Free Republic

President Donald Trump's promised one-time $1,776 payment for U.S. service members dubbed a “Warrior Dividend” is being framed as both a financial boost and a symbolic gesture tied to the nation’s founding. The announcement made Wednesday evening during a nationally televised address immediately sparked questions across the force—not just about the money itself but about who actually qualifies, when it would show up on paychecks, whether it would be taxed, and whether it would affect existing pay and benefits. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a video posted Thursday morning on X, said the payments will be tax-free and issued to...