The military is currently experiencing a severe recruitment crisis, described as a “once in a generation” challenge. In response, a proposed 19.5% pay increase for junior enlisted troops has been put forward to help mitigate this issue.

Veterans on Duty chairman Jeremy Hunt has been vocal about his disapproval of the White House’s stance.

The White House has stated that it “strongly opposes” the significant, permanent change to the basic pay schedule before the completion of the Fourteenth Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation.

Since President Biden took office, inflation has risen by 20%, exacerbating the financial struggles of junior enlisted troops.

Hunt criticizes the administration’s decision to approve over $100 billion in student loan forgiveness while opposing the military pay raise.

Members of both parties in the House Armed Services Committee support the pay raise.

The Department of Defense reports significant recruitment shortfalls for the 2023 fiscal year: the Army missed its goal by 23.4%, the Navy by 19.8%, and the Air Force by 10.7%.

Increasing pay for junior enlisted troops is seen as a vital step to improve recruitment and retention.

Hunt, a former platoon leader in the 3rd Infantry Division, shared that several of his soldiers struggled financially.

The rising cost of living, particularly in housing, has put additional financial pressure on junior enlisted troops.

Critics argue that waiting for the completion of the compensation review is not an option.

The debate over the pay raise highlights a broader discussion about the nation’s priorities.

“There is no investment more important than the one we make in the men and women who serve in our all-volunteer force,” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said in a statement after the bill passed.

“By improving the quality of life of our service members and their families, Democrats and Republicans in the committee sent a clear message: We are dedicated to recruiting and retaining the strongest, most diverse fighting force,” House Armed Services Committee ranking member Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash.

The bill for a 19.5% pay raise is getting blasted in a culture war after House Republicans added amendments to roll back Pentagon policies on abortion and LGBTQ+ service members.

However, the bill had measures that many party members criticized as they targeted specific minority groups in the military.

However, the bill passed in the House in a 217-199 vote. Among the amendments that Republicans approved could reverse the Pentagon’s year-one policy of covering leave and travel for service members seeking abortions.

Another amendment that was approved in the bill was to bar the Pentagon from covering gender-affirmation health care for transgender troops and their dependents.

Republicans also targeted diversity initiatives that have been introduced into the military like the DEI, which ensures commanders and leaders are being inclusive in their decisions, actions, and admissions which provide equal opportunities and access to all.

There was one area where conservative lawmakers fell short. The bill proposed putting back the Confederate memorial that was removed from Arlington National Cemetery last year.

All of these amendments – both proposed, passed, and opposed – had largely been discussed and negotiated with the Democrat-controlled Senate. The most controversial measures were scrapped from the final bill that became law.

During debates about its NDAA, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved an amendment from Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., that endorses a $25 billion increase to the defense budget.

According to USA Facts, the Department of Defense (DoD) requested $842 billion for 2024, which helped the DoD support the world’s third-largest military with nearly 1.3 million active-duty troops.

However, some of the amendments proposed threaten to break laws.  “I regret that I needed to vote against passage of this bill because it includes a funding increase that cannot be appropriated without breaking lawful spending caps and causing unintended harm to our military,” Reed said in a statement.