In sum, The plan, which came only three days after President Joe Biden approved a fiscal 2024 funding package for six cabinet agencies, including the VA, provides a nearly 13% increase in total VA funding for the year from all sources.
However, according to White House budget documents, the majority of the increases are in mandatory spending (the portion required to cover disability compensation, pensions, and salaries), owing to an expansion of PACT Act-related benefits, rather than discretionary spending, which covers all expenses excluding entitlements.
In addition, The service revealed the decision in a memo the day before, stating that "states may resume the issuance of reenlistment bonuses." This includes all contracts having future payment dates in FY24 or FY25."
However, the amended policy cannot be applied retroactively, so soldiers who signed reenlistment packages between March 1 and March 7 will continue to be ineligible for signing incentives. The document was previously released online via a Reddit thread, but the Guard has since confirmed its validity.
And lastly, The Pentagon's budget request for fiscal 2025 totals $850 billion. The request for quality-of-life financing includes money for a 4.5% pay boost for troops, $2.35 billion for Army barracks, and $250 million for Navy and Marine Corps barracks.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Roger, R-Ala., told Military.com on Tuesday that he believes the administration's funding request for military quality-of-life issues is insufficient to reverse years of declines, and that his committee will look to "beef it up" when it writes its annual defense policy bill in the coming months.
And that's the way it is for Thursday, March 14, 2024.
Stay tuned for our next M&G-B, where we will continue to keep you in the loop on all things pertinent to the coronavirus, veterans, active-duty members, guards and reservists, and military family members. Stay happy, and stay healthy!
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