Washington Report

Status Report: Chapter 61/Concurrent Receipt

As you know, President Obama submitted a budget at the beginning of the year calling for all Chapter 61 medical retired military members to receive Concurrent receipt. The House version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (HR 2647) includes a partial provision to phase-in Concurrent Receipt to Chapter 61 personnel, but it is only funded for nine months.



Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid offered an amendment on full Chapter 61 concurrent receipt to the Senate version of the NDAA consistent with President Obama’s budget request. The Reid amendment (S.AMDT. 1478) was never brought up during Senate deliberations.



This does not mean the measure is dead. The House and Senate will have to meet in conference to iron out differences between the two versions of the bill. Because it is in the House version of the bill and because the President is pushing for a more robust provision, it is likely for a better result in the House-Senate-Administration conference.



The NAUS effort is to see the preference of the President included as a priority in the final defense package. We encourage members to continue contact with elected officials while they are back home during the recess. Our goal remains, of course, to see full concurrent receipt provided to all disabled retired military.