The Pentagon has created a new policy—following Congressional direction—to reimburse service members for “privately purchased protective, safety, or health equipment.” As always, there’s a catch, or three: To claim the money, troops must have their receipts; troops must turn in this private gear; and the max reimbursement is $1,100 for any one piece of equipment.
The Air Force is requesting about $141 million for initial enlistment bonuses in its fiscal 2026 budget, while Space Force wants $13 million.