With the beginning of a new year let's take a look at what changes you can expect to your military and veteran benefits.
Military pay
Basic Pay
Basic pay will go up 2.4 percent in 2018, the largest raise in 16 years. Check out our Military Pay Charts to see the new amounts.
Basic allowance for housing (BAH)
BAH will increase for many people this year too. See our BAH Calculator to find your new rate.
Retirement pay
Retirees will see a 2 percent pay increase in 2018, the largest one in six years.
New Retirement system
The biggest change to the retirement system in recent memory becomes effective this year, the Blended Retirement System (BRS) begins in 2018.
The new system blends a fixed pension system like the military has always had, with a user-contributory system, the Thrift Savings Plan.
New military members will be automatically enrolled in the BRS, service members with less than 12 years active duty on Jan. 1, 2018 will have a limited time to decide if they want the new system or an older one.
Our Blended Retirement System page explains the details.
TRICARE
Lots of changes coming to TRICARE in 2018.
TRICARE Standard and Extra will become TRICARE Select, there will be changes to copay amounts, and pharmacy prices will increase.
GI Bill
Many of the changes in the new Forever GI Bill will begin in 2018. The new GI Bill does away with the 15 year time limit for using your GI Bill, makes more reservists eligible, and changes the Monthly Housing Allowance amount for new members.
We explain all the changes here.
VA Compensation Rates
VA Compensation rates will go up by 2 percent, the same as military retirement. See the 2018 Compensation Rates.
Other Changes
Split PCS moves for families of some troops. The program allows families to move before or after their service member if they fall into a specific category, and allows the service member to utilize government housing if it's available.
A measure making the SSIA pay permanent. The partial offset of the so-called "widow's tax" was due to end this year.
