Senator Reverend Warnock secured several key provisions to support Georgia’s servicemembers and military communities in the annual defense authorization bill, which passed the Senate on a bipartisan basis today 85-14

Georgia is a proud military state, home to roughly 70,000 active duty servicemembers and 27,000 reservists

Senator Reverend Warnock supported provisions in the bill to provide a pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers, $8 million for new barracks at Ft. Stewart, $78 million for a new Army Reserve Center at Dobbins AFB, new investments to strengthen security at the southern border, and more

Since arriving to the U.S. Senate, Senator Reverend Warnock has worked tirelessly to increase federal support for Georgia’s servicemembers, military installations, and military families

Senator Reverend Warnock: “Our servicemembers are the best among us, and it’s our duty as a nation to take care of them while they’re serving and beyond”

Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) secured multiple wins for Georgia servicemembers and the state’s military communities after joining his Senate colleagues to help pass the National Defense Authorization Act of 2025 (NDAA)—the main legislative vehicle authorizing the nation’s defense programs and policies. The bipartisan legislation passed 85-14 and is headed to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

“I’m glad we were finally able to come together to finish our bipartisan work on the annual legislation that authorizes our critical national security programs, and I’m especially pleased this year’s bill does so much to help improve the lives and livelihoods of our servicemembers and military families in Georgia—from giving a 4.5% pay increase to all of our servicemembers as well as a much-deserved 14.5% pay bump to our junior enlisted heroes, to strengthening access to affordable housing in Georgia’s military communities,” said Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock. “There is nothing more important than keeping Americans and our country safe.”

Each year, NDAA authorizes funding levels and provides authorities for the U.S. military and other critical defense priorities, ensuring America’s forces have the training, equipment, and resources they need to defend our freedoms. Senator Warnock supported efforts to ensure the legislation includes a 4.5% pay raise for servicemembers, building on a 5.2% pay raise passed in the last NDAA, as well as a critical 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers to strengthen military recruitment and retention.

Thanks to Senator Warnock’s advocacy, the legislation also allocates funding for military housing improvements, including $8 million to design new barracks at Georgia’s Fort Stewart. It also authorizes $78 billion in new federal funding to construct a new Army Reserve Center at Dobbins Air Force Base in Marietta.

The 2025 NDAA also authorizes an additional $25 million to bolster efforts countering transnational criminal organizations along the southwest border and support better interagency cooperation among DOD personnel and other federal, state, and local authorities deployed to America’s southern border.

Additionally, Senator Warnock’s bipartisan Improving Military Recruitment at Senior Military Colleges Act and Counter Drone Procurement provision were included in the legislation. The Improving Military Recruitment at Senior Military Colleges Act establishes a system to allow applicants to the Nation’s Military Service Academies to elect to have their information shared with senior military colleges. And the Counter Drone Procurement provision authorizes $84 million for additional counter-drone ammunition following the drone attack in Jordan that killed three Georgia-based U.S. Army Reservists earlier this year.

“I was determined to secure these wins for our state, and as the proud son of a veteran I’ll always be a champion for Georgia’s brave men and women in uniform,” continued Senator Warnock.

A champion for Georgia’s veterans, military families, servicemembers, and the son of a veteran, Senator Warnock has been active in the Senate working to strengthen federal support for Georgia’s military communities. Last year, Senator Warnock helped to pass the PACT Act, the largest expansion of veterans’ health benefits in decades.

See key highlights of Georgia priorities Senator Warnock secured in the annual defense bill below:

Boosting Servicemember Pay:

• The legislation will provide an across-the-board 4.5% pay raise to servicemembers, building on last year’s 5.2% raise.

• The bill provides a 14.5% raise to junior troops, who will now earn about $3,000 to $6,000 more per year, depending on rank.

Strengthening Georgia’s Military Installations & Base Communities:

• Authorizes $78 million to create a new Army Reserve Center at Dobbins Air Force Reserve Base, which will provide a place to train and stage equipment for 800 Army Reservists and Georgia National Guardsmen from multiple units.

• Includes a provision championed by Senator Warnock that requires the Air Force to maintain 153 A-10 aircraft in its inventory.
  • This provision protects Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta from further A-10 divestments this year as the base prepares to receive a future F-35 mission that the Air Force recently announced. 

• The bill authorizes an increase of $115 million for the expansion of the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay Trident Refit Facility, which provides industrial and logistics support for the overhaul, modernization, and repair of submarines and supports a workforce of 1,700 Servicemembers and civilians.

• The bill authorizes an increase of $64 million for the Robins Air Force Base Battle Management Combined Operations Complex, which will house new missions, including E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node squadron operations, Battle Management Control Squadron operations, and a Group Headquarters for a Spectrum Warfare Group, and enhance the Air Force’s capabilities.

• The bill authorizes $47 million for the construction of a new consolidated parachute training and maintenance facility to support better training and storage areas for Special Operations Forces, including the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment and 1st Battalion, and 75th Ranger Regiment Special Operations Forces, at Hunter Army Airfield.

• The bill authorizes $17.3 million for the construction of a Military Working Dog Kennel with kennel support spaces, veterinary treatment area, and administrative support space for the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Hunter Army Airfield.

Improving Military Housing:

• Authorizes $8 million to design a new barracks at Fort Stewart.

Strengthen Servicemembers’ Access to Health Care

• Improves DOD’s efforts related to traumatic brain injury, including boosting investments for treating, caring, and researching injuries related to blast overpressure or blast exposure
  • This includes directing a report on DOD’s efforts to diagnose, treat, and measure traumatic brain injury (TBI) throughout members’ service from the time of entry until the transition to veteran status.

• Authorizes TRICARE health providers to provide tele-mental health care services to members of the Armed Forces and their dependents regardless of the location of the provider or the patient, as well as directs a briefing on establishing pregnancy as a qualifying life event for the purposes of TRICARE enrollment.

Read a full summary of the 2025 NDAA HERE.

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