Auburn Times

WASHINGTON – Yellowhammer News has detailed U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers’ (AL-03), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, effort to raise junior enlisted pay by 20% in the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Rep. Mike Rogers: 20% raise for junior enlisted servicemembers included in 2025 NDAA

By Brandon Moseley

June 11, 2024

Yellow Hammer

On Tuesday, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) announced during a House Rules Committee hearing that the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) will raise the pay of junior enlisted servicemembers by 20%.

The all-volunteer Armed Forces are struggling to meet recruiting goals. Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, emphasized Congress’s commitment to making the armed forces more competitive with private and public sector employers.

Rogers delivered his remarks at a Rules Committee hearing in support of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2025.

“For the first time in decades, the year’s defense bill carries a different short title,” said Rogers. “It is the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act. We did that to underscore the tremendous gains this bill makes toward improving the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families.”

“No servicemember should have to live in squalid conditions,” said Rogers. “No military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children. And no one serving this country should have to wait weeks see a doctor or a mental health specialist. But that’s exactly what many of our servicemembers are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted. This bill will go a long way toward fixing that.”

“It includes a 20 percent pay raise for the junior enlisted,” Rogers stated. “It expands allowances for housing and food and improves the cost-of-living calculation. The bill authorizes $766 million over the budget request to improve existing barracks and build new ones. It enables services to pursue public-private partnerships to provide better unaccompanied housing.”

“The bill reduces dangerous healthcare wait times by waiving referral requirements for specialty care and expanding the number of DoD doctors and nurses with new special recruitment and pay authorities,” Rogers continued.

“The bill improves access to childcare for military families by providing over $206 million to build new DoD childcare centers and fully funding childcare fee assistance programs to offset private childcare costs. It also fills DoD childcare staff vacancies by making pay and benefits competitive with private industry.”

“The bill helps military spouses gain and retain employment by making it easier for them to transfer professional licenses between states,” added Rogers.

The issue of professional licenses not transferring across state lines is one that Alabama Legislature has repeatedly addressed over recent years.

“It also gives DoD authority to quickly hire military spouses and keep them employed during changes in duty stations,” said Rogers. “These improvements result from recommendations we received from a special panel Ranking Member Smith and I set up last year to closely examine servicemember quality-of-life issues.”

“We are making these historic improvements in quality-of-life for our servicemembers because now, more than ever, we need to recruit and retain the best,” Rogers stated. “That’s because threats our nation faces, especially those from China, are more complex than at any point in recent history."

Reforms acquisition authorities foster private sector innovation speeding fielding new technologies giving an advantage against China.

Strengthens security partnerships with Taiwan Pacific allies.

Fully funds modernization nuclear deterrent.

Protects U.S bases supply chain academic research from Chinese espionage.

Builds logistics network Pacific necessary operations against China.

Includes investments retool revitalize industrial base ensure system delivery prevail conflict.

“In face growing threats from China critical restore military focus lethality," said Rogers." The FY25 NDAA does so ending divisive policies hurt recruiting unit cohesion readiness."

Achieving these goals relies on stewardship existing defense spending.“We all know deterring threats expensive endeavor acknowledge limits spend.” This NDAA focused rooting out waste DoD cutting non-responsive systems saving $30 billion reigning programs like F-35 not delivering requirements."

The bipartisan NDAA passed out committee 57-1 moving full U.S House Representatives vote next stage legislative process.

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