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.”
The Department of the Air Force has identified 50 programs that will make up the core of its contribution to the Pentagon’s joint all-domain command and control effort, branding them part of the “DAF Battle Network,” according to newly-released budget documents. The DAF Battle Network programs span multiple offices and agencies…