AFSA Chapter 254

10/26/2026

💰 2027 PAY RAISE — AWAITING APPROVAL

Here’s what’s currently proposed for basic pay starting January 1, 2027:

• 7% for E-1 to E-5
• 6% for E-6 to O-3
• 5% for O-4 and above

Where it stands:
The President’s alternative pay plan from August 26 sets those tiers, and the House NDAA passed July 22 with the same tiers. The Senate committee version instead carries a flat 3.6% raise and has not had a floor vote.

Neither NDAA is enacted yet, so the final rate could still change — this is not signed law, and it’s separate from the 2027 COLA for retired pay.

Who it affects:
Active-duty, Guard, and Reserve members on basic pay — especially junior enlisted, who would see the largest percentage increase under this proposal.

Share this with someone wondering what 2027 pay could look like, and watch for the final NDAA.

— AFSA Chapter 254, Fort Meade

10/25/2026

📢 2027 COLA UPDATE: +3.6%

Military retired pay is set to rise 3.6% effective December 1, 2026 — that’s about $36 more per month for every $1,000 of retired pay.

Retirees on the REDUX / Career Status Bonus plan get 2.6% instead, or about $26 per $1,000.

⚠️ Important distinction for VA disability:
The VA disability increase is NOT final yet. The Veterans’ Compensation COLA Act of 2026 (H.R. 8552 / S. 4487) is still in committee, and VA has not published 2027 rate tables. So any VA dollar amount you see right now is an estimate only.

What to do:
✔️ Check your DFAS notice when it arrives
✔️ Share this with a retiree who should know the difference between retired pay and VA pay
✔️ Watch for Congress to act on the VA COLA bill

— AFSA Chapter 254, Fort Meade

FortMeade

10/24/2026

🇺🇸 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: The Major Richard Star Act

Combat-injured veterans who were medically retired before 20 years of service currently lose $1 of military retired pay for every $1 of VA disability pay they receive. That’s often called the “wounded warrior tax.”

The Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102 / S. 1032) would end that dollar-for-dollar offset for Chapter 61 medical retirees with combat-related disabilities, so they could receive both their retired pay and VA disability compensation.

Who it would help:
Combat-injured veterans medically retired with fewer than 20 years of service. A March 2026 CBO estimate put the average gain at about $1,450 more per month for the nearly 59,000 Chapter 61 retirees receiving CRSC in September 2025.

Important status check:
This is NOT law yet. A House discharge petition reached 218 signatures on September 15, and a House vote is awaited after the House returns November 9. If it doesn’t pass before this Congress ends on January 3, 2027, it would expire and have to be reintroduced.

Know someone this could affect? Share this with them, and check where your Representative and Senators stand on H.R. 2102 / S. 1032.

— AFSA Chapter 254, Fort Meade

10/24/2026

09/24/2026

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09/23/2026

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09/23/2026

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07/21/2026

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