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Search Results for: National Defense Authorization Act

CADET Act Aims to Afford Dignity, Equality and Training

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Lawmakers approved changing the Defense Department’s service academies policies regarding cadets having children. The Defense Department’s service academies include the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. All cadets and midshipmen receive taxable pay at the rate of 35% of an O1, and receive free room and board, with the exception of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

The CADET Act was introduced in 2021 by Senators Ted Cruz and Kirsten Gillibrand. CADET stands for Candidates Afforded Dignity, Equality, and Training. The bill asked for the DOD to ensure that the cadets and midshipmen in the service academies who become pregnant during their time at the school are provided with options to take leave from the military service academy for up to one year, fully released from the military service academies and any related obligations or enlist in active-duty service. It further added that males who became parents would not be required to give up parental rights and must not acquire any benefits or leave considerations having to do with having a child.

While the CADET Act was not signed into a bill, the wording and idea behind the act were added to the National Defense Authorization Act. This includes not forcing students who quit after the start of their third year to become parents also to have to pay back the military service academy.

The new policy allows a cadet to grant temporary guardianship of her child to another person while they complete their studies at school.  The policy does not change that cadets and midshipmen cannot get married while at the academy. Furthermore, people with children are still not allowed to apply to the academies.

While the NDAA was signed in 2021, the Defense Department was given one year from signing to enact the act.

Free Lifetime Passes for Veterans at National Parks

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The National Defense Authorization Act of 2022 authorized a new pass program for veterans to enjoy the National Parks Service. Visiting the National Parks is a wonderfully affordable way to explore and learn about the United States and its development as a country over the last several hundred years. There are free passes for residents with disabilities, the military, 4th graders, and veterans, and affordable passes available through the National Parks.

Veterans and Gold Star Families can now obtain a military lifetime pass for free! This pass can be obtained by going to a National Park in person or through the USGS website with processing and shipping charges applied. Valid ID is required to include a veteran ID card, veteran health identification card, Department of Defense ID/CAC card, or a veteran designation on a state-issued driver’s license or identification card. Gold Star families are also eligible for the military lifetime pass.

Currently, active-duty military and their families are offered a free military annual pass. This applies to current U.S. military members in all the services, including Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force. It also applies to their dependents. A photo ID is required. This pass can be obtained by going to a National Park in person. The military annual pass can be ordered online, but does require shipping and handling charges. The active-duty military pass will remain an annual pass.

With the free pass, veterans and their families have access to 2,000 parks and public sites to explore. Getting the annual pass is easy, and you do not have to have a previous expired pass. Go to a National Parks site with available passes and show military identification, and a military annual pass will be provided if they have them. In addition, if no pass cards are available, military members and their family members will be allowed to enter for free.

There may be fees for camping or fishing, depending on the park location and the site type, so make sure to research the specific National Park site you plan to attend prior to going.

Now get out and explore this season. For Veterans and Gold Star Families, get your lifetime pass and begin exploring without having to get a pass each new year.

Food Security Part of FY 2021 House Defense Bill

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Food Security is not achievable for all in the military and the House passed a draft of the defense bill that provides a provision for an extra allowance for some military members to pay for basic needs. For many young families, groceries are bought with each paycheck and stretched over the following two weeks. If the number of food banks established just for military members is any indication, the bi-monthly pay sometimes isn’t enough. Military spouse employment, and the lack thereof, is a great part of the funds of a family and oftentimes military families are solely relying on the active duty service members pay.

Section 602 of the House’s current National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) has a provision for an extra monthly allowance of pay for some service members, on top of a proposed 3% pay raise for all troops. The monthly allowance would be intended for basic need coverage like food, tolietries, clothing and diapers. The annual allowance would be equal to 130% of the Federal poverty guidelines of the Department of Health and Human Services minus the service member’s gross income and divided by twelve for a monthly allowance. Currently, 130% of the poverty leve is $28,200 for a family of 3. Eligibility for the allowance will be conducted by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), with the hopes for each qualifying member to be notified by December 31 of each year. Each eligible service member will be able to opt-out of the extra pay stipend annually if they desire.

According to research, this type of provision was written into the 2019 House proposal of the National Defense Authorization Act as well but was not included in the final version of the bill. The White House

According to Blue Star Family’s 2018 Military Family Lifestyle survey, 12% of veteran families and 7% of military families reported food insecurity in the previous year with 18% of veteran families and 9% of military families reporting use of an emergency food pantry or charity. The additional allowance will assist in bridging the gap in food security.

The Senate has passed their own version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (S.R. 4049), and it is yet to be determined what will be in the final, accepted version of the bill will come out of the conference committee. This will be determined after the November 3rd election. You can follow the bill’s movement and amendments on Congress.gov.

What the Department of Defense is Doing to Improve the Quality of Military Housing

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Privatization of military housing was supposed to provide new and updated housing inventory to the aged housing on many military installations. In the past year, the news has been filled with stories of mold and substandard construction while work orders fell behind. About 30% of military services members and their families live in privatized housing.

Recently, Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper and the service secretaries joined to sign a Tenant Bill of Rights. This document sets form 15 of the 18 rights that were mandated by law. The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act includes housing provisions for on base housing. These include a dispute-resolution process, move in/move out procedures, development of a common lease agreement, and the public availability of home-maintenance histories.

The secretaries from the military branches and senior executive from private housing companies are currently meeting quarterly to discuss ways to improve housing. According to a recent press release from the Department of Defense (DOD), providing quality housing to families is the Defense Department’s highest priority. The DOD Official recognized in the past, the department “took its eye off the ball” overseeing privatized housing on installations but said the housing today is in much better condition than it was, but more work remains. The release listed some of the recent improvements:

  • The official said some improvements include:
  • Publication and implementation of a Tenant Bill of Rights
  • Improved communications and transparency with service members, lawmakers and the public
  • Additional personnel to oversee the success of housing improvements
  • Improved housing inspection
  • Focusing the attention of leadership and landlords on helping residents achieve their rights.

In June 2019 a survey was sent to nearly 200,000 residents of privatized housing to provide input on the draft resident bill of rights by CEL & Associates, a third-party consulting firm that administered the feedback collection, tabulation and analysis on DOD’s behalf. The finalized Tenant Bill of Rights goes into effect May 1, 2020. Some highlights are:

  • Meeting health and environmental standards and having working appliances and utilities
  • Having easy-to-understand leases that outline any additional fees, identify the military tenant advocate, and spell out the dispute resolution process
  • Providing prompt and professional maintenance and repair
  • Providing common documents, forms and processes for housing units that will be the same for all installations.

Here is a link for The Complete Tenant Bill of Rights

It is encouraging to know that with all the issues in housing that the DOD and Congress are scrutinizing the private housing companies and providing more oversight. Service members deserve to have a safe, healthy home for their families to live in as well as timely maintenance when issues do occur. How have your experiences been with on base housing?

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com

Joint Travel Regulations Updated To Include Pets

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The 2024 Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) has an addition to include a benefit to pet owners. The Defense Travel Management Office, or TMO, updates the JTR annually. This year includes a win for pet owners. Their furry family members are now specifically mentioned in the JTR with a reimbursement for the costs related to moving with the military.

The 37 U.S.C. 453 was amended in June of 2023 and specifically authorizes “reimbursement of costs related to the relocation of a pet that arise during a permanent change of station (PCS). Under this new policy, a Uniformed Service member may be authorized reimbursement of up to $550 for a PCS within the continental United States and up to $2,000 for a PCS to or from a location outside the continental United States to cover expenses directly related to pet transportation, such as pet shipping and quarantine fees.” The amendment became effective January 1, 2024. The amendment comes from section 624 of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

This inclusion is a win for pet-owning military families. PCSing with pets has long been an added expense. Providing reimbursement lessens the financial burden of PCSing with their furry family members, especially for those military families moving to OCONUS who have to pay for pet travel and quarantine their pets when moving to the new country.  The cost of moving OCONUS can easily exceed the $2,000 reimbursement, with some families paying upwards of $5,000.

Prior to the inclusion of pets in the NDAA, each military service branch has slowly been addressing this issue. The US Army stated in December of 2022 that the pet reimbursement would take place 180 days from the signing of the NDAA – which was January 1, 2024, since the amendment occurred in June of 2023. The Marine Corps made an official statement about the NDAA, noting they would begin reimbursement on January 1, 2024, noting that no retroactive reimbursement would occur.

Military branch aid societies have been spanning the gap for pet reimbursement for years. Per the Army Emergency Relief and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, an average of $3,000 was loaned to each client. The Air Force Aid Society reported an average amount per client of $1,000.

While the reimbursement will likely not cover the total costs of moving pets for all military members, it is a step toward supporting military families. The furry family member is a member of the family, a support to family members when the service member is away, and a support to the active-duty service member. The burden of frequent moves with high costs is a financial drain, and the reimbursement will lessen that financial burden.

Have you utilized the pet reimbursement in 2024? How was the process? Let us know!

Military Food Insecurity Worsens with Inflation

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Inflation is hitting military families in many ways – and the kitchen is one. In 2022, Blue Star Families released a statistic from their research that 14% of enlisted families in the military go hungry.  In 2023, the Rand Corp released research that more than 25% of active-duty service members lacked access to enough food.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as the “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.” Low food security is defined as households with reduced quality, variety, and desirability of their diets and the quantity of food intake and normal eating patterns without substantial disruption. Very low food insecurity is defined as when one or more household members disrupts eating patterns or food intake due to a lack of money or other resources for food.

Food insecurity is not an unknown stressor to military families. In 2020, Rand Corp’s study showed that 15.4% of active-duty service members were classified as having low security per the USDA’s definition in 2018, with 10.4% being identified as having very low food security. At that study’s time, those living on a military installation were more likely to have food insecurity, with 32% of those with food insecurity living on installation and 23% living off installation. Thirty-two percent of service members living on base and receiving a basic allowance for housing (BAH) were more likely to be food insecure, while those living on base without BAH (25%).

What is most shocking about this is that those affected weren’t junior enlisted families with large families. Instead, the study listed that 67% of those affected were those ranked E4-E6, with more marking themselves as single with children versus married without children. This may be in part due to the effort of on-base food pantries and local organizations offering food assistance to only junior enlisted.  In fact, the study demonstrated that only 14% of those classified as food insecure had used assistance programs like Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), food banks, SNAP, or Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA).  

The barriers to accessing food assistance programs may be a combination of many factors. It may be purely due to a lack of knowledge or eligibility. Although anecdotal reports of mid-ranking families stated, they were told they made $100- $200 more than allowed to qualify, and that couple hundred dollars didn’t go far in the grocery store. Another possible barrier to food assistance is the lack of asking – that there may be a social and career stigma to being an E5, or E6, and asking for assistance.

In years passed, the answer to the food insecurity issue included opening the free or reduced lunch program to military families. It was found that this worked better when schools were on a military base versus off. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of Fiscal Year 2020 added a Basic Needs Allowance, which has been expanded in the following years to address the needs. This is obviously not enough as inflation increases and the number of military families reporting food insecurity increases.

The question of food insecurity among the military will need to be addressed continually. The civilian population with similar characteristics to their military counterparts reported food insecurity at a rate of 9% compared to 25% for military active-duty service members. Is it due to a pay gap for those positions? Is it due to a lack of resources for those ranking families? Is it due to any other myriad of factors? This needs to be answered. If it is due to a civilian pay gap, will the promise of potentially getting retirement for those enlisted be enough to continue in service as retirement pay and options continue to be chipped away? Will this lead to a recruitment concern? Inflation is not helping anyone shopping in the grocery store right now, and it certainly is not helping those already with concerns about food insecurity.

Military Pay Changes – Will it Lead to Increase Enlistment?

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All monetary changes to the budget from the Department of Defense stem from Congress. Congress must debate, agree and sign the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) each year for the coming fiscal year – running from October to September. For example, the 2023 fiscal year begins October 2023 through September 2024. The FY23 NDAA was signed into law in December 2022. This month, the debates begin for the FY 24 NDAA. One can hope that the NDAA will be signed into law before the fiscal year begins, or multiple continuing resolutions will precede it.

One addition the U.S. House wants to add to the FY24 bill is a raise to military pay. The proposed 5.2% raise is the largest seen in over two decades. In the past, the military has not typically received a raise like its civilian counterparts. Federal estimates state that with this pay raise will match it to civilian wages. The U.S. inflation rate in 2021 was 7%, and 6.5% in 2022 with preceding inflation rates in the 1 and 2% for the previous five years.

Members of the House Armed Services Committee introduced the proposed pay raise. It would mean that those joining military service within that fiscal year would see an increase to about $15/hour wage. This hour wage does depend on hours worked, as the base pay does not change during deployment, but the hours worked do typically increase. Base pay is not the only thing troops receive for compensation. The benefit of accessible healthcare to active duty, housing and food stipends increases the overall compensation. In addition to the pay raise, those ranked E5 and below would see a general increase in their base pay.

Bipartisan support will be needed for the bill to pass. The FY23 NDAA did not pass before the fiscal year began, so if history should repeat itself, the FY24 NDAA will not pass before the fiscal year begins. In that case, continuing resolutions continue the functioning budget. Furthermore, the bill must go through the House and Senate. Typically, many items lead to debates that hold up passing the law. It is not necessarily the military pay or pay raise that is debated, but part of the bill cannot be passed without the whole.

It is unclear what the pay raise would cost. In 2022, there were 1.3 million active-duty members. Numbers in the budget are typically what lead to debates in Congress. If you are part of a military family, feeling the pinch of inflation and seeing the hours the military member works, this pay raise is well-deserved. Time will tell what happens to the bill and potentially to the pay raise for the all-volunteer military force.

House Armed Services Committee Introduced Quality of Life Panel

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Among military families, one pain point involves the military’s impact on quality of life: spousal employment, housing, and childcare are three main points. The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) through Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) announced the Quality of Life Panel.

Per their announcement, the panel would focus on these issues and more, including housing, compensation, health care, and support programs for spouses of service members. The committee would start with at least two hearings a month from officials from the Pentagon. The notes from these meetings would be made into a written report to the Military Personnel Subcommittee Chair and Ranking Member to be made into a proposal for the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Chairman Mike Rogers specifically stated, “I created the Quality of Life Panel to specifically focus on issues impacting the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families – there is absolutely no reason why any U.S. servicemember should have to worry about food or unsafe housing. I have no doubt that the hard work of this panel will lead to much-needed improvements across the Department of Defense to ensure that the needs of our service members and their families are fulfilled.”

Military Personnel Subcommittee Ranking Member Andy Kim (D-NJ) said, “Raising pay, improving TRICARE, addressing mental health, increasing access to childcare, expanding workforce development, and other efforts are needed. As the Ranking Member of the Military Personnel subcommittee, I’m glad we are standing up this Quality of Life Panel to ensure we are prioritizing people over hardware.”

The list of Pentagon officials and experts was not included in the press release. Within the National Capitol Region are two major organizations with their pulse on the needs of military families – National Military Family Association and Blue Star Families. National Military Family Association conducts research, data collection and analytics annually on multiple topics, including but not limited to health, education, employment and military children. Blue Star Families collects information across military branches from military families every year in their annual survey.  While this data is shared with legislative leaders, this committee would also be a great location for this information.

Members of the Committee Include:

Majority:
Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), Chairman
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC)
Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX)
Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA)
Rep. James Moylan (R-GU)
Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO)
Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), ex officio
 
Minority:
 
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Ranking Member
Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX)
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-WA)
Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA)
Rep. Don Davis (D-NC)
Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ), ex officio
 

Keep up to date on hearings and news from the House Armed Services Committee here. You can also subscribe and get the hearings, news, and updates directly to your email box here.

Your voice matters! If your state isn’t represented in the committee but you want to share your concerns, find and contact your representative here.

Updated Parental Leave for Military: Will It Be Used?

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The 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) included an updated parental leave policy for the military. The NDAA, in part outlines the expected financial budget for the military and any policy changes for the military. The Department of Defense outlined the expansion of the Military Parental Leave Program (MPLP) in January of 2023.

Prior to this policy announcement, the parental leave policy for military members stated that birth mothers could receive six weeks of convalescent leave. The Air Force and Army allowed secondary caregivers, the non-birth parent, to receive three weeks of leave. In February of 2022, the Navy and Marine Corps expanded secondary caregiver parental leave from two weeks to three.

The expansion of this program includes active and reserve members who have given birth, adopted a child or had a child placed for adoption or long-term foster care with them. Birth parents, adoptive parents, and eligible foster parents can be granted up to 12 weeks of parental leave. This includes both parents and does not designate a primary or secondary caregiver. Any birth, fostering, or adoption that occurred after 27 December 2022 can utilize the new parental leave policy.

In addition, service members who were on maternity or caregiver leave when the policy when into effect on 27 December and had not used all of the leave may be able to utilize all twelve weeks. For example, a member on maternity leave with under six weeks used will transition to the new policy for a combined total of eighteen weeks of non-chargeable leave for parental leave.

The leave can be utilized by the birth parent and non-birth parents, as the parental leave policy applies to those with long-term foster, adoption from long-term foster, and adoption.

The question among military families as the policy was announced is how feasible this is. Military members have operational requirements. Pilots need flight hours; there are training requirements that continue across the military. Will these be maintained with three months off? The memorandum specifically addresses operations stating that “members will be afforded the opportunity to take full advantage of the MPLP consistent with their desires, operational requirements, and training workloads of their unit.” For those service members deployed, they can get an extension to take parental leave after their first year.

The statement further listed, “unit commanders must balance the needs of the unit with the needs of the member to maximize the opportunity to use parental leave.” This may mean that parental leave is not taken consecutively to balance the needs of the military with the military member; in fact, service members can take the leave in up to 12 increments.

This extended leave may help with finding childcare. The wait for childcare on base is monthslong for infant care, and while Military Child Care Aware helps with funding off-base childcare, it does not make space for infant care where there isn’t one. With primary and secondary caregivers covered under the new memorandum, dual military families may be able to care for their infant at home up to six months while waiting for childcare without using chargeable leave.

The full memorandum release from the Department of Defense can be found here.

Congress To Change COVID Vaccine Mandate for Military

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The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) outlines financial budget and adds regulations for the Department of Defense. This year’s NDAA includes a repeal of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the military. The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the House on December 8, 2022, and the Senate on December 15, 2022, and was signed by President Biden on December 23, 2022, just before the federal holiday. There was some speculation that President Biden would not sign the NDAA due to the inclusion of the specific COVID-19 vaccine legislation.

The COVID-19 vaccine mandate became policy in August of 2021, following the development of the vaccine for the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that time, there has been debate about the inclusion of this vaccine into mandatory vaccines. Military members are required to have vaccines, including the recommended vaccinations for adults, including but not limited to polio, chickenpox, pneumonia, influenza, and meningitis. They are also required to have Anthrax and Small Pox vaccinations due to the nature of their jobs. In fact, at boot camp, recruits are vaccinated for measles, mumps, diphtheria, rubella, and smallpox, depending on the service branch.

With the signing of the FY 2023 NDAA, the COVID-19 vaccine mandate must be repealed. Representative Adam Smith, a chairman on the Armed Services Committee, stated that while he did agree with the mandate for the vaccine in August of 2021, he wasn’t sure if it was still necessary. “But as we are here now, in December 2022, does that August 2021 policy still make sense? Is it still the right policy?” The COVID-19 vaccine has had few adjustments to include new variants after the Omicron variant, which Mr. Smith noted.

Thousands of military troops were discharged when they declined the COVID-19 vaccine. The NDAA does not provide a mechanism for those discharged troops to return to active service. Not that all of those discharged service members want to return to service. For those that are in the appeals process for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, it is unclear what their fate will be. If an adverse determination is already in their file, they could still be discharged for different reasons.

Time will tell how this decision rollback will affect current military members and when the change will take effect for new recruits joining the military. Per the CDC data tracker, about 68% of the American adult population has been fully vaccinated per the age schedule. About one-third of American adults have had at least one vaccination.