Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has introduced legislation that would protect combat veterans who are so disabled they are forced out of the service early, losing full retirement benefits. Most of these veterans had planned to make the military a career, says Reid. His Combat-Related Special Compensation Act of 2006 (S. 2385) would give “eligible combat-related disabled” who is “retired” with fewer than 20 years of service under Chapter 61 a pro-rated retirement benefit.
The Pentagon is considering ditching the Air Force’s plan to buy the E-7 Wedgetail as it looks to outsource the airborne target-tracking mission to space, defense officials indicated this week.