Thanks to a new cost-sharing agreement between DOD and Veterans Affairs, more than 100,000 military retirees with VA-rated disabilities should soon see retroactive payments based on the new programs (Combat-Related Special Compensation and Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay) Congress created in 2003 and 2004, reports Air Force Magazine contributing editor Tom Philpott. Payments could average $4,000 to $5,000, depending on rank, disability rating, and the length of the period covered.
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…

