There are currently some 8.9 million veterans enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Department’s healthcare system; however, there are 22.4 million veterans who are eligible for these benefits, Tommy Sowers, the VA’s assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs, told lawmakers. “We’re working closely with [the Department of Health and Human Services] on information about the Affordable Care Act to make sure that veterans are informed and understand some of the changes moving forward,” said Sowers in explaining what the VA is doing to reach more veterans during his April 24 testimony before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. The hearing dealt with the VA’s outreach and community partnerships. Sowers said a large portion of Vietnam War veterans already uses Facebook. He acknowledged that the department needs to do more to reach out to the older generation of veterans. Especially in rural regions of America, “face-to-face” action is required for “veterans to sign up,” said Sowers. (Sowers’ prepared remarks)
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…
