President Obama signed the 2010 Defense Authorization Bill in an Oct. 28 White House ceremony, ensuring that service members will receive a 3.4-percent pay raise on Jan. 1. The measure signals the end to several programs considered too costly, including the F-22 fighter, the Army Future Combat System, and the replacement presidential helicopter. Resources are shifted instead to expanded family-leave benefits, funding for continuing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft, and the purchase of more combat vehicles built to resist improvised explosive device (IED) attacks.
