Newsbytes April 24, 2026
 

In this issue:
FRA Mid-Year Activities
FRA Attends VSO Roundtable
DoW Budget Request 
Hung Cao Named Acting SECNAV

FRA Mid-Year Shaping the Future
The FRA Mid-Year Meeting opened this week with a strategic business session focused on growth, advocacy and positioning the Association for the challenges ahead. Members and leaders gathered to review organizational priorities, assess legislative opportunities and align messaging in advance of coordinated congressional outreach.

A central theme of the session was strengthening the Association’s long term capacity to represent enlisted sea service interests. Leadership discussions addressed membership growth and ensuring local branches have the tools needed to support growth and advocacy at the grassroots level. 

A major highlight was a joint report from National Executive Director Donna Jansky and Membership Director Christina Hitchcock on discussions involving the Naval Enlisted Reserve Association. Members reviewed opportunities for closer collaboration and the potential to strengthen advocacy through a broader Total Force approach that better reflects active, reserve and retired interests.

The meeting also helped synchronize priorities as members prepared for Capitol Hill visits centered on recruitment, retention and protecting earned benefits. Attendees reinforced that the Association must continue evolving to meet the needs of today’s force while preserving its longstanding mission.

As the meeting continues, the consensus remains clear that FRA is not simply maintaining its legacy but actively adapting to meet emerging challenges. That focus on growth and readiness shaped the tone for the advocacy activities that followed.

Pinnacle Award Presentation
FRA and Auxiliary members gathered at the U.S. Capitol this week to present the FRA Pinnacle Award to Representative Juan Ciscomani in recognition of his support for the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. The award honors leadership that advances meaningful improvements for servicemembers, veterans and military families.

Representative Ciscomani was unable to attend due to House business, and the award was accepted on his behalf by a member of his legislative staff, who expressed appreciation for the recognition and reaffirmed the Congressman’s support for the sea service community. His support for the Dole Act has made him an important partner on issues central to FRA’s legislative agenda.

The award presentation also highlighted the role of the FRA Auxiliary and the broader FRA family in advancing advocacy efforts. The joint presence of members and Auxiliary representatives demonstrates the Association’s commitment to policies that support not only servicemembers and retirees, but their families as well.

Recognizing congressional champions is an important part of building and sustaining relationships on Capitol Hill. By honoring lawmakers who support key priorities, FRA helps reinforce partnerships that can prove critical as legislation moves through committee and floor consideration.

The event served as both a recognition of leadership and a reminder that effective advocacy often depends on strong relationships built over time. FRA will continue working with allies in Congress to advance priorities important to the sea services.

Members Hill Day
Following the award presentation, FRA and Auxiliary members deployed across Capitol Hill for coordinated meetings with House and Senate Armed Services personnel subcommittees. The visits focused on legislative priorities tied to the National Defense Authorization Act and provided members an opportunity to bring the Association’s message directly to lawmakers and staff.

The Major Richard Star Act remained the centerpiece of those discussions. Members urged lawmakers to include the measure in the FY2027 NDAA and argued that correcting the offset affecting combat injured retirees remains both a matter of equity and an issue linked to trust and retention. Advocates also raised support for the Pay Our Troops Act and concerns related to quality and consistency in VA claims processing.

A key strength of the effort was the participation of coalition partners from The Military Coalition, including Jonathan "Jon" Nutman from the Air Force Sergeants Association and Jasmine Stuart from the Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service. Their presence reinforced that concurrent receipt, quality of life and force support are shared priorities across the broader military and veterans community.

These face to face meetings remain one of the most effective tools available to the Association. Members were able to connect policy proposals to lived experience and ensure lawmakers heard directly from those affected by the decisions now being shaped in committee.

As Congress begins drafting the next defense authorization bill, FRA will continue pressing these priorities and working with coalition partners to sustain momentum. The Association’s presence on the Hill this week demonstrated once again the value of persistent, unified advocacy.

Auxiliary Pilgrimage Friday
The FRA Auxiliary Annual Pilgrimage serves as a solemn and enduring tradition that closes the Mid-Year Meeting by honoring the service and sacrifice of those who have gone before us. More than ceremony, the pilgrimage reflects the values that anchor the Association’s mission and reminds members that advocacy is rooted in service, remembrance and responsibility.

For many participants, the event provides a moment to reflect on the connection between today’s legislative priorities and the sacrifices that gave rise to them. Efforts to protect earned benefits, improve care and support military families are grounded in a continuing obligation to those who served and to those left behind.

The Auxiliary’s leadership in this tradition highlights the important role family support has always played within the FRA community. It also reinforces that the Association’s work extends beyond policy and politics to preserving the spirit and legacy of the sea services.

As members prepare to return to their branches, the pilgrimage offers a meaningful conclusion to a week focused on advocacy, recognition and strategic planning. It carries forward a message of remembrance that members bring back to their communities.

The ceremony serves as a reminder that FRA’s strength lies not only in its legislative voice, but in the values that sustain it. That enduring sense of purpose remains central to the work ahead.

FRA Attends VSO Roundtable
National Executive Director Donna Jansky recently represented FRA at a congressional VSO roundtable hosted by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano. The discussion focused on the long term obligations owed to veterans and examined several policy and funding issues now drawing concern across the veterans community.

Veterans organizations used the discussion to press lawmakers on the need to address the offset affecting combat injured military retirees through enactment of the Star Act. Participants emphasized that correcting the so called wounded veteran tax remains a matter of fairness and a critical demonstration of the nation’s commitment to those injured in service. FRA joined coalition partners in urging continued congressional support and reinforced the importance of advancing the measure as a priority this year.

One major topic was the Department of Veterans Affairs proposal to consolidate its current Veterans Integrated Service Networks into fewer regional structures. Many participating organizations raised concerns that such a reorganization could reduce local accountability and weaken access to specialized expertise. FRA holds the position that modernization should not come at the expense of direct care or the quality of services relied upon by veterans, particularly those with complex or service connected conditions.

Participants also discussed the rapid growth in Community Care spending and whether that expansion may be affecting support for the VA’s internal direct care system. The Association continues to support a Direct Care First approach that protects the strength of the VA healthcare system while maintaining access where outside care is appropriate.

Toxic exposure funding also remained a focus. Protecting the Toxic Exposures Fund and monitoring future legislative proposals in this area remain important components of the Association’s advocacy agenda.

The roundtable reinforced the importance of continued engagement with lawmakers as Congress reviews veterans policy and funding decisions. FRA will continue pressing for transparency, accountability and policies that protect both access to care and the long term interests of the veterans community.

DoW Budget Request 
The administration’s proposed $1.5 trillion Department of War budget for fiscal year 2027 would represent the largest defense request in U.S. history and carries major implications for the sea services. Secretary Pete Hegseth described the request as a long term investment in readiness, modernization and industrial capacity, with significant resources directed toward fleet expansion, infrastructure and advanced defense capabilities. For FRA, the proposal presents both opportunities and important questions as Congress begins the authorization and appropriations process.

Among the provisions drawing close attention is a proposed tiered military pay raise that would provide 7 percent for grades E-5 and below, 6 percent for E-6 through O-3, and 5 percent for O-4 and above. FRA has long maintained that competitive compensation is essential to recruitment and retention, particularly among junior enlisted families facing continued financial pressure. The proposal also includes a $57 billion commitment for facility sustainment, restoration and modernization, with a specific focus on correcting poor barracks conditions and improving government owned housing.

The request further includes $65.8 billion for the Golden Fleet initiative to support shipbuilding and fleet expansion. These investments are intended to improve procurement stability and strengthen the Navy’s long term force structure. FRA supports a strong and ready fleet, but continues to emphasize that investments in platforms must be matched by investments in the people who operate and sustain them. Modern readiness depends as much on quality of life and personnel support as it does on hardware.

Congress now turns to the difficult task of reviewing and shaping this proposal. FRA will continue advocating for full support of provisions that strengthen the force, protect servicemembers and ensure promised investments result in meaningful improvements for Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen.

Hung Cao Named Acting SECNAV
A major leadership change at the Department of the Navy drew immediate attention this week with the removal of Secretary of the Navy John Phelan and the appointment of Under Secretary Hung Cao as Acting Secretary of the Navy. The transition comes at a critical time as the service manages operational demands while advancing major decisions on shipbuilding, force modernization and personnel policy.

Reports indicate concerns over the pace of naval modernization and shipbuilding contributed to the change. While administrations have broad authority to make leadership adjustments, sudden transitions can raise questions about continuity in ongoing programs and long range planning. For FRA, the principal concern is ensuring the change does not create instability that affects servicemembers or disrupts progress on personnel initiatives.

Acting Secretary Cao assumes leadership as Congress begins considering a major defense budget request that includes significant funding for fleet growth and infrastructure. FRA will be watching closely to see how the new leadership approaches these priorities, particularly whether quality of life and force support issues receive sustained attention alongside modernization goals.

FRA will continue engaging Congress and Department leaders to ensure support for servicemembers, retirees and families remains steady through the transition. Leadership may change, but the needs of the force and the Association’s advocacy priorities remain constant.