News Front
Under a policy implemented last year, service members and eligible dependents may be authorized travel and transportation allowances to access noncovered reproductive health care services when timely access to those services is not available near a member's permanent duty station. "For example, this could entail a service member traveling from their
News Front
To best optimize itself for great power competition, the Air Force plans to, among other things, bring back warrant officers within the cyber and information technology professions, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin during a presentation Feb. 12 at the Air Force Association's 2024 Warfare Symposium. That
News Front
Last year, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness signed policy implementing within the Defense Department and across the military services the requirements laid out under the Brandon Act.? Within the DOD and military services, the Brandon Act allows service members to request a mental health evaluation just by making
News Front
As part of an expansion of a Defense Department pilot program that kicked off in February 2023, most Uniformed Services Identification, or USID, card holders can now renew their cards online and receive them in the mail, instead of having to schedule an appointment at an ID card office.? Before this
News Front
Both the House and Senate have passed the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which is expected to be signed by the president. Among other things, the bill authorizes a pay raise for both service members and civilian defense employees. "This important legislation not only authorizes a 5.2% pay increase for service
News Front
Recent reports in the private media have detailed conditions in the barracks which house single service members. Included in those reports are revelations of exposed raw sewage, extensive mold and other non-functioning systems such as HVAC and fire detection. On Capitol Hill last week leaders of the military services responsible for
Military Policy
In a memorandum released last month, the Defense Department announced that previous directions to begin using the new MyTravel system have been repealed, and agencies should instead return to using the existing Defense Travel System.? "DOD organizations currently using MyTravel are no longer required to use the system," wrote Gilbert R.
Family
For the first time, the Defense Department will offer those enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program, also called EFMP, an opportunity to provide detailed input about their experiences. Feedback will be used to improve how the program provides services to participating families. "It's pretty exciting because it's the first official
Jobs & Education
The Defense Department signed up an additional 70 government organizations, nonprofits and private sector companies to participate in its Military Spouse Employment Partnership program Oct. 25. With the new additions, there are now more than 600 such organizations committed to recruiting, hiring, promoting and retaining military spouses. Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr.,
News Front
The Defense Department Sept. 22 laid out an array of efforts - some already underway and some on the horizon - that address the needs of married service members and their families, as well as single service members. In a memo titled "Taking Care of Our Service Members and Families," Secretary of
Jobs & Education
The Defense Department's Military Spouse Employment Partnership program expects to add more than 70 new companies to its roster during the upcoming "MSEP Engage" event next month. Currently, more than 540 government organizations, nonprofits and private sector companies have made a commitment to the Defense Department to recruit, hire, promote and
News Front
The Defense Department, military services and Veterans Affairs are doing a lot now to assess the effects of airborne hazards, including open burn pits, on the health of current and veteran service members who may have been exposed while deployed overseas in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. Capitol Hill lawmakers on
Family
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges faced by service members and their families in getting child care demonstrated just how important child care is to the military mission. And now the department is working hard to find new ways to ensure that those who need child care can get it, the
News Front
The U.S. military services have all set deadlines for when service members must be vaccinated against COVID-19. The first of those deadlines, for active duty Air Force personnel, arrived Nov. 2. Right now, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said about 97% of the total force has been vaccinated with at least
News Front
Strong relationships make for strong families, and with a strong family back at home, service members can focus on providing the nation with a strong defense. To better help service members build a strong relationship or strengthen an existing one, the Military Community and Family Policy office will host the inaugural
