COLA increase for 2017 under .5 percent

On Oct. 19, the Social Security Administration announced a small cost of living adjustment (COLA); it's the third consecutive year that the benefits adjustment will be under .5 percent. Military retirees and individuals receiving veterans benefits, including service-connected disability compensation, will receive a .3 percent COLA increase in their federal benefits next year. The adjustment goes into effect Dec. 30.

Since 2009, the cost-of-living increase has been more than 2 percent only once when it reached 3.6 percent in 2011.

Please note that veterans benefits are not automatically tied to the Social Security increase; however, Congress passed legislation in July that linked the two benefits for 2017.

New law honors World War I memorial
On Sept. 29, President Barack Obama signed into law P.L. 114-227. This measure amends title 36, United States Code, to authorize the American Battle Monuments Commission to acquire, operate and maintain the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial in Marnes-la-Coquette, France. The memorial site includes a cemetery with 68 gravesites for the pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille and the Lafayette Flying Corps who died during their service in World War I.
Formed in 1916, the Lafayette Escadrille was a squadron of American airmen who volunteered for service with the French during the war. Serving under French officers and flying French warplanes, it was hoped that the service of these Americans would persuade the American public to push the U.S. government to abandon its policy of neutrality and join the fight with the French against the Germans.

NDAA 2017 update
A few major differences between the House and Senate versions of the fiscal year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill include:

• TRICARE fee hikes. The Senate bill would phase in substantial increases for retirees under the age of 65 and doubles pharmacy copayments over nine years. The House bill would only impose increases on future servicemembers and would mostly grandfather in current fee levels for currently serving and retired beneficiaries.
• Housing allowances. The Senate bill would impose housing allowance cuts for servicemembers who share housing with other servicemembers, whether they are married or roommates. No changes with the House bill.
• Military health system organization. Both bills would impose new requirements to improve health-care access, quality and continuity.
• Military pay raises. The Senate defense bill caps the military pay raise at 1.6 percent, which is what Obama proposed. The House bill would fund a 2.1 percent raise and a plus-up of force end-strength levels.