The "Major Richard Star Act" (HR 2102/S. 1032), supported by the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA), has been reintroduced in Congress to provide concurrent receipt of retirement pay and disability compensation for service members unable to complete 20 years of service due to combat-related injuries. In the 118th Congress, these bills garnered significant bipartisan support, with over two-thirds of both the House and Senate co-sponsoring the legislation. The House Armed Services Committee unanimously approved the bill in the 118th Congress, but the bill stalled on the House floor. An amendment to include it in the House National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was not brought to a vote, and the House passed its NDAA without this provision. On the Senate side, the Armed Services Committee approved the Senate version of the NDAA, which was sent to the Senate floor, where amendments were filed to incorporate the "Major Richard Star Act."

With the bills reintroduced, the fight continues to correct this injustice. Reducing a retiree’s pay because of their disability is fundamentally unfair. Please urge your legislators to support the "Major Richard Star Act" to ensure these combat-injured veterans receive the full benefits they deserve!