TRICARE

Troops Fear Imminent Large-Scale War, Survey Shows

The 2024 Military Family Lifestyle Survey reveals that 83% of active-duty military families anticipate U.S. involvement in a major conflict within the next three to five years. Financial concerns, including housing costs, relocation expenses, and spousal employment challenges, are significant stressors for these families, with only 36% of junior enlisted families reporting financial stability. Access to healthcare, particularly mental healthcare through TRICARE, has also emerged as a major concern, doubling since 2020. Blue Star Families recommends increased military pay, housing allowances, and improved access to healthcare and childcare to alleviate these issues.

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GOP Defense Bill Targets Trans Military Kids’ Healthcare

A last-minute amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would eliminate TRICARE coverage for gender-affirming care for transgender children of military families. This provision, deceptively framed as preventing sterilization, targets medically necessary care like puberty blockers and hormone therapy, not surgeries which are rarely performed on minors. The amendment has drawn sharp criticism from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and some Democrats, who argue it jeopardizes the well-being of military families and recruitment efforts. The fate of the provision hinges on a potential Democratic-Republican coalition to remove it from the bill.

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