Five senators have added their support to Senate bill S 2617—introduced April 7 just before the Spring break—that would link the Pentagon’s planned Tricare fee hike for military retirees under age 65 to the annual percentage increase in retired pay. A similar bill in the House (HR 4949), which was introduced March 14 and has 138 cosponsors, would prohibit DOD from raising fees without Congressional approval. The sense of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle is that DOD must seek additional medical efficiencies and has asked for too large an increase in fees upfront.
The Air Force plans to have its new Integrated Capabilities Command stood up by the end of 2024, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said May 2, offering new details of one of the signature reforms announced by the service earlier this year. Allvin said around 500-800 Airmen will…