Propose key benefit for deployed service members: House GOP veteran calls for respect.
All non-permanently deployed service members abroad would be eligible for tax exemption.
A bill has been introduced by an Army veteran and a House Foreign Affairs member to remove taxes for U.S. service members stationed abroad.
Rep. Warren Davidson's bill, the BRAVE Act, proposes to amend the IRS code to extend the tax exemption to all non-permanently deployed service members operating abroad, in addition to those currently exempt from paying taxes on their salary in designated combat zones.
Davidson stated that when soldiers are deployed for combat, they do not pay taxes. However, when they are sent abroad to promote peace and prevent war, they do pay taxes. The Brave Act clarifies this by rewarding both types of deployments, and showing respect for our soldiers.
The determination of combat zones where service members' pay is tax-exempt is made on an ad hoc basis through executive orders. Currently, about a dozen countries and regions meet this criteria, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Somalia, and the Sinai.
U.S. service members are deployed to about 175 countries, including places like Chad and the Indo-Pacific, and they pay full taxes.
Davidson stated that the "Brave Act" guarantees that service members in foreign deployments receive the complete tax relief they are entitled to, preserving fairness for all military personnel.
For years, recruitment numbers for U.S. forces have been a challenge because of worries that military pay does not keep up with inflation or the private sector.
The National Defense Authorization Act, which was passed by the House, includes a 4.5% increase in pay for all service members and a 15% raise for junior enlisted troops. The bill must now be discussed with the Senate before it can be finalized.
In 2023, the Army, Navy, and Air Force fell 41,000 enlistees short of their recruiting goal, while the Marines and Space Force achieved their targets.
Since before World War II, the Army has had the smallest number of active-duty soldiers, which is 452,000, according to a report.
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