What concerns do you have about the future of Military benefits? Healthcare, VA, etc.

I am hopeful that the new administration will treat the military better than the current one.

The current and likely future Speaker of the House , Paul Ryan, is on record as believing military retirement benefits are overly generous. He included a cut to the retirement COLA adjustment in the 2014 budget deal at the last minute. He defended it as a " minor adjustment" that was no big deal because military who retire at 20 years should still work. He said the government cannot continue to give the military a retirement at 20 years that civilians don't earn until 40 years.

His "small adjustment" would reduce the overall value of a retirement for an NCO by $100,000. No big deal for him. Fortunately, after that law passed, congress undid the Ryan cut to military retirement. For the next few years we will have someone who thinks we haven't earned our retirements leading the congressional budget process. That's scary.

Military benefits have changed drastically since I enlisted, (1988), some aspects better, some, not so much. Your financial destiny is in your own hands, don't make the mistake on counting on the government to pay you what you think you deserve. I used to tell young troops to commit 10% of their gross monthly income into a Roth IRA or at minimum a savings account. When you get a raise, keep 10% of it and add the additional income to your savings. You will be surprised how much and how quickly this adds up. Secondly, if you are going to plan on staying with Tricare, plan on living within 30 miles of a military installation or you will be forced to enroll in Tricare standard, you will have to pay the first $2500 of your bills. As stated by others, get EVERY ache and pain documented in your military medical records, you won't get compensated later in life when those injuries start causing problems.