Servicemembers who answer the call to protect our nation should be free to focus on their mission, not whether they can pay rent on time or provide stability for their families back home.

Military compensation must ensure they can carry out their responsibilities with the confidence that their household needs and financial well-being will be supported. Yet recent reports from DoD and independent research institutions have highlighted the persistent economic challenges facing junior enlisted servicemembers.

[TAKE ACTION: Restore the Basic Allowance for Housing to 100% to Support Military Financial Readiness]

These challenges are not just a matter of hardship: They are a matter of readiness, morale, and the long-term health of the all-volunteer force.

Progress Made, But Challenges Persist

Congress took an important step in addressing this issue by approving a historic pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers in the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. MOAA strongly supported this measure, recognizing that increased base pay is a foundational element in reducing the financial pressures that lead to food insecurity and other quality-of-life challenges.

This progress deserves recognition. A meaningful investment in junior enlisted pay demonstrates a clear understanding from Congress that servicemembers and their families should not struggle to meet basic needs while answering the call to serve.

However, while the pay raise is a significant step forward, the underlying challenges facing military families, particularly those with dependents, remain complex and persistent.

The Path Ahead

While we commend the progress made, MOAA continues to press for a comprehensive approach to ensuring financial readiness for servicemembers and their families. This includes:

• Restoring the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to cover 100% of estimated housing costs.
• Eliminating BAH from the eligibility calculation for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
• Ensuring military pay and benefits keep pace with the actual cost of living.

These are not partisan issues. They are issues of readiness – and of dignity. And they are solvable, if we commit to continued action.

Standing With Our Servicemembers – How You Can Help 

One important way you can support this effort is by urging Congress to pass the BAH Restoration Act, which would return BAH to 100% of estimated housing costs — easing a major burden for military families across the country.

Visit MOAA’s Legislative Action Center to send a message to your lawmakers today.