Military families and their advocates are battling an Obama administration proposal to limit troops’ pay raises to 1 percent in 2014, the lowest increase in half a century. A White House spokeswoman said Obama needed to reduce the pay raise, partly to offset congressional refusal to cut spending on “outdated weapons systems.” Pentagon records show that a 1 percent increase would be the lowest since 1963, the second-lowest raise since then was in 2011 at 1.4 percent. Military pay increases by law are now linked with private sector growth, an assessment that would call for a 1.8 percent increase in 2014, which advocates are seeking. But the Pentagon is asking Congress to limit it to 1 percent and save $540 million. The Defense Department is also seeking to raise or establish certain fees in health coverage for retirees and military dependents, a savings of $1 billion. Non-military federal workers have seen their pay frozen for three years and Obama exempted troops from the impact of sequestration furloughs.
