Military pay crunch is on a course to get considerably worse

The military pay raise is shrinking. The military housing stipend is shrinking.  The military commissary benefit is under fire. And now Congress may start charging active-duty families for medical care. If lawmakers follow through with the least generous pay-and-benefits proposals under consideration as part of the federal government’s 2017 budget process, next year could be one of the toughest in recent memory for military families’ finances.

Even advocates accustomed to the political fights over service members’ quality-of-life issues say they’re surprised at just how much lawmakers seem to be targeting military benefits. And they worry it won’t hit troops’ wallets alone, but their morale too. READ MORE