Ten Democratic Senators led by Presidential-hopeful Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts penned a letter to leaders of the Senate Budget Committee to protest the 2.2 percent military pay raise included in President Bush’s 2007 defense budget proposal. They say it is the smallest since 1994. They wrote: “Such a paltry increase neglects the value of their service and the very real challenges of recruiting and retaining an all-volunteer military in time of war.”
The Air Force is renaming its traditional aviation bonus program in 2024 and continuing a new, experimental second program, ordered by Congress, aimed at getting aviators to extend their commitment sooner and for longer. While the programs can’t be doubled-up, aviators may be able to move from one to the…