Veteran Affairs has opted not to create a single, centralized medical center to replace the Manhattan and Brooklyn VA medical centers. The announcement follows a “detailed, two-year examination” that recognized input from the New York Congressional delegation, veterans groups, and city and state officials, as well as an advisory panel, said a VA statement. This decision follows closely on the heels of one not to consolidate four Boston VA hospitals, even though VA officials had wanted to close older centers to help streamline VA operations over the next 20 years.
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…

