Director’s Message

Greetings, and welcome to the final Retiree Newsletter of 2025! As the year draws to a close, we want to ensure you're well-informed about important updates regarding your retired military pay. This edition is packed with valuable information.

January 1-31, 2026 is the annual Open Season for members who are entitled to both Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) and Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC). Please read the article to find out more about how this may affect you.

The end of the year also brings a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) with it, and we have an article on how the COLA will affect your retired military pay.

It’s not too late to make sure you are ready for the upcoming tax season. Please see that article for all the tips on prepping for tax season.

We also have great articles on how life-changing events affect retired military pay, our updated Forms Library, and Pay.gov for retirees who make direct remittance payments.

Finally, for those of you who are awaiting pay in the Gray Area, we have an article for you about a new tool called the DD Form 2656 Smart Wizard that will be very helpful when you apply to receive your retired military pay.

We understand that managing your retired pay can be complex, and we're committed to providing you with the resources you need. Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. Our team works diligently to ensure accurate and timely payments for every retiree, and we appreciate your trust.

Wishing you a joyful and peaceful holiday season. We look forward to connecting with you again in 2026!