US Military to receive 3.4 percent pay hike

Washington - President Barack Obama signed the fiscal 2010 National Defense Authorization Act during a ceremony at the White House Oct. 28. The authorization act provides for a 3.4 percent pay raise for military members, improves care for wounded warriors and expands family leave rights. President Obama hailed the act, which contains $680.2 billion in military budget authority, as transformational legislation that targets wasteful defense spending. The president was accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, congressional leaders and other senior officials, including Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "There's still more waste we need to cut; there's still more fights that we need to win," President Obama said, noting he and Secretary Gates will continue to seek out unnecessary defense spending. President Obama said he has ended unnecessary no-bid defense contracts and signed bipartisan legislation to reform defense procurement practices so weapons systems' costs do not spin out of control. "Even as we have made critical investments in equipment and weapons our troops do need, we're eliminating tens of billions of dollars in waste we don't need," President Obama said. The legislation, the president said, saves billions by capping production of the Air Force's costly F-22 Raptor and terminating troubled, over-budget programs such as the Army's Future Combat System and a new presidential helicopter. "As commander in chief, I will always do whatever it takes to keep the American people safe to defend this nation," President Obama said. "That's why this bill provides for the best military in the history of the world."