Junior enlisted members of the US military should receive a 15% pay increase, a House Armed Services Committee panel recommended on Thursday.
The basic pay boost is necessary to address the military’s recruiting struggle and provide assistance to the 25% of active-duty troops that experience food insecurity, the Quality of Life panel said in its final report. RAND, a research organization found in 2023 that a quarter of US troops don’t have access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.
The increase is also needed because basic pay has lagged behind inflation since 2020, and lower ...