Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced last week that the Senate has unanimously approved an amendment to the 2007 defense authorization bill that would revamp the military retirement system and improve access to Tricare for Guardsmen and Reservists. Among the health care provision, the amendment would reduce the co-pay for reservists and guardsmen who have not been deployed and are eligible for other private insurance but want to continue access to Tricare. If included in the final defense bill, the amendment also would lower the retirement age for reservists based on the number of days a reservist is called to active duty. Graham says that the increase in call ups for long tours of duty means “we need to ensure the benefits [reservists] are receiving are equal to the sacrifice they are making.”
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…