House Armed Services Committee Quality of Life Panel

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Created 2023 to address compensation and family support issues

On January 1, 2026, every U.S. service member got a 3.8% pay raise, bringing an E-1's monthly check to $2,407. It's the third consecutive above-inflation increase Congress has delivered, part of a scramble to fix a system where junior troops qualified for food stamps.

Updated May 19