Service members are heading into 2026 with a pay raise on the way.
President Donald Trump signed the annual defense authorization bill into law on December 18, confirming a 3.8% raise in military basic pay starting January 1, 2026.
The raise applies across all branches, including active duty, Guard and Reserve, and is intended to help troops keep pace with inflation and rising living costs.
The increase builds on a series of historically strong pay raises in recent years.
In 2025, service members saw a 4.5% base pay increase tied to inflation, marking the third consecutive year of raises above 4%. That followed an even larger 5.2% increase in 2024.
This past year also included a significant mid-year boost for junior enlisted troops.
In the spring of 2025, an additional 10% raise was approved for service members in the E-4 and below pay grades, giving many of the military's youngest members some of the largest back-to-back pay increases in decades.
