Issues: Military Families

“As we move forward with modernizing the military, it's important to assess the impact of military policies and practices on the families of our soldiers, sailors, air personnel and marines.”— Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson

Photo of a family walking down as residential street.As the military operations continue in Iraq and Afghanistan, our nation must focus resources on improving the tools and training available to soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in the field. But a strong military does not begin on the battlefields; it begins at home.

Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson understands this, and he knows that the military can only hope to retain and recruit high quality personnel with adequate assistance for families. So he has committed himself to ensuring that military families have the resources they need, providing security for families whose loved ones are providing security for our country.

As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, Nelson is also working to make sure troops and their families receive timely information on deployments. Concrete schedules are critical for personnel, especially those in the National Guard and Reserve who must leave their everyday lives – and jobs – to serve.

Senator Nelson believes that our obligation to our troops does not end when they leave the battlefield.  He will continue to work to ensure that returning soldiers have access to all the support and care they need, along with experiencing a seamless transition as they move from active duty into Veterans Administration health services.

Working for Military Families

  1. Senator Nelson led the successful effort to expand leave and health care benefits for military families seeking to adopt children. His legislation, the Military Adoption Act of 2005, which entitles a member of the armed forces who has adopted a child to qualify for 21 days of leave, was passed into law as part of the Defense Authorization Act of 2006.
  2. Senator Nelson introduced legislation, Deployed Service Members Financial Security and Education Act, to improve benefits for military families by increasing the military pay schedule by up to $1000 per month during long-term deployments of active duty and military personnel. This proposal was signed into law as part of the Defense Authorization Act of 2005.
  3. Senator Nelson introduced legislation to establish a new 401(k)-type plan where members of Reserve components can invest pre-tax dollars which can be withdrawn to supplement military income when a member is mobilized or completes his or her military career.
  4. Senator Nelson supported the successful effort to permanently increase the pay rates for the Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) and Family Separation Allowance (FSA) for deployed active duty and reserve military personnel from $150 to $225 per month and the FSA from $100 to $250 per month.
  5. Senator Nelson co-sponsored legislation to expand access to health care by making all Guard and Reserve families eligible for health coverage through TRICARE, the military health system, regardless of their mobilization status.
  6. Senator Nelson has been a consistent supporter of pay raises for military personnel. 
  7. Senator Nelson voted for legislation which prohibited any increase in TRICARE enrollment premiums under TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Reserve Select for 2007.  Additionally, this same legislation prohibits any increase in co-payments for pharmaceuticals dispensed through the TRICARE retail pharmacy program during 2007.
  8. Senator Nelson has written Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on behalf of Nebraska’s military families expressing concern for the extended deployments of their loved ones.

In the Defense Authorization Act for FY2008, which was signed into law by the President in January 2008, the Senate supported our military men and women and their families by authorizing a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise for all uniformed service personnel; increasing leave under the Family Medical Leave Act for caregivers of seriously injured service members from 12 to 26 weeks. In addition, the Senate required the Secretary of Defense to establish a Family Readiness Council and develop a comprehensive policy and plans to improve the support for and coordination of family readiness programs.

Updated: 2.4.08