Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) :: News

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) :: News: "

“Less than half of one percent of our population is now responsible for safeguarding every freedom that 300 million Americans enjoy today,” said Mueller. “They serve under extremely dangerous and arduous conditions, endure extended family separations, and forfeit some civil liberties. It is for these reasons that our military deserves a pay raise greater than 2.2 percent, which is the lowest since 1994.”

The administration also proposed across-the-board premium increases to retirees under the age of 65 who are enrolled in the military’s Tricare healthcare system. If approved by Congress, enlisted retirees in the grade of E-6 and below will experience overall premium increases of 41 percent for single or family coverage within two years, and senior enlisted and officer retirees will see increases of 106 and 204 percent, respectively. The budget proposal also has automatic premium increases built-in for the out years.

“The proposal to increase military retiree healthcare premiums is absolutely unacceptable,” said Mueller."