Phoenix, Arizona Jan 1, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - Combat-injured veterans in Arizona are losing more than $1.4 million in earned military retirement pay every month because Congress has not addressed a long-standing federal retirement offset affecting medically retired service members.
Advocates say progress on the Major Richard Star Act has stalled in the U.S. Senate following an objection during floor consideration, leaving thousands of Arizona families to absorb the financial consequences.
Media Coverage Highlights Senate Objection
The stalled legislation has drawn national attention. A recent WTVA9 News report detailed the objection by Senator Roger Wicker, which blocked the bill’s passage. The coverage also highlighted a billboard campaign by PassTheAct.org aimed at raising awareness about the delay in allowing a vote.
Veteran Voices: The Human Impact
Senior Chief Shane Junkert, USN (Ret.), a decorated combat veteran with six deployments and 18.5 years of service, shared his concerns:
“Arizona is the only state represented by two combat veterans—a Marine infantryman and a Navy combat pilot. Senator Gallego’s unit, Lima 3/25, took heavy casualties in Iraq. Senator Kelly flew 39 combat missions in Desert Storm. They know the cost of war better than anyone, yet 1,174 of their own brothers and sisters are still paying for it every month.”
The Scope of the Loss in Arizona
According to veteran advocacy groups, 1,174 combat-injured, medically retired veterans in Arizona are affected by the offset the Major Star Act is designed to eliminate. With an average loss of $1,200 per household per month, these veterans are losing an estimated $1,408,800 monthly—or over $16.9 million annually.
On a weekly basis, that amounts to roughly $300 per household, money typically used for groceries, fuel, prescriptions, utilities, rent, or school expenses.
“It is a bitter irony that a state represented by two warfighters is allowing Washington to confiscate $16.9 million a year from wounded veterans,” Junkert said. “A Marine and a Sailor should be the loudest voices in the Senate right now. Instead, they are letting a politician from Mississippi hold their constituents’ retirement hostage.”
Arizona’s Role in National Defense
Arizona is a critical hub for military readiness, home to Luke Air Force Base, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and Fort Huachuca. The state’s desert training ranges have prepared generations of service members for deployment to the Middle East.
Many veterans affected by the offset trained, deployed, or served through these Arizona installations before returning home with combat injuries that ended their military careers.
“These veterans walked the same ground and flew the same skies as their Senators,” Junkert said. “Senator Gallego knows what a Chapter 61 retirement looks like. Senator Kelly knows the risks of the mission. It is time for them to show the same courage in the Senate chamber that they showed in uniform.”
Understanding the Offset
The Major Star Act applies to veterans medically retired under Chapter 61 due to combat injuries who did not reach 20 years of service. While legally considered military retirees, many see their Department of Defense retirement pay reduced to zero due to current law.
Under the existing system, these veterans must waive retired pay dollar-for-dollar when they receive VA disability compensation. The VA payment replaces—rather than supplements—the retirement pay they earned.
“If a construction worker falls off a roof and breaks their back, they don’t lose their pension just because they collect disability. Retired pay is for the work they did. Disability pay is for the permanent damage to their health. Merging the two is an accounting trick that hurts real people,” Junkert said.
The Major Star Act does not create a new benefit or expand VA eligibility. It simply allows combat-injured medical retirees to receive both forms of compensation, aligning their treatment with that of many other military retirees.
Senate Action and Next Steps
In December 2025, Senator Richard Blumenthal filed S.Amdt. 4056, proposing to attach the Major Star Act to a must-pass defense funding bill. Supporters say the amendment would force a recorded vote, advancing the legislation toward resolution.
“S.Amdt. 4056 is where every senator—including Senators Gallego and Kelly—must decide where they stand,” Junkert said. “Supporting it restores $1.4 million a month to Arizona families. Silence just keeps sending the bill to the veterans.”
A Question for Arizona’s Senators
“If you represent Arizona, you know there are 1,174 combat-injured retirees living with this offset,” Junkert said. “Why is the delegation allowing a single objection from Mississippi to strip $16.9 million a year from the Arizona economy? It is time to go on the record.”
About 54KVeterans.org
54KVeterans.org is a grassroots coalition of combat-injured veterans dedicated to passing the Major Richard Star Act. Led by Senior Chief Shane Junkert, USN (Ret.), the coalition advocates on behalf of approximately 54,000 veterans nationwide affected by the Chapter 61 retirement offset.
Media Contact
54k Veterans Shane@54Kveterans.org 817-771-3577 Barrigada, 489 Army Drive box 24130 http://54KVeterans.org
