounted for less than 1% of total alcohol sales last year, she said.

The move aligns Army and Air Force stores with the policies of other military exchange systems, Conner said.

Navy and Marine Corps exchanges stopped selling alcohol in any of their exchange outlets after 10 p.m. in 2013. Navy policy allows sales of alcohol in exchange outlets from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., while Marine Corps exchanges sell it from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. A limited number of military commissaries sell beer and wine, but commissaries are typically not open late.

The decision also follows the recommendations of a February report by the Department of Defense’s Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee.

The panel cited research that suggests that limiting when alcohol can be sold reduces heavy drinking and other adverse outcomes associated with alcohol misuse. Cutting those hours may also offer a strategy for reducing overall alcohol consumption, especially among younger personnel who live in military housing, the committee reported.

Nearly 500 troops died by suicide in 2022, according to the Pentagon’s latest annual suicide report released in October. While fewer people died, the active duty suicide rate rose by 3%, data showed.

Eighteen percent of service members who died by suicide had been diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder, the Pentagon found in 2021. The committee also cited research showing that, of suicides in the American public where toxicology data was available, about 1 in 3 people were acutely intoxicated at their death.

Some other recommendations by the committee included banning the promotion of alcohol on Defense Department property; increasing the price of alcohol; and funding safe transportation programs for service members living on base.

Some online commenters have speculated that the ban of overnight sales of alcohol might result in other problems.

“Now instead of walking five minutes to the shopette for a beer run, Joe is gonna hop in his V6 Camaro and drive to the liquor store off post and get a DUI,” Reddit user BabyBackFriedFish wrote Nov. 30.

The Combating Auto Retail Scams Rule, or CARS Rule, “is expected to save consumers nationwide more than $3.4 billion and an estimated 72 million hours each year shopping for vehicles,” according to a Dec. 12 announcement by the FTC. The new 372-page rule goes into effect on July 30, 2024.

The new CARS Rule will take a harder stance on prohibiting price misrepresentations, among other key information. Of interest to the military community is the prohibition against lying about whether dealers are affiliated with the military or any government entity.

Dealers are also prohibited from lying about whether a vehicle can be moved out of state or out of the country, a particular concern to military families who relocate frequently. Those with car loans may be affected, however, because in many cases lenders won’t allow a vehicle to be moved overseas, and there’s no law against that.

But for leased vehicles, under certain circumstances, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act allows active duty troops to terminate their lease without having to pay penalties or early termination charges.

The CARS Rule, which applies to all motor vehicle dealers, focuses on two common types of illegal tactics used when buying or leasing vehicles: bait-and-switch advertising and hidden junk fees. For military consumers, such auto-related gripes are among the top 10 complaints the FTC receives.

“As a small business owner and active duty military member I have played the role of both a buyer, toiling for hours to just reach fair deals on vehicles, as well as that of an advocate for my sailors who have been preyed upon by local dealerships,” one sailor wrote to the FTC during the rulemaking process. “Nowhere else in our society do so many average citizens have to mentally prepare for a battle over fair pricing and treatment for something that is realistically a modern necessity.”

Over the years, a number of issues have emerged with car dealerships outside military bases, resulting in some commanders restricting troops’ access to certain businesses.

The FTC noted that service members, particularly young troops, have an average of twice as much auto debt as civilians. By age 24, about 20% of young troops have at least $20,000 in auto debt, which is nearly two-thirds of an enlisted service member’s base salary at that age, according to the rule, which cited information from a 2022 report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Some of the other provisions designed to help all consumers include:

• Requiring dealers to get consumers’ specific consent for add-ons and other charges
• Requiring accurate price disclosures in dealers’ advertising and sales communications
• Prohibiting the sale of any add-on product or service that doesn’t provide any benefit to the consumer

Consumers have also complained to the FTC about driving hours to dealerships based on advertised prices, spending hours in the process of choosing and test-driving a vehicle, and negotiating the price and financing terms.

These processes, according to many complaints, are often made worse when dealers add-on products or packages they claim are required to purchase or finance the vehicle — even though such items were not included in the low prices advertised.

Some members of the industry commented that many of the areas covered by the proposed rule were already addressed in industry guidance. The FTC responded that “although industry guidance can provide helpful information to dealers, dealers who choose not to follow such guidance, or engage in deceptive or unfair practices, subject their customers to significant harm,” according to the rule.

“When dealerships advertise prices, discounts, or other terms that are not actually available to typical consumers, consumers who select that dealership instead of others spend time visiting the dealership or otherwise interacting with the dealership under false pretenses,” the document added.

From July 2022 to September 2022, the FTC received more than 27,000 comments about the proposed rule from various individuals and entities, ranging from car dealers to consumers.

Violation of the CARS Rule could result in actions that require a company to change its business practices, give money back to injured consumers, and pay civil penalties of as much as $50,120 per violation.

The proposal from Sens. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., would require approval from both the House and the Senate and could cost in excess of $4 million, according to an analysis of the personnel involved by Military Times. Introduction of the Military Personnel Confirmation Restoration Act was first reported by Punchbowl News.

“The men and women who wear the uniform of the United States of America should not be negatively impacted by political squabbles,” Rounds said in a statement accompanying the bill release.

The Senate confirmed 422 senior officers early this week after a nearly 10-month blockade of nominations by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., based on his objection to the Defense Department’s abortion access policy.

Here are the 422 military leaders finally confirmed by the Senate

Tuberville said the move was needed to highlight the “illegal” nature of the policy, put in place by administration officials without congressional consultation. The policy allows troops to receive leave time and travel stipends if they are forced to cross state lines for abortion services because of local restrictions on the procedures.

The blockade snarled hundreds of personnel moves across the top levels of the Defense Department, in some cases blocking promotions and pay raises for individual officers for nearly 10 months. By the end of October, the lost pay for the officers involved reached nearly $700,000 a month.

With the confirmations now approved, Pentagon leaders said they are in the process of moving personnel into their new roles and finalizing promotions. That means most individuals involved will see their pay boosted later this month.

But the bill from Rounds and Manchin would award back pay to individuals based on the date their nomination was entered on the Senate’s executive calendar. They would also receive the same time credit for other benefits, such as retirement pay eligibility.

While the majority of officers affected by the holds have now been confirmed, Tuberville is still blocking quick consideration of 11 four-star nominees in protest of the abortion policy. In addition, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., has placed holds on six nominees — including Air Force Lt. Gen. Kevin B. Schneider, who is included in Tuberville’s holds — relating to concerns about Defense Department diversity training programs.

Seven other Defense Department nominations are being held up for procedural reasons.

Whether Congress will act on the retroactive pay proposal before the end of the year is unclear. Both chambers are scheduled to start a holiday break by December 15 and not return until January.

“It’s safe to say the majority of shipments will remain under the [current system]” during next year’s peak season, said Andy Dawson, director of the Defense Personal Property Management Office at U.S. Transportation Command, during a media roundtable Thursday. The delays are technology-related, officials said.

Meanwhile, new statistics give more clarity on the extent of troops’ and families’ problems with the current system. More than 800 companies handle approximately 170,000 shipments a year; some service members may have more than one shipment.

During this year’s summer peak moving season, the customer satisfaction rate was 74%, Dawson said. Year to date, the satisfaction rate is 78%. “That’s tens of thousands of service members and families that aren’t satisfied with their relocation experience,” Dawson said. “We owe it to them within the context of the existing environment, with recruiting and retention challenges, and high op tempo, to do everything we can to improve the quality of life that our service members and families deserve.”

The customer satisfaction rates are at least 20 percentage points lower than the rates reported in past years — generally above 90%. But TRANSCOM has implemented new analytics. “Over the last few years we’ve implemented program changes that allowed us to see ourselves better and we have confidence in those statistics,” Dawson said. Moving companies are no longer allowed to handle or disseminate customer satisfaction surveys. Service members are told they will get an email directly from the government with the survey.

Another telling statistic, Dawson said, relates to household goods claims for loss and damage. This year, to date, there has been a claims satisfaction rate of 41%.

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“We’ve shared those [statistics] with industry, and have been transparent that there’s drastic improvement needed,” Dawson said.

The contract is aimed at fixing military families’ long-standing problems with damaged household goods, and other frustrations with movers, and puts management of the moving process in the hands of HomeSafe, a consortium of private companies.

More testing will happen between now and the end of January. The new contractor, HomeSafe Alliance, will start moving a few service members in phases, but not until they’re satisfied with the interoperability between the Defense Department’s MilMove technology, and the contractor’s HomeSafe Connect technology.

Officials haven’t determined a date when the phased moves will start. “Our goal is to start shipments as soon as we meet the conditions required to successfully deliver and improve the experience of our service members and families,” Dawson said. Initially, the phased shipments were scheduled to start in September, then the timeline was moved to the end of the year, before this current delay.

“This next round of testing will allow us to have a better understanding of what additional work needs to be done to ensure interoperability between MilMove and HomeSafe Connect,” Dawson said.

Both systems are new technology. Service members will use MilMove to upload their Permanent Change of Station orders, share contact information and start the request for a new shipment. HomeSafe Connect will be used by service members, the government and industry to manage and track the shipment after it is sent from MilMove.

Because of the volume of moves during peak season — generally May through Labor Day — there are only eight months available for transformational changes, Dawson said.

“Moving in itself is stressful. We have to mitigate and lower the risk for service members,” he said. Behind the scenes the transition will continue, he said, “but customer-facing changes are tremendously hard to execute during that peak season period, so as a strategy to reduce the risk, we’ve taken that off the table.”

This new process consolidates all Defense Department household goods moves under a single contract, awarded to HomeSafe Alliance, a consortium of companies that will be the sole manager of household goods moves. The initial $6.2 billion contract is for three years, and the transition period has been extended.

The contract delay is not related to other aspects, such as the ability to get enough movers to sign on. There’s no target number for the number of companies, and officials said the contractor will bring in as many companies as needed. One member of that consortium is Sirva, which includes North American Van Lines and Allied Van Lines.

The current system is “highly inefficient,” Dawson said, and service members are primarily dependent on the internal processes of those 800 companies. HomeSafe will be fully responsible for these moves, bringing accountability to the program from the time a moving company is assigned, through the packing, hauling and unloading, and handling any claims for loss or damage. TRANSCOM is essentially outsourcing the management of the program through this contract, but will oversee the program.

When the phase-in of the new process begins, it will be limited to local shipments at a few locations — they’ll be tied to ZIP codes. For example, in the Norfolk area, they’ll be moving shipments within ZIP codes south of the Chesapeake Bay, not those on the peninsula.

The installations’ local transportation offices will continue to play a big role in this process, Dawson said, providing move counseling to service members, and performing other functions such as approving invoices.

The new “4 + 1 Commitment: The Formula for Military Spouse Success,” launched Dec. 6, would have provided Street, an Army spouse, with the opportunity for one or more of the jobs she’s had to be more portable, she said. “Sometimes it’s not so much the difficulties with finding a job as it is in keeping a job, due to frequent relocations,” she told Military Times.

A job’s flexibility, in terms of hours, remote work and other factors, can have lasting effects on a spouse’s career and the finances of the family, Street said. “We can start to see career progression. There’s such a disparity in career advancement for military spouses versus our service member counterparts,” she said.

Street, who now works for Blue Star Families, said she always wanted a career in financial wellness, but the demands of the military life meant it took longer to get her accreditation.

Spouse unemployment has remained stubbornly at above 20% for more than a decade, and the Defense Department and the military services, as well as a number of private organizations have worked to provide more opportunities for spouses.

The 4 + 1 Commitment was launched at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. as part of the Blue Star Families’ Do Your Part campaign, along with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes. The effort is in partnership with the Defense Department’s Military Spouse Employment Partnership. Twelve companies have already signed on, agreeing to commit to at least one of four policy changes. The goal is to have 1,000 companies signed up by the end of 2024.

In addition to the job portability/transferability, the other military-spouse-friendly employment policy change commitments are:

*Offering remote or telework

*Offering flexible work hours

*Providing paid Permanent Change of Station leave.

The “+1″ commitment is to consider joining existing government spouse employment programs.

Katie McCarthy, a Navy spouse, said having that level of flexibility is significant, as well as other aspects such as the PCS leave. “That’s huge, “she said, because of responsibilities such as getting kids enrolled in school, packing and unpacking the house, finding child care, and host of other tasks.

“As individuals, as a woman, as a mom, we’re already faced with so many hurdles getting and keeping employment. Adding being a military spouse into the mix is an additional hurdle,” McCarthy said. So working for a company that can allow flexible work schedules, is a big plus, she said.

McCarthy and Street introduced the guest speaker for the event, first lady Jill Biden. She described the spouse story she has heard over and over: the young military wife juggling young children, holding it together while the husband is deployed, trying unsuccessfully to find a job.

“I meet her and spouses like her everywhere I go. Lawyers and lab techs, teachers and accountants. The husband who feels like he’s lost his purpose,” Biden said. “We don’t just need spouses to have jobs. We need them to be able to keep those jobs, and turn them into careers”

She challenged those in the room to talk to other companies and urged them to commit to this effort.

“Change isn’t easy. But neither is moving to a new military base, again and again. Neither is parenting while your partner is deployed. Neither is losing sleep, worrying that the person you love most in the world might not come home,” Biden said. “That’s what our military spouses do every do every day. They do it even when it’s hard. They do it for us. And we owe them the same devotion.”

Kathy Roth-Douquet, co-founder and CEO of Blue Star Families, described the commitment as an effort “to stave off a national security crisis,” adding that “it’s a crisis that snuck up on us.”

Traditional workplace conventions need to change, Roth-Douquet said. “One of the top reasons that people who are otherwise promotable say they’ll leave the military is because of spouse career challenges. And the top reasons for military families no longer recommending [military] service, is that military lifestyle challenges prevent a second income and lead to financial hardships.”

Military spouses “present an incredible workforce opportunity for American business,” said Eric Eversole, vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and president of Hiring Our Heroes. “They’re incredibly well educated, they’re resilient. They understand how to get the job done no matter what. Make no mistake about it. Hiring military spouses is not only a great business decision, but it’s also critical to our national security.”

A victory for all military spouses in court fight over job license

Ellyn Dunford, wife of retired Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, the 19th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the world is different than when she married her husband in 1984, as fewer than 35% of spouses with children under age 6 worked at that time. She was an exception, she said, maintaining her career through many moves, while raising three children and volunteering at each duty station. “I loved being married to my Marine, and loved the friends I made. I loved the feeling that our whole family served,” she said.

She made enough money to improve their quality and life and put some money aside, but there were significant challenges with costs such as child care and professional licensing, she said.

“If I had said I was done with the many moves, and disruptions to my career and my children’s lives, and done with the long separations, Joe might have decided to leave the service,” Dunford said.

“Who will we lose if we can’t find flexible, professional employment for our spouses” and address the child care need, she added.

The legislation — which spans nearly 2,400 pages, not including additional report language — sets nearly all of the military’s new policy provisions and spending priorities for the year. It is viewed as a must-pass bill by most lawmakers and has successfully advanced through Congress for more than six decades, even among partisan strife in the House and Senate.

But the separate House and Senate drafts of this year’s authorization bill were packed with an array of controversial issues, endangering bipartisan support for the final compromise.

House Republicans had included provisions eliminating the Defense Department’s abortion access policy for troops, banning certain military care for transgender service members, eliminating the post of chief diversity officer for the department and prohibiting all future mask mandates for pandemic prevention efforts throughout the ranks.

Tuberville drops holds on more than 430 military promotions

Senate Democrats had vowed to oppose those ideas, and removed all of them in conference committee work over the last week. In a joint statement, the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees said reaching a compromise that would get Republican and Democratic support was their top priority.

“Providing for our national defense is Congress’ most important responsibility under the U.S. Constitution, and the NDAA is key to fulfilling that duty,” they said in a statement. “Our nation faces unprecedented threats from China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea. It is vital that we act now to protect our national security.

“Through months of hard-fought and productive negotiations, we have crafted a bipartisan and bicameral conference report that strengthens our national security and supports our service members.”

Four conservative House members on the conference committee — Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Ronny Jackson of Texas, Mike Waltz of Florida, and Marjorie Taylor-Greene of Georgia — declined to sign the final conference report in protest of the changes.

The compromise measure is expected to be voted on by the full House and Senate by the end of next week. The White House has not indicated if President Joe Biden will sign the newest draft of the bill, but most of the objections noted by administration officials have been removed.

Under the final authorization plan, troops would receive a 5.2% pay raise starting in January, their largest in 22 years.

For an E-4 with three years in service, the 5.2% pay raise would mean about $1,700 more next year in take-home pay compared to 2023. For senior enlisted and junior officers, the hike equals about $3,000 more. For an O-4 with 12 years of service, it equates to more than $5,400 in extra pay in 2024.

But the conference committee abandoned House lawmakers’ plans for additional targeted pay raises for junior enlisted troops, opting instead to push that discussion into next year’s authorization bill debate. Lawmakers will require the Defense Department to issue a report on the impact of potential basic pay boosts for those service members in early spring.

Negotiators did include several provisions on restricting diversity, equity and inclusion training in military operations, but far fewer than what House Republicans had pushed for.

One provision will prevent defense leaders from creating any new DEI-focused positions until a review of current jobs related to the issue is completed. Another would limit pay for posts related solely to those issues.

Lawmakers also included language encouraging service officials to allow troops booted for refusing COVID-19 vaccines to re-enlist, provided that vaccine objection was their only disqualifying action.

Earlier on Wednesday, recruiting officials from each of the armed forces said of the 8,000-plus individuals dismissed for that offense, only about 40 individuals have so far come back after the vaccine mandate was repealed in December 2022.

The final authorization plan calls for cuts in active-duty personnel for the Army (down 7,000 to 445,000), the Navy (down 16,200 to 337,800), the Air Force (down 5,344 to 320,00) and the Marine Corps (down 4,700 to 172,300). Only the Space Force saw an increase (up 800 to 9,400).

Actually paying for all of those personnel and the equipment purchase priorities outlined in the authorization bill will fall to congressional appropriators in their fiscal 2024 defense budget bill.

Last month, lawmakers approved a short-term budget extension of fiscal 2023 spending levels for the Defense Department until Feb. 2. That means even if the authorization bill is signed into law later this month, many of the programs and initiatives outlined in it won’t be fully funded until early February, more than four months into the new fiscal year.

The relief societies — Air Force Aid Society, Army Emergency Relief, Coast Guard Mutual Assistance and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society — help service members and their families with emergency relief, financial assistance and educational support.

Last year was the first year of the competition, and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society won the bragging rights. Overall, the four congressionally-sanctioned 501c3 nonprofits raised nearly $1.25 million in last year’s Giving Tuesday campaign.

All four military aid societies have four-star ratings, the highest given by Charity Navigator. Giving Tuesday is a day of giving around the world, started in 2012, with untold numbers of charities urging people to donate to their causes.

Lockheed Martin will match every gift made to the military aid societies, up to $1 million. Those wishing to donate to one of the relief societies on that day are asked to visit Battle4BraggingRights.com and designate their gift to one of the four nonprofits.

The nonprofits’ offices are usually located on military installations. They provide grants and interest-free loans, to help service members and their families in need. They provide a variety of programs and services, such as emergency relief, disaster assistance, financial assistance, scholarships and other support.

The military relief societies have long stepped in to help service members and families with a variety of emergency financial assistance, such as car repairs, travel for unexpected events such as funerals and basic living expenses such as rent and utilities.

But recently, relief society programs have also targeted the cost of shipping infant formula, the costs to get housing in this highly competitive market, and the high cost of shipping pets to and from overseas on permanent change of station orders. They’ve helped families in Hawaii with costs associated with dealing with the tainted water supply.

The oldest of the military aid societies is Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, which was established in 1904.

“This is a victory for all military spouses,” said Hannah Magee Portée, of Del Rio, Texas. “I hope it makes other spouses’ lives easier, and I hope they don’t have to go through what I did just to be able to work.”

Judge Robert Pitman ruled that Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath, Texas Education Agency and the State Board for Educator Certification violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, when they refused to accept her school counseling licenses from Ohio and Missouri earlier this year when she moved to Texas. She and her husband, Air Force Capt. David Portée, moved on military orders to Laughlin Air Force Base.

Texas Education Agency officials hadn’t responded by press time to Military Times’ request for comment.

This sets a legal precedent that will benefit all military spouses, said Brandon Grable, Portée’s attorney. “This is not just a win for Hannah, but a win for military and their spouses across the country. Other courts can rely on it elsewhere in the event spouses are in the same situation.”

Until now, no court had interpreted the SCRA’s license portability provisions. The new provisions of the SCRA were signed into law on Jan. 5, requiring states to provide reciprocity in accepting valid occupational licenses from previous jurisdictions. The law also applies to service members.

The law broke new ground in the effort to help military spouses who face onerous and often expensive processes each time they move to get certified to continue their chosen career in a new location. Defense officials have calculated there are more than 132,000 active-duty spouses in occupations like nursing and realty that require licensing, representing about 39% of military spouses in the workforce.

The ruling in Portée’s case, issued Monday in U.S. District Court in Austin, found that the state violated federal law by requiring Portée to adhere to Texas requirements. Texas was requiring her to verify continuous use of her school counseling licenses for a two-year period before she moved to Texas with her husband, in order to qualify for a Texas educator certification based on her out-of-state licenses.

The ruling permanently stops Texas education officials from enforcing the Texas requirements in Portée’s case. The judge had issued a temporary injunction in July in her favor. That enabled Portée to get a temporary license, allowing her to work as a substitute counselor.

But the ruling comes too late for her for the current school year, she said. “I wasn’t able to secure a full-time position, just a long-term sub position,” with less pay and fewer benefits, she said. Her time as a substitute counselor won’t count toward retirement benefits in Texas, she said.

Her next step is to ask for that permanent license. “I want them to honor the judgment and give me the license I fought to have,” she said. Her husband is expected to receive orders in the spring after he finishes training, and they don’t know where they’ll be stationed next. But she’ll be able to transfer her Ohio and Missouri school counseling licenses, to another state, she said, because they’re valid for five years.

Portée had some extra firepower in her fight, as the Justice Department filed a statement of interest supporting her request, calling Texas’ actions a violation of the new provision of the SCRA.

Texas education officials never filed a response to Portée’s original complaint. But they did file a response to Portée’s request for a preliminary injunction in the summer, contending that Texas law and the relief act don’t conflict.

Judge Pitman conducted a full analysis of the case “out of an abundance of caution,” he noted, even though Texas education officials didn’t file a response or defend the case.

“The Court also notes that its conclusion would be the same if it did not consider any other filings in this case and only considered Portée’s motion and her complaint,” Pitman wrote.

The relief act requirement that the service member or spouse “has actively used [the professional license] during the two years immediately preceding the relocation” was a central point of the Texas officials’ argument against the preliminary injunction, according to a court document filed on July 7. They contended that Portée doesn’t qualify for relief act protection because she had been licensed as a school counselor for less than two years, and employed as a school counselor for only one year prior to the move.

It was helpful that the judge clarified that point, said Grable, Portée’s attorney. The context in which the word “during” is used “suggests that Congress intended it to mean ‘at a point in the course of,’” Judge Pitman stated. If Congress had required two years of continuous employment, it could have used the phrase “continuously used during,” he noted.

Grable said he hopes that state agencies across the country will look at their regulations, and make sure they’re aligned with the SCRA.

“First and foremost, the fact that a state agency has been found to violate federal law is going to cause other state agencies everywhere to take a closer look,” Grable said.

Pitman also ordered that Portée can recover reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs.

Kinderspot, which was the brainchild of Air Force Maj. Jacque Vasta, allows families who are enrolled at a participating Air Force child development center to offer their weeklong blocks of time to other families when they’re away from the child care center, while receiving a credit to their account when another family rents their spot.

It is currently available at 29 installations, including five that launched on Nov. 15: Beale Air Force Base and Vandenberg Space Force Base, California; Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington; Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

As of November, the app had 6,200 users, and had facilitated the rental of nearly 3,700 short-term child care spots, according to Shannon Carabajal, a spokeswoman for the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center. The Air Force began field-testing the app in the summer of 2021.

So far, no other branches of the military have expressed interest in adopting Kinderspot, at least as far as the Air Force Services Center is aware, Carabajal said.

However, Kinderspot is available at Air Force-operated child development centers at five joint bases: Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia; and Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.

The next bases scheduled for the Kinderspot rollout in mid-December are Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota; F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming; Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas; Moody Air Force Base, Georgia; and Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.

Defense and service officials have been working on various ideas to help meet the need for child care among military parents.

Child care fees plunge for many military families

Kinderspot fills a need for parents whose children are attending child development centers, as well as those who need short-term child care. Parents are required to pay for weeks that their children are away — such as when the family is on leave or when the service member is away on temporary duty. But by using this app, they can sublet their child’s vacant spot, and the family saves money because they won’t have to pay for the time their child is away. The amount is credited to their account.

Families without a child currently enrolled at a child development center must complete paperwork to become a verified renter at their center before booking available weeks through the app. The rental fees are paid directly to the center at the renter’s rate. That rate is based on the family’s total family income, not the total family income fee of the family who has the permanent child care space.

The Kinderspot app is available for download on Apple and Android devices. The participating centers validate all the users of the app to make sure they are eligible to offer a spot or to rent a spot.

The child subletting a child care slot must be in the same age group as the child who has the permanent spot in the child development center. The subletting families aren’t subject to the DoD priority system for child development centers because they aren’t holding full-time child care spaces, Carabajal said.

“As soon as my base adopted Kinderspot, I used the app and was able to sublet my child’s CDC spot for a week,” said Lt. Col. Kelly Atkinson, in an Air Force announcement about the expansion. “The program was easy to use, clear and intuitive. Best of all, Kinderspot not only helped my family save on child care costs but also ensured another military family had access to child care for that week,” said Atkinson, who is stationed at the Air Force Academy in Colorado.

And there’s a new benefit for military families this year, the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, which allows families to set aside money before taxes for dependent care expenses. Families sign up for this new benefit through the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS) during the federal benefits open season, which is now through Dec. 11.

The flexible spending account, announced by Department of Defense officials earlier this year, helps defray the cost of child care and other dependent care by providing tax savings. For help in determining whether to set up an account, and how much money to set aside, officials advise troops to take advantage of the Defense Department’s free counseling and advice from personal financial management counselors at many military installations, and tax counselors available all year through DoD’s Military OneSource.com. FSAFEDS also offers free benefits counseling.

The open season for Tricare beneficiaries runs through Dec. 12, a day longer than the federal benefits open season. Tricare open season applies to those enrolled in or eligible for Tricare Prime, including the U.S. Family Health Plan option, or Tricare Select. During this period, enrolled beneficiaries can make changes to their health coverage — such as switching from Tricare Prime to Tricare Select, or moving from individual to family enrollment. If you’re eligible for a Tricare plan but are not enrolled, now is the time to do it.

The changes you make during open season will take effect Jan. 1.

If you’re already enrolled in a Tricare plan and don’t want to make any changes, you don’t have to take any action; you’ll continue to stay enrolled in that plan. Even if you don’t want to change plans, you should still check to see if there are changes in Tricare costs that could affect you.

Generally, if you’ve been paying out-of-pocket for Tricare in 2023, you’ll pay extra in 2024, according to fee schedules released by the Defense Health Agency.

For those who make co-payments for covered services such as primary care visits, specialty care outpatient visits and urgent care, the co-pays will generally go up by $1 to $3 a visit. And those who pay annual enrollment fees will also see increases. Annual deductibles will increase for some, which means the families will pay more out of pocket before Tricare kicks in.

The only time you can enroll in or change your Tricare plan is during open season, or a qualifying life event such as moving, birth or adoption of a child, marriage, divorce, retirement from active duty, or a death in the family. Another example is losing or gaining other health insurance.

If you aren’t in a Tricare plan and don’t enroll during open season, the only care in the Military Health System for which you’d be eligible is at a military hospital or clinic — and only if space is available.

Open season doesn’t apply to active duty service members, who have full health coverage, or to those in Tricare for Life, which is automatic for those who have Medicare Part A and Part B. It also doesn’t apply to Tricare premium-based plans — Tricare Reserve Select, Tricare Retired Reserve and Tricare Young Adult — which can be purchased at any time during the year. But those in Tricare Young Adult with either the Prime or Select options can only change plans during open enrollment or a qualifying life event.

Tricare Prime is a health maintenance organization-style plan in which you get most of your care from a primary care manager, with referrals required for specialty care. There is no deductible. Active duty service members, their family members and transitional survivors don’t pay enrollment fees or out-of-pocket costs for covered services. Retirees, their families and all others pay enrollment fees and out-of-pocket costs for covered services except for preventive care.

Tricare Select is a preferred provider organization-style plan in which you choose your Tricare-authorized provider and don’t have to get referrals for most services. There are deductibles, co-payments and cost-shares.

For more information, visit the Tricare open season page.

Increased costs in premium-based Tricare plans

Military families who are enrolled in the Tricare premium plans for young adults, reservists and retired reservists, and separating service members will once again see hikes in their premiums, starting Jan. 1.

The Tricare Young Adult Prime and Select plans are available for purchase by qualified former dependent children up to age 26. The Tricare Young Adult programs must be at no cost to the government, under the rules set by Congress when it was implemented in 2013. So, the full cost of the program’s premiums is reflected in the fees charged to families. Defense officials look at the health care expenditures for the program for the previous year and calculate the costs.

Dental

Families of active duty, National Guard and reserve service members — as well as Guardsmen and reservists who aren’t on active duty — are eligible for the Tricare Dental Program, which requires separate enrollment.

Most retirees and their family members are eligible for dental and vision coverage under the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program, or FEDVIP, which is administered by the Office of Personnel Management and also requires separate enrollment.

The open season for FEDVIP runs through Dec. 11, which is one day shorter than the Tricare open season.

The rates for FEDVIP will go up an average of 1.4% for dental in 2024, according to OPM.

Twelve dental carriers provide 23 dental plan options available across FEDVIP. Seven of those dental carriers offer a combined 14 nationwide dental plan options. The remaining five carriers offer regional coverage.

If you’re already enrolled in a FEDVIP dental and/or vision plan and don’t want to make a change, your enrollment will automatically continue.

Vision

Those in the military community must be enrolled in a Tricare health plan to be eligible for FEDVIP vision coverage. Those eligible include active duty family members, retirees and their eligible family members, and Selected Reserve members and their families.

The 2024 average premium for vision plans will increase by 1.1% over the 2023 rates, according to the Office of Personnel Management.

Five national providers offer 10 vision insurance plans available to all eligible for FEDVIP.

Visit www.benefeds.com to enroll in FEDVIP and to get more information.

Pharmacy costs increase

Tricare beneficiaries who get their prescriptions filled at a retail pharmacy or through the mail-order program will pay more for their prescription drugs in 2024, as increases set by a 2018 law go into effect.

There aren’t co-payments for prescriptions filled at military pharmacies.

♦$16 for a 30-day supply of a generic at a retail pharmacy, up from $14 in 2023.

♦$43 for a 30-day supply of a covered name-brand drug at a retail pharmacy, up from $38 in 2023.

♦$13 for a 90-day supply of a generic through the mail-order pharmacy, up from $12 in 2023.

♦$38 for a 90-day supply of a covered name-brand drug through mail-order, up from $34 in 2023.

♦$76 for a 90-day supply of a non-formulary prescription drug — not on the list of drugs that are covered by Tricare — up from $68 in 2023.

Over the last several decades, these problems have been persistent, and while there have been numerous efforts over the years to fix them, it sometimes seems like a game of whac-a-mole.

But now there’s a culture change happening in the Army, to include the demise of the practice of “end-stating” when it comes to quality of life, said the Army general responsible for many of those programs.

As Gen. Charles Hamilton, commanding general of Army Materiel Command, put it in an interview with Military Times, “end-stating” refers to the final phase of an operation. According to the DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, end state is “the set of required conditions that defines achievement of the commander’s objectives.” But just because a project or building is finished, the responsibilities don’t end for that project or building, said Hamilton, who is in charge of many quality-of-life programs, such as housing, child care and spouse employment.

Service members and families have faced problems for decades with a number of issues affecting quality of life, as the Government Accountability Office and Military Times have been reporting through the years. These include problems such as mold in family housing and barracks and a lack of timely maintenance; shortages of affordable, quality child care; problems with broken or lost household goods; military spouses’ difficulty in finding employment; and inadequate dining facilities.

“What I warn my team about, what I’m afraid of, is … we like to finish things, and then we go, okay, here’s my line of effort. There’s an end state. That’s the problem. We ‘end-state’ it. And then the world moves past us,” said Hamilton. “We say, ‘Okay, that barracks is finished. Okay that project’s done.’ Well, no. It’s finished for that one thing, but it’s got to keep getting maintenance, it’s got to keep getting sustainment, somebody’s got to go check it.”

Officials are working on a culture change from the top down, Hamilton said, where those projects continue to evolve, he said.

“It’s ‘Look guys, it doesn’t have an end state on it. It’s an evolution,’” said Hamilton, who enlisted in the Army in 1982 and has himself seen these issues.

“I haven’t heard a military officer say that before, so kudos,” said Kelly Hruska, government relations director of the National Military Family Association. “I’m glad he’s articulating that,” she said. As a Navy spouse of 29 years who has worked with the association since 2007, and other military family organizations before that, she has seen the continuing problems.

“It seems like we’re fighting the same things. There are days when I think we’re making progress. But then I get a call from a family and I get discouraged again,” she said.

Quality of life is a big focus in the Army now, Hamilton said. “We spend a lot of time in this space … the secretary and the chief chair these meetings, with commanders in the field. … We’re going location by location. So right there, that sends a clear message that this is a priority to the Army. They bring up everything. Child care. Dining Facilities. The meeting is called Quality of Life,” he said.

The fact remains, however, that military leaders are only in their positions for two or three years, so priorities can change.

Leaders must be willing to play the “long game” for the sake of the people they serve “rather than what can be accomplished during their time in [the] seat,” said Corie Weathers, wife of an Army chaplain, and a military clinical consultant. Her latest book, “Military Culture Shift: The Impact of War, Money, and Generational Perspective on Morale, Retention, and Leadership,” will be available Nov. 14.

Weathers also cautions that there are some quality-of-life issues that “service members and families have brought up for decades, generations even, that many are no longer willing to wait for without consequence.”

While some of the services may be doing well with retention right now, Weathers believes the military is on the verge of a retention crisis. “In order to begin the healing process, I believe the institution (ultimately leaders) will need to authentically show that they value the people over bureaucracy,” she said, in an email response.

“Our culture is at a tipping point where the community’s expectations and frustration over issues that should have been resolved (or should have an expected end date) will be fully displayed as evergreen content online until leaders are held accountable,” she said. “This is an immense amount of pressure on leaders who genuinely would like to make progress on systemic problems.”

Leaders must be able to “communicate ongoing efforts to make progress on quality-of-life issues while simultaneously casting vision for realistic expectations and deadlines that can be used to hold the institution accountable,” Weathers said. But leaders should avoid communicating in ways that sound like “kicking the can down the road,” she said.

Hamilton explained that there have been improvements on this front in recent decades, “but as you know, the world changes pretty quickly around us. Whether it be barracks, housing, the expectations from families have certainly, and deservedly so, increased over time. They’re holding us accountable, as they should.”

For example, when it comes to housing he noted that “with the dollars we have, we’re going to continue to build, to renovate and modernize, and go after getting better housing for our families. ... It all goes to readiness. And I won’t come off that dime as long as I’m the Army Materiel Command commander. We owe it to our families.”

Much of the problem, of course, has to do with money, and the competition for limited amounts of dollars between quality-of-life programs and things like weapons systems. More and more, leaders like Hamilton have been saying that these programs that affect rank-and-file service members and their families directly affect military readiness, too.

Here's how this general is working to fix mold and other housing problems

Deja vu all over again

In the 1990s, military family housing had deteriorated to such a degree on some installations, with mold, neglected and deferred critical maintenance and other problems, that the services and defense officials faced a $20 billion maintenance backlog that would take 30 years to fix with traditional military construction. Too often, installations had used money meant for maintaining housing for other priorities. So DoD and the services turned to agreements with private companies to fix the decrepit housing, turning it over to the companies to demolish, build, renovate, maintain and operate. In return, the companies receive service members’ monthly Basic Allowance for Housing for rent.

By 2018, nearly 20 years later, it was clear the services and DoD had taken their eye off the ball and weren’t listening to military families about persistent problems with mold, overflowing sewage, rodent infestation, water intrusion, and other problems in their houses. Congress passed laws to reform the housing privatization program and to require more rigorous oversight of these private companies by DoD and the services, and to ensure quick response to family’s problems with their housing.

The living conditions in the barracks have also been a persistent problem, and were documented in a recent GAO report. GAO reported similar problems with barracks 20 years ago.

And 10 years ago, in a report to Congress, the Defense Department lauded the progress it had made in modernizing its barracks program, said GAO’s Elizabeth Field, in her Sept. 27 testimony before Congress. “The department also promised that military barracks would be adequately maintained over the long term,” she said. “Obviously, that didn’t happen.”

Lawmakers are again pushing DoD and the services to address the living conditions in the barracks. The Army will spend $1 billion a year through 2030 to fix barracks, but another $6.8 billion on top of that is needed, officials say.

“If Hamilton was king for a day, I’d have the $6.8 billion and I’d go in and fix everything. But I’ve only got a billion a year until 2030, so I’m going to try to fix as much as I can fix over time,” Hamilton said. “I know mold will continue to show up in barracks, especially in those warm areas. But we’ll continue to combat it. We treat it like any other mission. We actually actively have teams and we go after this in a very, very aggressive manner. We’re trying to increase the public works staffs, and we try to keep everybody informed on mitigation programs.”

As far as the transportation of service members’ household goods, that, too, has been a problem for decades — broken and missing furniture and belongings, missed pickup dates and delivery dates. The Defense Department has “re-engineered” that process several times over the last two decades, but issues boiled up again in a particularly brutal PCS season in 2018.

The latest effort is U.S. Transportation Command’s outsourcing of the management of the process, through a contract with a single company. All moves within the continental United States are expected to be managed by this company by peak moving season 2024, which starts in the April-May time frame. While commercial companies have always done the work of packing, loading and trucking troops’ belongings to the next duty station, one company will now have the responsibility of assigning the moves to companies and managing the process.

Meanwhile, TRANSCOM and the services have been working on some improvements to the PCS process, such as giving service members more lead time on their orders before their report date to the new duty station, and increasing military inspections of movers.

Shortages of affordable, available child care, and high rates of unemployment for military spouses who face frequent moves have been increasing problems over the decades, as more military spouses seek employment — like their civilian counterparts.

Defense and service officials have initiated a number of programs to increase spouse education and employment opportunities. The unemployment numbers remain stubbornly high — more than 20%, according to some surveys, but it’s not regularly tracked. NMFA’s Hruska and others have asked the Department of Labor to track military spouse unemployment as they do veteran unemployment, as those efforts have produced results. So far, that tracking hasn’t happened.

Military families value their military child development centers on installations, which are highly regulated, generally wholesome environments for their children. But there have been shortages of child care spaces for military children in a number of areas. Lawmakers have criticized service leaders for years for not asking for more money to build more child development centers.

The services and DoD have implemented a number of initiatives to try to address these shortages, such as fee assistance programs for quality child care in the civilian community.

Hamilton noted the Army funded seven new child development centers from 2021 to 2023, and eight additional centers and two youth centers are planned between now and 2025. “The bigger problem is the hiring,” he said. “I can pretty much build. But it’s the competition. It’s a true war with competition.” And the government hiring process takes a while.

“I’m committed to changing this” he said, noting that “from the Secretary on down, everybody is working in this space.”

“Whether it be spouse employment or child care, those go directly to the readiness of a family’s household,” Hamilton said. “Their peace of mind, how they’re going to assimilate in the military. It goes to retention in the military. So we put a lot of time and effort into this space,” he said.

“Is it perfect? No. But man, it’s gotten a lot better than it used to be.”

Generally, if you’ve been paying out-of-pocket for Tricare in 2023, you’ll pay extra in 2024, according to fee schedules just released by the Defense Health Agency.

For those who make co-payments for covered services such as primary care visits, specialty care outpatient visits and urgent care, the co-pays will generally go up by $1 to $3 a visit. And those who pay annual enrollment fees will also see increases. Annual deductibles will increase for some, which means the families will pay more out of pocket before Tricare kicks in.

Active duty service members don’t have out-of-pocket costs. Their family members may have costs, depending on the Tricare health plan they’re enrolled in, their sponsor’s pay grade and when the sponsor entered active duty, the type of care they get, and where they get it.

Thus, as Tricare open enrollment season starts Nov. 13 and ends Dec. 12, it’s important for families to review their costs that go into effect Jan. 1. “Families really need to do their homework, look at their out-of-pocket costs, think about their situation, and figure out which plan is right for them,” said Eileen Huck, senior deputy director of government relations for the National Military Family Association.

“I’m glad DoD put out the new rates this week, as we’re coming up on open season.”

This is the only time of year when those eligible for, or enrolled in, Tricare Prime or Tricare Select can make changes to their health care coverage unless they have a qualifying life event during the year, such as a marriage, birth, permanent change of station move or retirement.

If you don’t want to make a change, you don’t have to take action.

Active duty service members and their families in Tricare Prime (including U.S. Family Health Plan) don’t pay annual enrollment fees, annual deductibles or out-of-pocket costs for covered services. Families pay only when they get nonemergency care without a referral, use non-network providers without authorization, or use a pharmacy other than a military pharmacy.

Active duty families in Tricare Select don’t pay annual enrollment fees either, but working-age retirees, their family members and most others do, and those fees are going up.

Tricare for Life members don’t pay enrollment fees.

By law, there are differences in some costs based on when the sponsor entered the military. Those who entered before Jan. 1, 2018, are part of Group A, while those who entered on or after Jan. 1, 2018, are part of Group B.

There are no costs for covered preventive care visits.

Some examples of in-network co-pays for services:

♦ Primary care outpatient visits in the Tricare Select network: For active duty families, the cost increases by $2, to $27, for those in Group A, and remains at $18, for those in Group B. For working-age retirees, it increases by $2, to $36, for those in Group A. For Group B, it increases by $1, to $31.

♦ Primary care outpatient visits for working-age retirees in Tricare Prime: Co-pay increases by $1, to $25.

♦ Urgent care center visits in Tricare Select: For active duty families in Group A, co-pay increases by $2, to $27; and by $1, to $25, for Group B. For working-age retirees in Group A, it increases by $2, to $36.

♦ Urgent care center visits in Tricare Prime for working-age retirees: Co-pays increase by $1, to $37.

Enrollment fees

Working-age retirees:

Tricare Prime: Annual enrollment fees for those in Group A will increase from $351.96 to $363 for the year for individuals; and families’ costs will increase from $703.92 to $726. For those in Group B, the individual’s cost goes from $426 to $438.96; and families’ costs go from $852 to $879.

Tricare Select: Annual enrollment fees for those in Group A will go from $171.96 for individuals to $177.96; and for families, from $345 to $355.92. For those in Group B, the fee will go from $547.92 for individuals to $564.96; for families, from $1,095.96 to $1,131.

Annual deductibles

Deductibles are the amount the beneficiary must pay before Tricare starts to pay. There is no annual deductible for Tricare Prime.

Tricare Select:

Active duty family members in Group A, grades E-4 and below, pay $50 per individual and $100 per family (no change). Group B members pay $62 per individual, up from $60; and $125 per family, up from $121.

Active duty family members in Group A, grades E-5 and above, pay $150 per individual and $300 per family (no change). Group B members pay $188 per individual, up from $182; and $377 per family, up from $365.

Working-age retirees in Group A pay $150 per individual and $300 per family (no change). Group B members pay $188 (in network) for individuals, up from $182; and $377 (in network) per family, up from $365.

Catastrophic cap

The catastrophic cap is the maximum amount beneficiaries pay out of pocket in a year for covered services before Tricare starts picking up 100% of the cost. The cap is increasing for some beneficiaries in Prime and Select programs, except for active duty families in Group A, where it remains at $1,000, and retirees in Tricare Prime Group A, where it remains at $3,000.

The catastrophic cap for certain active duty family members and working-age retirees will increase by about 3.2%. By law, DoD is required to raise certain beneficiary out-of-pocket cost shares by an amount equal to the annual cost of living adjustment for retirees, which is 3.2% for 2024.

For active duty families in Group B, the catastrophic cap increases to $1,256, up from $1,217 in 2023. For Group A working-age retirees in Tricare Select, the cap increases by $129, to $4,157 for the family. For those in Group B, the cap increases by $137, to $4,399, for the family.

Increases for premium-based plans

As announced earlier, the rates have increased for the Tricare premium-based programs — Tricare Young Adult, Tricare Reserve Select and Tricare Retired Reserve — as determined earlier by the Defense Health Agency. Those increases take effect Jan. 1, 2024.

The new monthly premiums are:

♦ Tricare Young Adult:: For TYA Prime, an increase of 11.8% to $637 a month, compared to the current $570 a month. For TYA Select, the monthly premium increases to $311, a 6.9% increase from the $291 in 2023.

♦ Tricare Reserve Select: The monthly premiums increase by 7.2% for both individual service member coverage and family coverage. It increases to $51.95 for the individual, from the $48.47 in 2023. For the family option, the premium is $256.87, up from $239.69 in 2023.

♦ Tricare Retired Reserve: The premiums increase by 6.5% for both individual and family coverage. For individuals, it increases to $585.24, up from $549.35 in 2023. For the Tricare Retired Reserve family, it’s $1,406.22 starting in 2024, up from the $1,320.76 in 2023.

“We continue to be really concerned about the Tricare Young Adult costs,” said Huck, of the National Military Family Association. “We feel that’s not sustainable, not a good option for our young people who lack the benefit that their civilian neighbors and friends have, the ability to stay on their parents’ plan.

“Families may not be aware. If they have an older child or a child who is going to be graduating from college, they need to be thinking about this, trying to figure whether this is something they can afford within their budget.”

Military families and veterans know better than anyone that Veterans Day isn’t just about saving money. But as the cost of living continues to stretch wallets thin, this year’s discounts for the federal holiday could be a chance to snag a complimentary restaurant meal or a cheaper vacation without breaking the bank.

Our annual list of verified Veterans Day deals is here to help you navigate offers from restaurants, hotels, retail establishments and other businesses. If you plan wisely, you could fortify yourself with free breakfast, lunch and dinner while you head to stores with a trove of in-person and online markdowns.

But situations can vary and exclusions may apply: Call ahead to see whether restaurants and shops are open and whether they’re participating in a discount program. Check whether discounts apply to those currently in uniform as well as veterans, and if Guardsmen and Reservists can benefit, too. Ask if family members qualify for free meals as well. Perhaps most importantly, find out what proof of military service you need to provide.

Did we miss something? Email Senior Reporter Karen Jowers at kjowers@militarytimes.com with suggestions.

If you don’t see a favorite establishment on the list, ask them if they have a military discount (even if they don’t have a sign in the store). Just remember that companies aren’t required to offer discounts or deals.

And check out our “Before you go” section at the bottom of this article to save yourself some headaches.

Food and drink

Applebee’s: Offering a free meal for lunch or dinner, from a special menu of eight entrees, to active duty and other veterans on Nov. 11. Dine in only; beverage and gratuity not included. Limit one free meal. Also receive a $5 “bounce-back card” for a future visit within a three-week redemption window. Must provide proof of service.

Black Rifle Coffee: Offering a free 16-oz. coffee beverage to veterans on Nov. 11 at participating Black Rifle Coffee Company stores. Also, participating stores are offering a 20% discount on retail merchandise, through Nov. 13.

Bob Evans: Offering a free meal, from a special menu of seven items, to active duty and other veterans on Nov. 11. Dine in only; beverage and gratuity not included. Must provide proof of service.

Bombshells Restaurant & Bar: Offering free entrees for veterans (not active duty) at all 12 company-owned and franchised locations in Texas on Nov. 11. Other items will be discounted at 20% for active duty and veterans, and accompanying families will receive a 20% discount on entrees and other items. All other days of the year, active duty and other veterans can receive a 20% discount. Check beforehand what identification can be used for the discount.

California Pizza Kitchen: Offering a free nonalcoholic beverage and choice of one entree, from a special menu at participating locations, to active duty and other veterans on Nov. 11. Dine-in only, gratuity and tax not included.

Cotton Patch Cafe: Offering a free Cotton Patch Cafe Chicken Fried Steak or Chicken Fried Chicken to active duty and other veterans on Nov. 11. This deal is available during store hours for dine-in only at all their locations. The stores are located in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

El Fenix: Offering a free meal with choice of Enchilada Plate or Taco Plate, to active duty and other veterans on Nov. 11. Available at all the Texas chain’s restaurants. The deal is available with proof of service, and is dine-in only.

Golden Corral: Offering a free meal at all locations from 5 p.m. to close on Monday, Nov. 13, to all active duty and other veterans for Military Appreciation Night. For more information, visit www.goldencorral.com/military-appreciation.

Hooters: Offering a free dinner entree from the Veterans Day menu, with purchase of a beverage, to active duty and other veterans, on Nov. 11 at participating Hooters locations. Their Veterans Day menu includes five Hooters entrees. A military ID or other proof of service is required. The offer is for dine-in only.

IHOP: Offering free red, white and blueberry pancakes to active duty and other veterans from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 11 at participating locations. Proof of service required.

Kolache Factory: Offering one free kolache and one cup of coffee to active duty and other veterans, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 11. Government-issued military photo ID or DD 214 required.

Legal Sea Foods: Offering a complimentary cup of clam chowder to active duty and other veterans who dine in restaurant Nov. 11. Locations are in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia. Must show proof of service.

Little Caesars: Offering free lunch combo at participating locations while supplies last, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Nov. 11, to active duty and other veterans. Features four slices deep dish pizza with pepperoni, and a 20-ounce Pepsi product. Proof of service required.

Peet’s Coffee: Offering a free small drip coffee or tea on Nov. 11 to active duty and other veterans at participating Peet’s retail coffeebar locations. Must show proof of valid ID showing active military or veteran status.

Red Lobster: Giving away free printed meal vouchers to active duty, veterans and reservists, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time on Saturday, Nov. 11. The vouchers, for Veterans Shrimp & Chips, can be redeemed beginning Monday, Nov. 13 through Sunday, Dec. 10 for dine-in only. A valid military or proof of service required to redeem the voucher.

Sheetz: Offering a free half turkey sub and a regular size fountain drink to active duty and other veterans on Nov. 11. Sheetz is also offering a free car wash to active duty and veterans, using the $9 car wash option, and is only available at Sheetz stores that have a car wash. Proof of service required.

Shoney’s: Offering free “all you care to eat” breakfast bar, to active duty and other veterans, from opening until 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 at participating locations. Beverage and gratuity not included. Proof of service required.

Sizzler: Offering a free lunch to active duty and other veterans, until 4 p.m. Nov. 11, from a choice of three menu entrees. All Sizzler locations are participating, except those in Utah, Idaho, and Puerto Rico., will be offering a free lunch to any active duty military or veteran until 4:00 p.m.

Smoothie King: The smoothie chain is offering a free 20-oz. red, white or blue smoothie to active duty and other veterans on Nov. 11.

Snuffer’s: Offering one free burger or sandwich on Nov. 11, to active duty and other veterans who dine in at one of these Texas restaurants. Must provide proof of service.

Starbucks: Offering a free 12-oz. hot brewed coffee or iced coffee at participating stores to active duty, veterans and military spouses on Nov. 11. Available for café and drive-through orders only.

Tuscan Brands Restaurants: Offering a free family-style meal to veterans and their guest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 10, at their locations in Boston, Burlington and Newburyport, Massachusetts; and Salem and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. RSVP by calling the restaurant or online at tuscanbrands.com/veteransday. The restaurants include Tuscan Kitchen, Tuscan Sea Grill & Bar and Toscana Italian Chop House & Wine Bar.

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux: Offering a free Scholarship Burger to all active duty and other veterans on Nov. 11, with proof of service.

Wendy’s: Offering active duty and other veterans a free breakfast combo, at participating locations during breakfast hours, Nov. 11. Combo includes coffee or soft drink, breakfast sandwich and seasoned potatoes. Present military ID or Veterans Advantage card; veterans may also get the deal by showing their VetRewards card at the register.

White Castle: Offering a free individual combo meal or breakfast combo meal to active duty and other veterans on Nov. 11 at participating restaurants. Proof of service is requested.

Recreation & travel

AmericanForcesTravel.com: This Defense Department site offers discounts year-round on airfare, hotels, car rentals, cruises and event tickets for active duty, retirees, Guard and reserve, Coast Guard, veterans with service-connected disabilities, and other eligible Morale, Welfare and Recreation patrons.

Buena Park, California: The SoCal city has pulled together a number of discounts and deals from local businesses for currently serving and other veterans, for a trip that can be planned at any time through the end of the year, ranging from hotel deals, restaurant deals, and discounts at local attractions. For a full list of military deals, visit https://www.visitbuenapark.com/usmilitarydeals.

Margaritaville at Sea: Offering active duty and other veterans the new Heroes Pass, for $299, with unlimited cruises to the Bahamas from the Port of Palm Beach now through the end of 2024. Passholders and one guest can get unlimited, non-consecutive, sailings aboard the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise. Of note: Sailings booked with this pass can only be booked 24 to 72 hours in advance, so it’s best for those with flexible schedules. The short cruise itineraries make it possible to sail to the Bahamas multiple times a year without using up weeks of vacation time. Through the company’s partnership with GovX, qualifying guests can purchase the Heroes Pass online at margaritavilleatsea.com/current-offers/2024-heroes-pass while supplies last. Guests can also visit MargaritavilleatSea.com for more details and reservations. The price doesn’t include taxes, fees, and port expenses, which must be paid for each guest at time of booking. Limited quantities are available;. November and December 2023 sailings included. Limited blackout dates. 2024 passes expire 12/31/2024.

Mount Vernon: Offering free admission to active duty and other veterans on Nov. 11. Tickets may be picked up upon arrival. Free tickets do not extend to service members’ family members or guests. More information about this Virginia attraction is available at https://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/mount-vernon-salutes-veterans/

National Parks: All national parks that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone on Veterans Day.

Vail Resorts: Current price of Epic Military Pass is $172 per person for the 2023/2024 season, and can be locked in until Nov. 19. This pass provides unlimited, unrestricted access to 41 resorts— including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Park City, Whistler Blackcomb and Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis. The $172 applies to active duty and their dependents and retirees and their dependents. Veterans and their dependents pay $552 per person for the pass.

VetTix.org: Offers tickets year-round to all military and veterans, including immediate family of troops killed in action. Vet Tix secures tickets to sporting events, concerts, performing arts, educational and family activities across the nation. Tickets are free, with a small delivery fee.

World of Coca-Cola: Offering up to four general admission tickets at half-price to active duty and other veterans, through Sunday, Nov. 13. (The service members/veterans can visit the attraction free of charge year-round.) The discounted tickets must be purchased online in advance; use the promo code VETS2023 at checkout. You’ll be asked to show your military identification when you arrive at the attraction.

Retail

Academy Sports + Outdoors: Offering 10% discount to currently serving military and other veterans through Nov. 12. The discount is applied to the entire purchase, both in store and online. To use the discount online, verify your status with the id.me buttons on the shopping cart page, then copy and paste the promo code into the promo code section on the Shopping Cart page for single-use redemption.

Army & Air Force Exchange Service, or AAFES: Veterans Day savings in brick-and-mortar stores as well at ShopMyExchange.com, to include $300 savings on Samsung Crystal UHD Smart TVs, $900 savings on HP Omen Gaming laptops; $300 off Apple MacBook Air Models with M2 chip; 20% off select Yeti hard-side or soft-side coolers; $130 off Bissell Revolution Hydrosteam Pet Vacuum; additional 20% off on Levis, American Eagle and Lucky; all Bath and Body Works hand soaps for $3.50; $20 off 1.7 oz. Victoria’s Secret Eau de Parfum and $25 off 3.4 oz. bottle. Active duty service members and retirees and their families, veterans with service-connected disabilities and DoD civilians can shop at AAFES stores on base, as well as online. Honorably discharged veterans can shop online at ShopMyExchange.com as well as the other online exchanges, mynavyexchange.com and shopcgx.com.

Happiestbaby.com: Offering 20% military discount on purchase of SNOO bed. Military service is verified through SheerID.

Home Depot: Offering a 10% discount year-round to active duty and other veterans and their spouses. Available online, in the mobile app and in-store. Those eligible receive a maximum $400 maximum discount per year, which resets each calendar year. To enroll, visit homedepot.com/auth/view/signin or open the Home Depot mobile app. Login to your existing personal account or create a new account. Go to the Military Discount page, select “verify military status” and follow the on-screen instructions to complete military verification. Once you’ve successfully completed each step, your personal account on HomeDepot.com will reflect your verified military status. Home Depot uses Sheer ID to verify status.

Lowe’s: Offering a 10% discount year-round to active duty members, veterans and their spouses, with no limit on the maximum amount of discount on eligible items. Visit Lowes.com/military to enroll. Select Verify with ID.me and follow the on-screen instructions to complete military verification. After you’ve been verified, you’ll be asked to create a personal account on Lowes.com or log in to your existing personal account on Lowes.com and follow the on-screen instructions

Parsons Xtreme Golf: Offering 40% off apparel and accessories through Nov. 15 to military and veterans. Offers year-round discounts on select clubs and apparel. Verified online through ID.me.

Samsung: Through the Military Offers Program, active and veteran service members and their families can get up to 30% discount on phones, tablets, smartwatches and more when shopping on Samsung.com. This includes products such as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy S23 series and Galaxy Tab S9 series. In addition, veterans can get up to 40% off Samsung products through Veterans Advantage. To get the discount, veterans must be enrolled in Veterans Advantage’s VetBenefits program.

Sleep Number: Offering 20% discount on most Sleep Number smart beds, bases, furniture, and bedding to military and veterans. Military service is verified through SheerID for promo code.

Staples: Offering a 25% discount on all in-store purchases through Nov. 11, to active duty and other veterans and their families. Some items are excluded from the discount. Valid military identification required. Present this coupon at checkout.

Target: Offering active duty and other veterans, as well as their spouses and children, a 10% discount on the full basket, which can be used twice through Nov. 11. Some exclusions apply. To redeem the offer, verify eligibility by registering at www.target.com/circle/military. Once verified, customers can also add veteran or dependent status as part of their Target customer profile, and be eligible for future offers for verified military and veteran guests through Target Circle.

Tractor Supply Co.: Offering a 15% discount in stores to active duty and other veterans and their dependents on Nov. 11 with valid military ID or proof of service.

Under Armour: Offering double its usual in-store military discount for active duty and other veterans, military spouses and family members, through Nov. 19. The discount is upped from 20% to 40% at all UA Brand Houses and online, and from 10% to 20% at all UA Factory Houses. Eligibility is verified through ID.me.

Walgreens: Offering 20% discount on regularly priced, eligible items in store from Nov. 10-Nov. 13 to active duty and other veterans and their dependents. Proof of service required. There are exclusions, such as prescriptions, alcohol, dairy, tobacco, gift cards and a number of other items.

Services

Goodyear Auto Service and Just Tires: Offering “Free Car Care Check for Vets,” for currently serving and other veterans from Nov. 10–Nov. 14. Includes free checks of tires, brakes, alignment, fuel system and fluid checks at their locations nationwide, plus an additional 10% off tires and services. Those who can’t get their car in by Nov. 14 can make an appointment by Nov. 14 and get the discount and free services before Nov. 19. Starting Nov. 10, visit goodyearautoservice.com or justtires.com for more information and to book an appointment. Proof of service required.

Great Clips: On Nov. 11, currently serving military and other veterans can get a free haircut or a free haircut card to use later, at any U.S. Great Clips salon. Also, non-military customers who get a haircut on Veterans Day at Great Clips can get a free haircut card to give to a service member or veteran. The cards can be redeemed from Nov. 12–Dec. 1 at any Great Clips salon in the U.S.

Before you go

• Check the fine print and call the participating organization to be sure the offer is available at the time you plan to arrive. That’s especially important in these times of supply chain issues and labor shortages.

• Let the host, cashier, attendant, reservation agent or other relevant employee know up front that you want the discount or deal.

• “Free” isn’t always completely free. A free meal doesn’t always come with a drink, for instance. Be prepared to pay for extras such as taxes (and tip). Most restaurants require patrons to dine in for the deal.

• Call ahead to local establishments to be sure they are aware of, and are participating in, national chain programs. Confirm availability and what type of ID is required.

• Not all offers apply to veterans of all stripes. Be sure you are eligible and you have the appropriate ID/paperwork.

• Not all discounts apply to the entire party. Be sure you’re clear whether family members or guests are covered in the discount.

• It doesn’t hurt to ask a company whether they offer a military discount before you book a reservation or order from your waitress. But don’t act like you expect it.

And there’s a new benefit for military families this year, the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, which allows families to set aside money before taxes for dependent care expenses. Families sign up for this new benefit during the federal benefits open season.

For Tricare beneficiaries, the open season — from Nov. 13 through Dec. 12 — applies to those enrolled in or eligible for Tricare Prime, including the U.S. Family Health Plan option, or Tricare Select. During this period, enrolled beneficiaries can make changes to their health coverage — such as switching from Tricare Prime to Tricare Select, or moving from individual to family enrollment. If you’re eligible for a Tricare plan but are not enrolled, now is the time to do it.

If you’re already enrolled in a Tricare plan and don’t want to make any changes, you don’t have to take any action; you’ll continue to stay enrolled in that plan. Even if you don’t want to change plans, you should still check to see if there are changes in Tricare costs that could affect you.

The only time you can enroll in or change your Tricare plan is during open season, or a qualifying life event such as moving, birth or adoption of a child, marriage, divorce, retirement from active duty, or a death in the family. Another example is losing or gaining other health insurance.

If you aren’t in a Tricare plan and don’t enroll during open season, the only care in the Military Health System for which you’d be eligible is at a military hospital or clinic — and only if space is available.

Open season doesn’t apply to active duty service members, who have full health coverage, or to those in Tricare for Life, which is automatic for those who have Medicare Part A and Part B. It also doesn’t apply to Tricare premium-based plans — Tricare Reserve Select, Tricare Retired Reserve and Tricare Young Adult — which can be purchased at any time during the year. But those in Tricare Young Adult with either the Prime or Select options can only change plans during open enrollment or a qualifying life event.

Tricare Prime is a health maintenance organization-style plan in which you get most of your care from a primary care manager, with referrals required for specialty care. There is no deductible. Active duty service members, their family members and transitional survivors don’t pay enrollment fees or out-of-pocket costs for covered services. Retirees, their families and all others pay enrollment fees and out-of-pocket costs for covered services except for preventive care.

Tricare Select is a preferred provider organization-style plan in which you choose your Tricare-authorized provider and don’t have to get referrals for most services. There are deductibles, co-payments and cost-shares.

Information on Prime and Select cost changes for 2024 were not yet available at publication time. For more information, visit the Tricare open season page.

Increased costs in premium-based Tricare plans

Military families who are enrolled in the Tricare premium plans for young adults, reservists and retired reservists, and separating service members will once again see hikes in their premiums, starting Jan. 1.

The Tricare Young Adult Prime and Select plans are available for purchase by qualified former dependent children up to age 26. The Tricare Young Adult programs must be at no cost to the government, under the rules set by Congress when it was implemented in 2013. So, the full cost of the program’s premiums is reflected in the fees charged to families. Defense officials look at the health care expenditures for the program for the previous year and calculate the costs.

Pharmacy costs increase

Tricare beneficiaries who get their prescriptions filled at a retail pharmacy or through the mail-order program will pay more for their prescription drugs in 2024, as increases set by a 2018 law go into effect.

There aren’t co-payments for prescriptions filled at military pharmacies.

♦$16 for a 30-day supply of a generic at a retail pharmacy, up from $14 in 2023.

♦$43 for a 30-day supply of a covered name-brand drug at a retail pharmacy, up from $38 in 2023.

♦$13 for a 90-day supply of a generic through the mail-order pharmacy, up from $12 in 2023.

♦$38 for a 90-day supply of a covered name-brand drug through mail-order, up from $34 in 2023.

♦$76 for a 90-day supply of a non-formulary prescription drug — not on the list of drugs that are covered by Tricare — up from $68 in 2023.

Changes coming

Pending the outcome of a contract protest, a new generation of Tricare managed-care contracts will probably start in 2025. It takes about a year to transition to the new contracts, so for now, beneficiaries continue with the current contractors under the current system.

When the new contracts do kick in, about 1 million beneficiaries in six states will move from the East Region to the West Region. Those states are Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin. This is to more equally distribute the number of beneficiaries between the regions.

One thing the new contracts will do is require the contractors to do more rigorous checking of their provider network directories, to ensure those doctors and other providers are still accepting Tricare patients. But DoD health officials are working with current contractors to address that issue now, to improve access to health care for military families.

Some changes already implemented in 2023 include Tricare coverage for preconception and prenatal carrier screening tests for cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy, fragile X syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease, hemoglobinopathies, and conditions linked with Ashkenazi Jewish descent. Tricare also eliminated cost-sharing for female tubal sterilization as a preventive service, when performed by Tricare-authorized providers.

Dental

Families of active duty, National Guard and reserve service members — as well as guardsmen and reservists who aren’t on active duty — are eligible for the Tricare Dental Program, which requires separate enrollment.

Most retirees and their family members are eligible for dental and vision coverage under the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program, or FEDVIP, which is administered by the Office of Personnel Management and also requires separate enrollment.

The open season for FEDVIP is Nov. 13 through Dec. 11, which is one day shorter than the Tricare open season.

The rates for FEDVIP will go up an average of 1.4% for dental in 2024, according to OPM

Twelve dental carriers provide 23 dental plan options available across FEDVIP. Seven of those dental carriers offer a combined 14 nationwide dental plan options. The remaining five carriers offer regional coverage.

If you’re already enrolled in a FEDVIP dental and/or vision plan and don’t want to make a change, your enrollment will automatically continue.

Vision

Those in the military community must be enrolled in a Tricare health plan to be eligible for FEDVIP vision coverage. Those eligible include active duty family members, retirees and their eligible family members, and Selected Reserve members and their families.

The 2024 average premium for vision plans will increase by 1.1% over the 2023 rates, according to the Office of Personnel Managment.

Five national providers offer 10 vision insurance plans available to all eligible for FEDVIP.

Visit www.benefeds.com to enroll in FEDVIP and to get more information.

As financial markets change, and bad actors find more ways to prey on service members, veterans and their families, laws and protections lag in dealing with those problems, they said.

“And we rely on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,” said Kelly Hruska, director of government relations for the nonprofit National Military Family Association, testifying during a Nov. 2 hearing of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

A lawsuit is now before the Supreme Court that challenges the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB. If the CFPB is shut down, it will “absolutely” affect service members’ protections and rights, said Cory Titus, director of servicemember compensation and veteran benefits for the nonprofit Military Officers Association of America.

“The thought of CFPB going away is frightening,” Titus said. He cited the Bureau’s work in educating the military community, the financial community and others about the rights and protections, as well as their enforcement actions. “It’s improved the financial readiness of our force... Without a robust Bureau, service members, veterans and families would lose a vital defender in the only federal agency mandated to safeguard their financial interests.”

As a result of 39 enforcement actions since opening its doors in 2011, the CFPB returned $175 million to service members, veterans and family members, according to the CFPB’s most recent report.

Among other things, the CFPB is charged with enforcing the Military Lending Act. The MLA limits interest rates charged by certain lenders, like payday lenders, to active duty troops and families to 36% annual percentage rate. Before the MLA was enacted in 2006, some payday lenders were charging troops rates as high as 700% APR. The law, and CFPB’s enforcement of it, has dramatically reduced the number of such lenders, advocates said.

“You really can’t say you support military families and veterans while trying to dismantle the CFPB,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, chairman of the committee.

The CFPB’s complaint database, which provides a venue for service members, veterans and their families to lodge complaints about financial institutions, and to get CFPB’s help in resolving those problems, has also been helpful for the military community, said Hruska, of the National Military Family Association.

One area of concern for military families is medical debt, she said, which may seem counterintuitive given the medical benefits provided to these families. But military moves, emergency medical situations, specialized medical care and other situations can rack up this debt, she said. One example she provided was a Marine Corps family who spent $14,000 out of pocket for specialized hypoallergenic baby formula, draining their savings and retirement accounts.

She said the association applauds the Bureau’s step in September to begin the rulemaking process to remove medical debt from credit reporting.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., noted that the Bureau had received about 5,000 complaints from service members, veterans and family members over a three-year period, and over half of them related to collection attempts for medical bills they didn’t actually owe.

Although military families have a valued medical benefit with Tricare, there are a variety of reasons for medical bills to be placed in collection. One reason is that Tricare may be slow to pay the medical providers, Hruska said. In some situations the bill is referred to debt collection before Tricare pays, she said.

Warren called for more robust data on the problem from the Defense Department, and for action.

As for CFPB’s efforts to remove medical debt from credit reporting, Warren said, “this is what CFPB does best. It identifies a problem that affects thousands, or sometimes millions of people, then takes direct action.”

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said it’s important to make sure service members, veterans and their families aren’t preyed upon by bad actors. “We’ll never be able to eliminate every bad actor from the market. We can try. And we must attempt to reduce heavy-handed approaches like price controls or one-size-fits-all policies” which can also be harmful, he said.

But most important, he said, is equipping young service members and families with the financial education and tools to combat these issues, and to make sure when they leave the service, they take those tools with them, he said.

He questioned whether the financial programs offered by DoD and the services are operating as effectively as they should, and whether they are improving service members’ financial outcomes.

Brown said that while he agreed with Rounds’ statement about the importance of financial literacy, “it falls short in terms of enforcing law,” and making sure service members and their families get these protections.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said he would like to see the protections of the Military Lending Act extended to veterans and to Gold Star families. Hruska noted that when a service member dies, many survivor families have “targets on their backs” because predators know about the death benefits, including the life insurance policies.

The CFPB is service members’ and veterans’ key defender against frauds and scams, Brown said.

“These corporate interests have made it clear that they will not clean up their act on their own, and they will fight anyone who tries to make them,” he said.

“Military families don’t have high-priced lobbyists. They don’t have corporate lawyers. They have the CFPB.”

Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, only traditional TSP balances will be subject to mandatory withdrawals. Historically, a required minimum distribution, or RMD, applied to the combined balance of the traditional and Roth TSP account. Participants could’ve skirted that by choosing to take an RMD only from their traditional balance, but that left it subject to tax.

“This means an overall smaller amount of [the] TSP is subject to the RMD, which effectively creates a smaller RMD and does indeed allow TSP participants to maintain more dollars inside their accounts,” said Thiago Glieger, a private wealth expert for Maryland-based RMG Advisors, to Federal Times in an email.

That’s simply because the bigger the balance, the larger the RMD is, according to the formula.

That’s one of many changes for retirees provided by the Secure 2.0 Act, which passed last year and intends to make retirement planning more flexible. It also brings TSP account holders more in line with the private sector, which never subjected Roth IRA accounts to RMDs during the account holder’s lifetime.

What the Secure 2.0 Act means for your federal retirement planning

According to the IRS, Roth accounts in a 401(k) or 403(b) plan are subject to the old RMD rules for 2023. Beginning in 2024 and beyond, the change for the TSP will be in effect, according to the rule published in the Federal Register on Oct. 31.

“You must still take RMDs from designated Roth accounts for 2023, including those with a required beginning date of April 1, 2024,” the agency said.

Other changes affecting RMDs under the law include a reduced penalty of 25% instead of 50% on the withdrawal if a retiree fails to take it. The age when a retiree must take their first withdrawal is also increasing to 75 from 73 in 2033.

“This change means that if you turn 72 in or after 2023, you can delay your RMDs one more year, allowing the funds in these accounts to grow tax-free for longer,” writes Jim Miller in a column for the American Legion.

In years past, when inflation has been high, Congress has been urged to pass a provision to temporarily suspend RMDs so retirees don’t deplete their savings in a time of high prices.

More than 6 million people use the TSP, which manages approximately $709.6 billion in assets.

The flexible spending account, announced by Department of Defense officials earlier this year, helps defray the cost of child care and other dependent care by providing tax savings. Many military families have long faced difficulties in finding affordable, quality child care, and the pandemic has exacerbated the problem, with lasting effects on availability.

Military Times has delved into details about the new benefit, how you enroll, how it works, and what you need to consider.

Service members can enroll in this benefit program through the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program, known as FSAFEDS, which is sponsored by the Office of Personnel Management. Enrollment happens during open season every year, and this year it’s Nov. 13 through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Dec. 11. FSAFEDS provides information for military members about the program in advance of the enrollment period.

The bottom line is the savings. With a $5,000 contribution, a family with an average federal income tax rate of 12% could potentially save about $600 by participating in the program, according to Jennifer Walker, DoD’s executive director for dependent care flexible spending accounts. That estimate is for general purposes, and Walker noted that it doesn’t take into account potential added savings from FICA and state income taxes.

In 2023, married couples with income from $22,000 to $89,450 are in the 12% tax rate bracket. The Internal Revenue Service adjusts these brackets annually for inflation, and is expected to announce the 2024 tax brackets within the next few weeks.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2021, about 43% of American workers had access to dependent care flexible accounts. For years, military family advocates have urged defense officials to offer this benefit to ease the cost of child care.

Families can contribute as little as $100, and as much as $5,000 over the year to this account. A $5,000 yearly contribution works out to about $417 a month from military pay. That amount is deducted from pay before taxes, so this reduces the amount of total income subject to taxes. Thus, a family with $60,000 in income who contributes $5,000 to their account would only be taxed on $55,000.

Common eligible expenses for flexible spending accounts include child care, preschool, before- and after-school care, day camps, and child or adult day care. Examples of expenses that are not eligible include elementary school tuition, overnight or sleepaway camps, nursing care, and activity lessons such as piano or karate lessons.

Starting in 2024, service members who have enrolled through FSAFEDS will submit substantiated claims for their dependent care expenses through FSAFEDS, to get reimbursed for their expenses.

Everyone’s situation is different, and Walker advised service members to estimate their expected dependent care expenses for 2024, to determine the amount they need to set aside in these accounts. She encouraged troops to take advantage of DoD’s free counseling and advice from personal financial management counselors at many military installations, and tax counselors available all year through DoD’s Military OneSource.com. FSAFEDS also offers free benefits counseling.

Who is eligible?

Active duty members and Active Guard Reserve members on Title 10 orders who pay for the care of an eligible dependent are eligible. Those are children under age 13, or dependents of any age if they are physically or mentally incapable of caring for themselves.

The dependent who receives the care must be claimed as a dependent on the federal tax return.

The care must be required to enable the service member and spouse, if married, to work, look for work or attend school full time.

Service members who use the DoD child care fee assistance program can also participate in the flexible spending accounts, based on the amount they’re paying out of pocket for child care.

While the enrollment period is generally limited to the federal benefits open season period, there may be exceptions made for qualifying life events, such as permanent change of station moves, deployments, birth of a child, or divorce. A service member can enroll, disenroll, or change their election amount when these events happen. But, as Walker noted, when such an event happens, the funds already contributed to the flex spending account will stay in the account, and can continue to be claimed for eligible expenses until the end of the calendar year. Funds that have already been contributed won’t be refunded if there’s a qualifying life event.

Tax implications

While the flexible spending account does offer tax savings to help reduce the bite of child care costs, there are some points to consider.

If you have more than $5,000 in dependent care expenses, you may still be able to take advantage of both the child and dependent care tax credit and the flexible spending account, Walker noted. But you can’t use the same expenses for both tax incentives. FSAFEDS provides a calculator to help you determine the best option between a flexible spending account and the child and dependent care tax credit.

If the non-military spouse of a service member has a flexible spending account through his or her employer, or if that spouse receives dependent care assistance through the employer, the combination of the dependent care flexible spending account and that employer’s fee assistance can’t exceed $5,000 per tax year.

Child care fees plunge for many military families

Getting ready

Walker advised service members to decide whether they want to enroll in the dependent care flexible spending account by estimating the amount of money they’re going to spend on child care in 2024. Remember that for many military families using DoD child care, the cost of child care will decrease in 2024, so you may not be spending as much money on child care as you are spending in 2023.

Additionally, any funds in your account that you don’t use within certain federal deadlines are forfeited. If you don’t use all the money you’ve contributed to your account by Dec. 31, 2024, you’ll have until March 15, 2025 to use the funds for qualified expenses. Claims must be submitted by April 30, 2025 for dependent care expenses.

Be aware that you won’t be reimbursed for expenses until there’s money in the account. So while you can file claims for expenses that start Jan. 1, 2024, reimbursements from FSAFEDS can’t be made until funds are available in the account. Service members’ contributions will first be available in early February, after the pay date at the end of January, Walker said.

Once January rolls around, don’t forget to save your receipts for dependent care. Claims have to be substantiated with receipts that include the dependent’s name, the provider’s name, date of service, a detailed description of the type of service, and the amount paid for the service.

Don’t forget to file claims for reimbursement, Walker said. You can submit the claims as you pay for the dependent care, or submit them periodically. You can file claims online, through the FSAFEDS app, or by fax or mail. By setting up an online account at FSAFEDS, you can check account balances, submit claims and review their status, and select your reimbursement preferences — by direct deposit or by check.

Members of the House Armed Services Committee’s special Quality of Life Panel met this week with Pentagon leaders conducting the Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation, a periodic review of troops’ pay and benefits. Work from that group is expected to be completed in late January 2025.

But Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who chairs the special panel, said he expected Congress to act on the issue of military pay improvements well before then, and expressed concern that Defense Department officials aren’t pushing for quicker improvements to junior troops’ pay, especially in the enlisted ranks.

“They paint a rosy picture, and it doesn’t align with the reality we’re seeing among military families,” he said. “When you go out to the field, you have people going to food banks, and having a hard time paying rent. But the Defense Department keeps telling us that the pay is all right.”

Lawmakers eyeing even more boosts to junior enlisted pay

House Republicans have already advanced legislation this year to give junior enlisted troops a significant pay boost, guaranteeing that even the lowest-ranking service members make at least $31,000.

But that plan is connected to a GOP defense funding plan laden with other controversial topics, including limits on abortion access for troops, elimination of military health care for transgender individuals and financial penalties for senior Defense Department officials who have run afoul of Republican lawmakers.

The White House has come out against both the overall budget plan and the specific pay hikes for junior enlisted personnel, calling the move premature given the ongoing compensation review.

Bacon said his panel has requested an interim report from the review board in order to start acting on additional pay proposals early next year, during the annual defense authorization bill mark-up process. Defense officials told lawmakers they will provide some discussion points by the end of this year.

“We’ve got to try something,” Bacon said. “We have a recruiting problem, and I think we have a retention problem, too. But [military planners] keep telling us they don’t think it’s because of pay.”

The House panel has held a series of meetings with military families, outside advocates and Pentagon planners since the start of the summer in an effort to better understand potential financial concerns and challenges for service members.

In a statement earlier this week, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and the top Democratic lawmaker on the panel, said the pay issue will continue to be a top focus of the group’s work in coming months.

“Right now, our country is experiencing record low unemployment, a subsequently competitive job market, changing workforce and higher education landscapes, and more — all factors that must be part of the conversation around military pay and quality of life,” she said.

Troops are scheduled to receive a 5.2% pay raise in January, the largest annual boost in 22 years.

For enlisted service members ranked E-4 with three years in service, that raise would mean about $1,700 more next year in take-home pay compared to their 2023 paychecks. For senior enlisted and junior officers, the hike equals about $3,000 more. For an O-4 with 12 years of service, it would mean more than $5,400 in extra pay in 2024.

“This was the worst permanent change of station move of my 21-year career,” he said. “This consumed our lives over 2½ years.”

While it’s not known how common these moving disasters are — with problems from start to finish — military families’ issues with household goods shipments have been persistent enough to convince U.S. Transportation Command to overhaul the way it handles military moves. This family’s horrible experience shows why change is needed, Frey said.

When he received his PCS orders in 2020, Frey was just finishing a year-long unaccompanied tour in South Korea. He returned to the United States in the midst of the pandemic, so some of the move dates were affected by various quarantines. A housing crunch also hampered their ability to find a suitable place to live, so their household goods were put into storage for about a month while they occupied a friend’s trailer.

The family finally moved into their new home in Kentucky and the movers arrived Nov. 17, 2020. That’s when the Freys discovered that their belongings had been damaged or destroyed — by water, mold and other means, with much of their wooden furniture broken into pieces. Not long afterward, due to the water and mold damage, everything was removed for inspection and remediation. Their house, too, required remediation because of the mold that had been brought in on their belongings, so the family moved to a hotel where they spent the next 126 days. To make matters even worse, the movers also damaged floors, walls and doors of their house, Frey alleged.

When the movers brought back the supposedly remediated household goods on Jan. 15, 2021, their belongings were in even worse condition. Again, they were sent back for inspection and remediation.

The Freys soon filed a claim for loss of belongings valued at $152,167. Little did they know that their misery was only beginning.

To illustrate the epic, 2½-year battle for restitution that ensued, Frey shared a 69-page, single-spaced timeline of the events and details of phone calls, emails and correspondence with dozens of people.

Once he turned over the claim to the Army claims office, his claim was settled within a few months, and the Army paid him $100,000 due to the “extraordinary circumstances” of the move, the only time it has done so since it began tracking such extraordinary cases in July 2022. Information was not available from the other service branches about whether they’ve paid any household goods claims reaching the maximum when the claim is turned over to the military claims office for resolution.

“There are so many moving parts to the claims process,” Frey said. “In my opinion, it’s very complex and convoluted. I don’t want this to happen to other military families.”

He added that he is especially concerned about younger troops who might not feel empowered to push back and question decisions from moving companies.

‘Devastating’

The Freys didn’t receive their final shipment until May 15, 2021, after the second mold remediation. But even then, many of their belongings were damaged, Frey said.

They had already begun the painstaking task of filing a claim. More than 100 boxes were unaccounted for, and the packers at the front end hadn’t properly marked boxes or inventory sheets, he said.

Meanwhile, when the items were being inspected and/or remediated and repacked, the movers “mixed everything up,” Frey’s wife, Debbie, said. “That was the hardest part. … The only thing that was sort of kept together was the clothes. … We had kitchen items that were in with bathroom stuff, with books and DVDs all mixed together. Our stuff was just jumbled up in boxes.”

Frey’s shipment from his yearlong tour in South Korea, which had arrived in good condition, was also removed from the house for inspection and remediation if needed.

That shipment also disappeared.

“We had to provide estimates of things like how many T-shirts we owned, how many pairs of pants, how many glasses you had in your cupboard,” Debbie Frey said. “That’s not something you sit there and think about every day. … It makes it very hard to estimate what you have and don’t have.”

She described the whole situation as “devastating. … It was definitely the sense of loss that you have. It’s really hard to overcome that, to get past that.”

Of all the losses, she said, “the one that hurt the most was a christening gown.”

“It was handed down from my great-great-grandmother, who actually handmade the lace on it, handmade the christening gown. We had hand-carried it, but then it was removed from the house [when mold remediation was required], and then lost. Every person in our family had worn it. My son had worn it. Every kid in our family had worn it, and it got lost.”

An inspector’s words say it all

On Jan. 15, 2021, when the moving company brought remediated household goods back to the Frey’s house, an Army quality assurance inspector described the sight when the doors to the van were opened:

“It was apparent that the shipment had been handled haphazardly and there were several boxes open with contents spilling out, footprints on top of [household goods], a television loaded upside down in the box, all mattresses were uncovered completely, a sofa was tossed upside down on top of other items in the truck, dining room chairs were hanging off other boxes, shelves were uncovered and broken, Bar-B-Q grill had all wheels broken off it and rolling in the truck.

“Totes were loaded on their sides with contents spilling into the trailer and contents were in complete disarray. Once I asked the driver to open the back door, it was obvious there was water and mold damage to the entire shipment. Boxes were soaked through and some blankets in the back were saturated with water that was dripping down furniture and into boxes.”

As Frey later found out, their belongings were left in a truck that had a gap through which rainwater poured. The shipment was taken to a climate-controlled warehouse for more inspection and remediation.

All told, after intense effort and endless aggravation, he received $150,359.

For various reasons, the moving company eventually reimbursed him $31,959, or 21% of his claim, although a company’s maximum liability for a service member’s household goods loss is $75,000.

After unsuccessfully battling to get more, Frey transferred his claim to the Army in October 2022. And in March of this year, almost two years after final delivery, he received $100,000 from Army Claims Service.

Because the Army classified his losses as arising from “extraordinary circumstances,” it was able to reimburse him the maximum allowable by law, rather than the $40,000 maximum for a typical move. Frey’s final step was submitting a claim to his insurance company, and on May 10 he received another $18,400 from USAA.

Following the rules?

TRANSCOM booked Ackley Enterprises to handle the Freys’ move, one of about 800 command-approved transportation service providers. As the primary moving company, Ackley was accountable for the Freys’ move.

Ackley has an agreement with Total Military Management, a move management company, to handle services such as the claims process. Ackley hires local moving companies to do the actual work.

On April 5, 2022, an Army official told Total Military Management: “This claim has taken far too long. Unless [your transportation service provider] makes a good faith settlement offer very soon, I will have to report this to TRANSCOM.”

Frey said he was pleased, throughout the ordeal, with the response from Army civilians, who helped him deal with claims questions and communicate with the companies involved. Leadership was supportive by giving him a compassionate reassignment, sending him to a unit with a lesser operational tempo so he could devote the time needed to deal with the fallout of the move.

Meanwhile, TRANSCOM officials had issued a letter of warning to Ackley Enterprises Inc. in January 2021 as a result of the Freys’ experience, according to TRANSCOM spokesman Andre Kok.

In response to Military Times’ questions, Tom Ackley, owner of Ackley Moving Services, also known as Ackley Enterprises, said, “We have reviewed this move with TMM and the Army [military claims office], and while we wish there had been no damage issues on this move, we are confident the claims settlement process was properly handled in accordance with [Defense Personal Property Program] business rules.”

Asked about the Freys’ experience with the claims process, Matt Connell, CEO and cofounder of Total Military Management, said, “TMM settles all claims in accordance to the [Defense Personal Property Program] business rules. … In this specific case TMM processed the claim under the direct oversight of the Army military claims office, and we have not been provided any information pertaining to the settlement that the Army MCO has made.”

Hope for the future?

The new TRANSCOM contract consolidates management of the moving process — including warehouse services — under one company, HomeSafe Alliance. The command will continue to provide oversight, but the contractor will be fully responsible, bringing accountability to the program, officials have said.

Most service members won’t move under this new set-up until the peak season of 2024, but HomeSafe is preparing to gradually phase in some domestic moves starting later this year. International moves under the contract are scheduled to begin later.

In addition to providing better moves for service members, the new contract aims to improve the claims process, according to TRANSCOM spokesman Kok.

HomeSafe Alliance CEO Al Thompson said troops will find that submitting a claim and getting a settlement will be streamlined and faster. A new HomeSafe Connect app will give service members an opportunity to start with a much more accurate and clear inventory description, including the condition of the property, before it leaves a residence. Photos can be uploaded in the app, too. Service members and spouses can quickly review the mover’s information to confirm the condition of the property, he said.

If damage occurs, they can file a claim on the app.

“Part of our contractual responsibility is to rapidly process the claim,” Thompson said.

If they are unsatisfied, service members will still have the ability to submit their claim to their military claims office.

“I hope it protects the service member,” Frey said. “We serve the government. We have to make a PCS move every couple of years. It’s not a choice. We’re told to move.”

TRANSCOM also changed some rules for moving companies regarding mold claims, Kok said. They took effect May 15. Kok said Frey contacted TRANSCOM at the end of 2022 to share his experience and provide suggestions for improving the mold claims process.

“Coincidentally, the Defense Personal Property Management Office had already begun making several proposed adjustments to our business rules for moving companies regarding mold claims,” he noted.

Mold meets military moves: You can't take it with you

Among those changes:

• When containers show signs of contamination, such as water saturation or mold growth, the company must contact the responsible military transportation office within two government days of discovery.
• The company will continue shipping goods to a location determined by the company and the transportation office, but won’t deliver to a residence before the shipment has been inspected.
• When mold is discovered, the company will notify the service member, the military claims office and the inspecting transportation office and update the transportation office with findings within 48 hours.
• Before undertaking remediation work, the company must contact and schedule the services of a qualified mold remediation firm within three government business days from the government official’s direction, to get an itemized written estimate.

Things Frey wishes he had known

Frey admits he was perhaps his own worst enemy during part of the process.

“I was told you get full replacement value from the moving company, and once you transfer it to the Army, you’re only going to get depreciated value,” he said. “I wanted to get full replacement value and maximum liability.”

He didn’t realize the Army could pay up to $100,000 if the claim was related to “extraordinary circumstances.” So, he didn’t officially turn the claim over to the Army as soon as he could have, while going back and forth for months with Total Military Management.

“Once I got it to the Army, everything was fine,” he said.

There were also questions about the timeliness of the claims and whether the clock was tied to the November 2020 attempted delivery or when their last few items were delivered in May 2021. While Frey was told in an email that the claims clock starts with the final delivery, the law says the claims clock starts with the date of initial delivery.

This is unfair, he argues, because for six months he couldn’t see his belongings to know what was damaged or missing.

“For all types of loss and damage claims, if a customer has been working with their [moving company] for at least 30 days and is not satisfied with the offer and/or interaction, then they are welcome and encouraged to transfer to the [military claims office] for help with resolving the claim,” Kok said.

The determination about extraordinary circumstances is always made by the military claims office community, he said.

Frey submitted his claim to the Army claims office in October 2022, and by late February 2023 Army officials had determined he would receive the $100,000 maximum. In most, but not all, cases, the claims office will go back to the moving company for reimbursement, Kok said.

In Frey’s case, the Army was unable to seek reimbursement, said spokeswoman Lt. Col. Lindsey Elder.

The Army claims office didn’t start tracking catastrophic losses until July 2022, Elder said. Since then, the Army has considered 20 claims for losses deemed catastrophic, but Frey’s was unique in that it involved mold, she said.

“This is the only time that the Army’s Center for Personnel Claims Support has paid the $100,000 maximum for a claim,” she said.

The Freys also found out too late that — because their son, Connor, was then 16 — they could have gotten two hotel rooms paid for by the moving company when they were displaced because of the mold. It was difficult for everyone to be in one room, with no kitchen, for 126 days, Frey said.

Frey has put in his retirement papers, in anticipation of retiring in May 2024. “If this all hadn’t happened, I might have stayed in. I don’t know,” Frey said.

“But I’m definitely ready for retirement.”

The Social Security Administration announced on Thursday that the COLA for 2024 will be 3.2%, which beneficiaries will see reflected in their statements come January. That means retirees would see an average increase of $59 each month, according to the AARP.

The adjustment is significantly less than last year’s, which at 8.7% was the largest bump in four decades following a period of high prices for consumer goods during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 7.7 million veterans and retirees receive some sort of stipend affected by the announcement, and Social Security benefits account for about 30% of income for people over the age of 65.

In May, Congress approved legislation guaranteeing that veterans receiving disability and support benefits will see the same cost-of-living boost in 2024 as Social Security recipients.

The move was non-controversial but required annually so veterans’ payouts will keep pace with other federal stipends. Military retirees will also see the same increase in their benefits.

Lightning Round: Reg answers your questions on COLA

COLAs are applied each year if there are changes to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, which tracks the costs of essential goods over time.

This year, financial advisers have said a smaller COLA is a good thing because it means inflation is trending down. Still, retirees and veterans should keep in mind that a COLA is not likely to completely counteract lingering high prices, especially for medical care, which has also become more expensive over the last decade.

“Those living off fixed incomes and retirement savings are some of the most vulnerable in our society to rising costs, and recent years of high inflation have placed a significant burden on retirees,” said William Shackelford, national president of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, in a statement. “While inflation has cooled relative to recent years, the pain is still considerable.”

For federal retirees, COLA is not a retirement panacea for inflation

In years when there are no increases in the CPI-W, there are no adjustments, which underscores the fact that COLAs are not pay raises. They merely help retirement benefits keep pace with inflation.

Federal employees also may receive a smaller version of the increase if they are a part of the Federal Employee Retirement System, which covers most civil servants who were hired after 1983.

Those under FERS get the full amount if the CPI-W increase is less than 2%. If it increased between 2% and 3%, the COLA is a flat rate of 2%. If it increased more than 3%, the COLA is the value of the CPI-W minus one.

Social Security begins notifying people about their new benefit amount by mail starting in early December. Individuals who have a personal my Social Security account can view their COLA notice online, the agency said.