Breaking News

Space Force Sees 'Outsized Impact' From Civilian Workforce Cuts 

Efforts to shrink the size of the civilian workforce across the federal government and within the Pentagon are having a disproportionate effect on the Space Force, according to the service’s top general.

To read more, please click here.

Veterans Mortgage Assistance Plan Approved By House After VA Ends Rescue Program

Veterans struggling to pay their mortgages could get help under a plan approved by the House to replace a mortgage rescue program the Trump administration ended this month.

To read more, please click here.

Trump's Big Tax Bill Has Passed The House. Here's What's Inside It. 

House Republicans early Thursday took a major step forward on President Donald Trump’s agenda, approving a legislative package that combines tax breaks, spending cuts, border security funding and other priorities.

To read more, please click here.

AFSA On The Hill

LEGISLATIVE NEWS | On our Radar this week.

Legislative Update | AFSA joined Senator Richard Blumenthal and Congressman Raul Ruiz, MD at The Major Richard Star Act press conference hosted by Wounded Warrior Project. Along with our mission partners at The Military Coalition we met with leaders in the Senate to discuss a pathway forward for this important legislation.

Please visit our Action Center to send a message of support to your elected official:

https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/93862/Respond

Legislative Action Center

The 119th Congress 

Several historic events occurred on Friday, January 3rd, the first day the 119th Congress met. Despite being a long list, this legislation addresses a larger variety of public policy objectives that fall under the purview of the seven main emphasis groups of our legislative platform. The bills are currently being introduced, and AFSA is striving to provide more details on the following:

Support The CHIP IN Act 

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/123293/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Bi-Partisan, Bi-Cameral Support: The bill is backed by leaders in both the House and Senate, ensuring broad support for its passage.
• Successful Pilot Program: The original CHIP IN pilot program demonstrated significant success, with the Omaha VA facility serving as a model for cost-effective, community-supported development.
• Faster Project Completion: The public-private partnership model reduces bureaucratic delays, ensuring veterans receive quality healthcare services more quickly.
• Efficient Use of Funds: By leveraging private contributions, VA facilities can be built and improved without relying solely on federal appropriations.
• Expanding Veteran Healthcare: By making the program permanent, we can replicate the success of Omaha and expand access to modernized VA healthcare facilities across the country.

Support Protect Our Veterans’ Disability and Retired Pay Benefits

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/121980/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Veterans have served this country with unwavering dedication, often at great personal cost. Many rely on disability compensation and retirement pay to support themselves and their families after years of service and sacrifice. Any reduction or elimination of these benefits would betray our government’s commitment to those who have defended our freedoms. Building mistrust and hindering our recruitment and retention efforts.

Support Education Savings Accounts For Military Families Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/108025/Respond

Legislation Summary

• This bill urges the Department of Education (ED) to establish a program to give cash for educational expenditures to children whose parents are on active duty in the uniformed forces.
• Specifically, ED must create a tax-exempt Military Education Savings Account for dependent children of parents in uniformed services to pay for their educational expenditures.
• Savings account funds may be utilized for specific objectives, such as the cost of attending a private elementary or secondary school or a higher education institution, private tutoring, or expenditures associated with an apprenticeship or other vocational training program.

Support Veterans National Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign:

https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/113524/Respond

Legislation Summary

• This bill would require the Secretary of the Department of Veteran Affairs to create and implement a 5-year pilot program to treat TBI and PTSD. 

Support the Revisit Pay Equity Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/107467/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Increases the rate of the differential wage payment tax credit from 20% to 50% and requires that the maximum dollar amount of such credit be adjusted for inflation after 2023. 
• The credit is allowed to employers for their employees who are active duty members of the uniformed services. 

Support the Major Richard Star Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/93862/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Qualify approximately 42,000 military retirees with combat-related injuries to concurrently receive both military retired pay and Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation. 
• Provide total offset relief to veterans who suffered combat injuries or illnesses who were medically retired with less than twenty years of service.

Support the Retired Pay Restoration Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/92798/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability.
• Extends full concurrent receipt eligibility to individuals who were retired or separated after at least 20 years of military service due to a service-connected disability.

If you have any questions, please reach out to AFSA's Military and Government Relations team at milgov3@hqafsa.org.

Membership

Are You Ready For The Summit 2025 ?

Have you registered for the AFSA International Convention? Hurry—time is running out, and we need to plan ahead for your visit. We can't wait to see you in beautiful Solomons Island, Maryland. Register here now: https://thesummitafsa.org/registration/

Have You Read The Latest AFSA Magazine?

AFSA NEWS | Check out the Spring edition of the AFSA Magazine! Read the President's Commentary, Eye on Washington, and special features from American Military University, Air Force Aid Society, Veterans Suicide Lifeline, Legacy Bridges STEM Academy, AFSA International Convention Updates, the FY24 AFSA Annual Report, Airmen Memorial Foundation Annual Report, and 2024 Scholarship Recipients and Awards.

Visit the AFSAHQ website to view, enlarge to read, print, and download the pdf.

Spring Magazine 2025 - AFSA (hqafsa.org)

Have you called to verify, update, and correct your membership contact information? If you received a postcard asking you to call in, please take a few moments to call to update your info, and learn about the AFSA Oral Historical Project 2023. Learn more here now... 

Please click here to view

Please Update Your Contact Information Today!

Dear Air Force Sergeants Association Member,

In order for the AFSA to effectively communicate with our members, it is essential to ensure we have your current and / or valid e-mail address. 
 
We are in the process of updating our records and need your help! Please take a moment to ensure that we have your most current mail and email address (no .mil's); and accurate membership listing information.

We've made it easy, as you can update your information in either one of three ways: 

1. Call Member & Field Relations team directly at 800-638-0594 x 288 (Mon. - Fri. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (EST)
2. Email to: msvcs@hqafsa.org
3. Visit www.hqafsa.org and select the UPDATE button on the right

We thank you in advance for your support and prompt updates.

And That's The Way It Is...

In sum, Gen. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, told legislators on Tuesday that the Space Force, the United States military's smallest arm, has lost over 14% of its civilian staff in recent months, owing primarily to early retirement and resignation incentives established by the Trump administration.

Additionally, on Monday night, the House approved a bill by voice vote that would establish a partial claims program for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The initiative would effectively allow veterans with VA house loans to defer missed mortgage payments until the conclusion of their loan term.

In other news, House committees worked on the plan for months, and it underwent last-minute modifications to appease Republican holdouts. It has almost 1,000 pages and is titled the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," a tribute to Trump himself. 

Republicans made one final round of changes before the bill went to the House floor, increasing the state and local tax credit to win over centrists and speeding up Medicaid work requirements to win over those who didn't think the package did enough to cut spending.

And that's the way it is for Thursday, May 22, 2025.

Stay tuned for our next M&G-B, where we will continue to keep you in the loop on all things pertinent to veterans, active-duty members, guard and reservists, and military family members. Stay happy, and stay healthy!