Newsbytes February 6, 2026

In this issue:
FRA 2026 Survey Highlights
Coast Guard Funding Still In Limbo 
HVAC Legislative Hearing  
Rising Obesity Rates Letter to SecWar 
VA Transportation Services
VA Annual Veteran Suicide Report 
Marine Corps AI Fellowship   
Upcoming Events

FRA 2026 Survey Highlights  
The Fleet Reserve Association’s 2026 Legislative Priorities Survey shows growing concern among retired sea service members that benefits long understood as earned through a full military career are under increasing pressure. The survey, made up overwhelmingly of retired sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen, reflects expectations that lifetime health care, stable retired pay, and a strong Department of Veterans Affairs remain protected as commitments tied to service. 

Respondents emphasize that health care and retired pay are their top priorities. Access to and affordability of TRICARE, along with cost of living adjustments and concurrent receipt, rank as critically important. More than 90 percent say they were led to believe that completing a career would guarantee health care for life, and nearly all view TRICARE benefits as earned rather than discretionary. Rising health care costs combined with modest COLA increases have heightened concern that these benefits are being gradually eroded. 

The survey also demonstrates strong support for a robust, veteran centered VA system. Large majorities oppose privatizing VA health care or limiting care only to service connected conditions. Many respondents express concern about recent VA staffing reductions, with a significant share reporting declines in access or timeliness of care at their local facilities, particularly for aging veterans with complex medical needs. 

On access and infrastructure, respondents favor practical approaches that preserve care availability, especially in rural areas. A majority support leasing existing hospital facilities as a cost effective alternative to new construction when it maintains quality and proximity of care. While respondents accept responsible cost controls, they consistently caution against policies that reduce access or function as indirect steps toward privatization. 

Finally, the survey highlights broader concerns about force sustainability. Respondents believe recruiting challenges are best addressed through competitive pay, benefits, and opportunity rather than lowering standards. While active duty responses were limited, they echo wider concerns about quality of life, housing, and operational tempo. For FRA, the results reinforce its legislative priorities and its position that benefits earned through decades of sea service must be honored and preserved. 

Coast Guard Funding Still In Limbo 
Congress narrowly averted a government shutdown by passing a short term funding measure, allowing most federal agencies and the Department of Defense to continue operations without interruption. However, the Coast Guard remains in a state of uncertainty because it is funded through the Department of Homeland Security, which received only temporary appropriations. Unlike the other armed services, Coast Guard servicemembers face the possibility of missed pay if a long term DHS funding solution is not enacted, despite continuing to perform essential national security, law enforcement, and search and rescue missions. 

The Fleet Reserve Association is calling on Congress to immediately pass the Pay Our Troops Act to ensure Coast Guard members are paid regardless of funding lapses. FRA has long maintained that no servicemember should be forced to bear the burden of political stalemates, particularly those assigned to missions that protect lives and secure the homeland. FRA urges lawmakers to remove uncertainty for Coast Guard families by advancing legislation that guarantees uninterrupted pay for all uniformed service members whenever funding delays occur. 

Support The Pay Our Troops Act:
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 VA Annual Veteran Suicide Report  
The Department of Veterans Affairs has released its National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, analyzing veteran suicide trends from 2001 through 2023, the most recent year for which data is available. The report shows 6,398 veteran suicides in 2023, a slight decrease from 6,442 in 2022. The average number of veteran suicides per day declined marginally from 17.6 to 17.5, reflecting modest progress amid ongoing concerns. 

Despite the small decline in total deaths, the report highlights troubling underlying trends. Suicide rates per 100,000 veterans increased for both men and women in 2023. Rates rose from 13.7 to 13.9 among female veterans and from 37.3 to 37.8 among male veterans. Younger veterans ages 18 to 34 continue to face elevated risk, along with veterans experiencing homelessness, chronic health conditions, or pain. Among suicide deaths reported by VA prevention teams between 2021 and 2023, pain was the most frequently identified risk factor. 

The report also highlights a persistent challenge for VA outreach. Sixty one percent of veterans who died by suicide in 2023 were not receiving VA health care in the year prior to their death. VA officials emphasize that reaching unenrolled veterans remains central to prevention efforts, as lack of connection to care continues to limit early intervention opportunities. 

VA states that suicide prevention remains its top clinical priority and notes several recent initiatives aimed at improving outcomes. These include expanded outreach efforts to enroll veterans in VA care, partnerships with civilian health systems to identify at risk veterans, improved transition coordination for servicemembers leaving the military, and new tracking tools to better measure whether veterans identified as at risk are successfully connected to care. VA also reports expanded use of suicide risk screenings, growth in Veterans Crisis Line contacts, and continued investment in community-based suicide prevention grants. 

FRA continues to emphasize that suicide prevention requires sustained access to timely, veteran focused mental health care and strong coordination between VA, community providers, and the Department of Defense. Veterans or family members who are concerned about an immediate crisis can contact the Veterans Crisis Line for confidential, round the clock support by dialing 988 and pressing 1. Enrollment in VA health care is not required to receive assistance. 

HVAC Legislative Hearing  
The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a legislative hearing to examine nine bipartisan bills aimed at improving veterans benefits, survivor equity, and transparency within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The hearing was chaired by Representative Morgan Luttrell of Texas, with Ranking Member Representative Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky playing an active role. Testimony was provided by bill sponsors, veterans service organizations, and VA officials, with discussions centered on honoring service commitments while addressing administrative barriers and unresolved gaps in existing law. 

Several witnesses highlighted ongoing challenges related to toxic exposure recognition and survivor benefits, including shortcomings in implementation of the PACT Act. Veterans service organizations described cases where veterans and survivors continue to face lengthy delays or denials due to narrow eligibility criteria or evidentiary burdens that are difficult or impossible to meet. Members of Congress emphasized the moral obligation to correct these gaps, particularly where service members were exposed to known hazards in the line of duty. 

One bill drawing significant attention was the Susan E. Lucas 9/11 Servicemember Fairness Act, which would extend presumptive service connection to Pentagon personnel who returned to duty following the September 11 attacks but were excluded from current PACT Act presumptions. The testimony shows that these individuals were exposed to toxic substances while performing essential national security duties, yet have been required to meet higher proof standards than other September 11 responders. Supporters argued that the legislation would restore equity for an overlooked group of service members now facing serious long term health conditions. 

The subcommittee also reviewed the Justice for ALS Veterans Act, which seeks to correct inequities in Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for surviving spouses of veterans who die from service connected ALS. Due to the rapid progression of the disease, many veterans are unable to meet the current eight year total disability requirement for enhanced survivor benefits. Witnesses described the financial and emotional hardship placed on families who provide intensive care only to be denied benefits because of the disease’s speed. The bill would remove this barrier while maintaining existing marriage requirements and directing VA to study similar high mortality conditions. 

Another proposal, the PRESUME Act, focuses on atomic veterans who participated in radiation risk activities during the Cold War. The legislation would eliminate the requirement to prove specific radiation doses, a standard often impossible to meet due to classified missions or missing records. Advocates stressed that many atomic veterans are elderly and running out of time to receive care and recognition. Collectively, the bills considered reflect bipartisan efforts to address long standing inequities in survivor support and toxic exposure policy, reinforcing the nation’s responsibility to care for veterans and their families when service related harm emerges years later. 

Rising Obesity Rates Letter to SecWar 
A coalition of more than seventy national security, military, and public health organizations has sent a letter to War Secretary Pete Hegseth urging urgent action to address rising rates of overweight and obesity among service members and the growing impact on military readiness. The letter characterizes these trends as a serious and immediate threat to recruitment, retention, deployability, and overall force effectiveness. 

The correspondence outlines a series of recommendations aimed at preventing and treating obesity across the active duty, reserve, and National Guard components. These include expanding access to fitness opportunities on installations, improving the availability of healthy food options, encouraging early clinical intervention when service members exceed weight standards, and increasing access to evidence-based obesity treatments such as nutrition counseling and approved medications. The letter also calls for additional research into the readiness impacts of obesity and education efforts to discourage unsafe rapid weight loss practices. 

The Fleet Reserve Association signed on to the letter in support of these recommendations, emphasizing FRA’s continued advocacy for policies that strengthen force health while preserving military readiness. FRA has long maintained that supporting service member health is essential to sustaining an effective all volunteer force and improving recruitment and retention outcomes. 

The letter follows renewed attention from Department of War leadership on the effects of body composition trends across the force. DoW officials and readiness experts have cited rising obesity rates as a contributing factor to recruiting challenges, increased injuries, and higher medical disqualification rates among both applicants and serving personnel. 

The proposed approach balances physical fitness standards with prevention and medical support, helping ensure service members remain healthy, deployable, and mission ready while protecting long term national security interests. 

VA Transportation Services
Transportation Service, VetRide, and partnerships coordinated through VA medical facilities. These programs are designed to reduce missed appointments and improve access to care for veterans who face transportation challenges due to age, disability, distance, or limited local transit options. Transportation assistance is available for eligible veterans traveling to VA health care appointments, including primary care, specialty visits, and approved community care. 

Veterans can access these services by contacting their local VA medical center or VA transportation office, where staff can help determine eligibility and schedule rides. Transportation may be provided through volunteer drivers, contracted services, or rideshare coordination depending on location and availability. Veterans do not need to arrange reimbursement themselves when rides are scheduled by VA, and costs are covered through the Beneficiary Travel program when eligibility requirements are met. VA encourages veterans to ask about transportation options when scheduling appointments to ensure timely and reliable access to care. 

Marine Corps AI Fellowship  
The Marine Corps is advancing its approach to artificial intelligence while strengthening its future workforce through a new AI fellowship at the Naval Postgraduate School. The program is part of a broader effort to integrate AI across the force in ways that improve efficiency, decision making, and operational effectiveness while ensuring Marines remain at the center of innovation. Leaders say initiatives like this are increasingly important as the services compete for technically skilled recruits in a tight labor market. 

Launched in August 2025, the inaugural fellowship allows selected Marines to spend five months applying AI tools to real operational challenges facing the fleet. Participants divide their time between applied research and field experimentation, supported by instruction and mentorship from NPS faculty and industry experts. The program is aligned with Marine Corps AI strategy and senior leadership guidance, pairing operational experience with advanced technical skills. 

Early projects demonstrate how AI can streamline workloads rather than replace Marines. One fellow explored using large language models to reduce administrative burdens in maintenance units, freeing Marines to focus on mission critical tasks. Another project examined the use of AI to automate aspects of cybersecurity testing for new equipment, achieving high accuracy while reducing manpower demands and training requirements. Marine Corps leaders emphasized that these tools are designed to augment human judgment and improve readiness. 

Beyond immediate operational benefits, the fellowship is also aimed at growing a digitally fluent Marine Corps workforce. Officials note that programs like this send a clear signal to potential recruits that the service offers cutting edge technical opportunities alongside traditional warfighting roles. As younger Americans increasingly seek careers with advanced technology and transferable skills, the Marine Corps sees AI education and hands on experimentation as a recruiting advantage. 

Looking ahead, the Marine Corps plans to expand this ecosystem through closer integration with efforts such as the Marine Corps Software Factory and potential creation of a digital transformation hub. Together, these initiatives are intended to ensure innovation moves from concept to deployment while developing Marines who can lead in an increasingly data driven battlespace. For the Marine Corps, investing in AI talent is not only about readiness today but also about attracting and retaining the next generation of Marines. 
 

Upcoming Events
The Fleet Reserve Association will participate in a joint House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on March 3, 2026, when FRA National President Rick Fetro delivers joint testimony before both committees. The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. in the Dirksen Senate Office Building and will provide FRA the opportunity to address key issues affecting sea service members, veterans, and retirees, while reinforcing the Association’s positions on health care, compensation, and readiness related priorities before congressional leaders. 

FRA will also return to Capitol Hill on April 23, 2026, when the Association’s Board of Directors conducts its annual Hill visit. During the visit, FRA will present its Pinnacle Award to Representative Juan Ciscomani in recognition of his leadership and support for servicemembers and veterans. Board members will also meet with multiple congressional offices to advocate for the FRA 2026 Legislative Priorities, continuing the Association’s direct engagement with lawmakers on issues critical to the sea services community.