Commission Recommends Changes to Military Benefits

WASHINGTON—A special commission looking at Pentagon spending called Thursday for scrapping the centerpiece of the military health-care system and trimming guaranteed retirement benefits for career officers, as part of a broad plan that could save the Defense Department billions of dollars.

After 18 months of research, the independent commission concluded that the Pentagon’s pay and benefit system “is fundamentally sound and does not require sweeping overhaul.” But the 280-page report lays out a series of politically charged changes that are certain to face strong resistance in Washington.

The release of the report marks the start of a new effort to tackle one of the most intractable Pentagon issues: How to rein in rapidly growing spending on health care, salaries and other benefits for the nation’s military, veterans and their families.

Read the full article at The Wall Street Journal.