U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

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49–011 2015

114th Congress, 1st Session – – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 114–30 

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MILITARY COMPENSATION AND RETIREMENT MODERNIZATION COMMISSION 

MESSAGE 

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING

NOTIFICATION THAT THE ADMINISTRATION SUPPORTS SPECIFIC 

PROPOSALS FOR 10 OF THE COMMISSION’S 15 RECOMMENDATIONS, EITHER AS PROPOSED OR WITH MODIFICATIONS 

MAY 1, 2015.—Message and accompanying papers referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services and ordered to be printed 


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To the Congress of the United States: 

My Administration fully supports the underlying objectives of the 

recommendations that the Military Compensation and Retirement 

Modernization Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) offered in January. 

These recommendations represent an important step forward in 

protecting the long-term viability of the All-Volunteer Force, improving quality-of-life for service members and their families, and 

ensuring the fiscal sustainability of the military compensation and 

retirement systems. 

As I directed in my letter of March 30, my team has worked with 

the Commission to further analyze the recommendations and identify areas of agreement. At this time I am prepared to support specific proposals for 10 of the Commission’s 15 recommendations, either as proposed or with modifications that have been discussed 

among the Department of Defense, other agencies, and the Commission. These include the following: 

• Survivor Benefit Plan 

• Financial Education 

• Medical Personnel Readiness 

• Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs 

Collaboration 

• Child Care 

• Service Member Education 

• Transition Assistance 

• Nutritional Financial Assistance 

• Dependent Space-Available Travel 

• Report on Military Connected Dependents 

In some instances, the Department of Defense is already taking 

actions to implement these recommendations, and I will direct the 

Department to develop plans to complete this implementation. In 

those areas where legislation is required, I expect the Secretary of 

Defense to transmit to the Congress on my behalf the relevant legislative proposals, which I recommend be enacted without delay. 

With respect to the remaining recommendations, given their 

complexity and our solemn responsibility to ensure that any 

changes further the objectives above, we will continue working with 

the Commission to understand how the following proposals would 

affect the All-Volunteer Force: 

• Blended Retirement System 

• Reserve Component Duty Statuses 

• Exceptional Family Member’s Support 

• Commissary and Exchange Consolidation 

I believe there is merit in all of these recommendations and that 

they deserve careful consideration and study. I will ensure that the 

Congress is kept apprised of this ongoing work. 

Finally, I agree with the Commission that we need to continue 

to improve the military health care system. The health care reVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:03 May 02, 2015 Jkt 049011 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 E:\HR\OC\HD030.XXX HD030

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forms proposed in my Fiscal Year 2016 Budget are a good first step 

and offer service members, retirees, and their families more control 

and choice over their health care decisions. This remains a critical 

issue, and my Administration will work with the Commission and 

interested Members of Congress in the coming months to develop 

additional reform proposals for consideration as part of my Fiscal 

Year 2017 Budget. 

BARACK OBAMA. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, April 30, 2015. 

Æ 


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