Your Army

New in 2018: What you need to know

By Staff Reports

Dec 26, 2017

Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, engage during a combined arms live-fire exercise at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany. The Army plans to recruit 80,000 new soldiers in 2018 as it continues to grow the force. (Gertrud Zach/Army)

More soldiers. More deployments. More money. Drill sergeants in AIT and the biggest pay raise in seven years.

New body armor, guns and uniforms ― and maybe even the return of the World War II-era “pinks and greens” uniform.

Also on tap: big changes to Tricare, GI Bill benefits and your retirement options, and maybe ― finally ― a new PT test.

Soldiers can expect 2018 to bring many key, critical changes that will impact their lives at home and in uniform.

Here’s a preview of what’s in store for 2018:

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A year in the making, the Army is preparing to make a final decision on bringing back the service’s much beloved World War-II dress uniform.

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New in 2018: Army hopes to meet end strength goals with big recruitment push

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New in 2018: Big changes in the works for NCO promotions

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New in 2018: Could these two new fitness tests spell the end of the APFT?

In 2017, both Army Training and Doctrine Command and Army Forces Command unveiled new fitness tests that could change the way the Army does PT.

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New in 2018: Drill sergeants return to AIT, plus a makeover for basic training

The Center for Initial Military Training is several months into a complete review of how the Army makes new soldiers, and 2018 could see some big changes.

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New in 2018: Army rolling out new handgun across the force

The handgun that will replace the M9 sidearm that soldiers have carried for more than 30 years will be rolling out to units in 2018.

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New in 2018: Army to issue new body armor to soldiers

Soldiers will receive new body armor for the first time in a decade.

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New in 2018: Big Tricare changes are on the way

Is your doctor part of the new Tricare network?

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New in 2018: 1.6 million troops will choose between old and new retirement systems

Troops will have to decide to stay with the traditional military retirement system or move to the new Blended Retirement System.

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New in 2018: ‘Forever GI Bill’ changes take effect

Benefits will expand for post-9/11 Purple Heart recipients.

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New in 2018: US troops return to the front lines in Afghanistan

In what appears to be a bit of deja vu for America’s longest war, U.S. troops will once again be patrolling alongside their Afghan counterparts in far larger numbers and at a more tactical level than the previous years.

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New in 2018: 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade heads to Afghanistan

Less than a year since the Army unveiled the new concept of Security Force Assistance Brigades to train foreign conventional infantry, artillery and other troops, the first SFAB is preparing for an early 2018 deployment.

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New in 2018: The fight against ISIS evolves

The Islamic State group’s physical caliphate in Iraq and Syria has been destroyed, but the group is not defeated.

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New in 2018: Conflict hot spots to watch

As the Islamic State withers in Iraq and Syria, other, more obscure hot spots could emerge in 2018 that will require more U.S. assistance or, possibly, even the presence of more U.S. troops.

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New in 2018: Army looks to add a light tank to its formations

As future war planning shifts to confront near-peer threats, Army leaders are looking at their ground combat formations and seeing something missing — a light tank.

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New in 2018: Army pushes forward on multidomain battle, new way to fight

First unveiled in 2016, the Army continues to hone its concepts for multidomain battle.

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New in 2018: Soldiers to test Army’s new, improved hot weather uniforms

Soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division will be the first to get the improved hot weather uniforms.

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New in 2018: Soldiers to test improved jungle boots during Pacific Pathways

The Army will take soldier feedback and see if the boot needs to be tweaked further.

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New in 2018: Army to field new fires targeting system

The Joint Effects Targeting System or JETS is scheduled for fielding to forward observers in late 2018. The system increases accuracy and speed in day, night and inclement weather conditions.

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New in 2018: Services to focus on excess training, education requirements

Each service was directed to provide recommendations on how to streamline training requirements.

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New in 2018: For foreign recruits, the new year brings few answers

The Pentagon will keep vetting grandfathered recruits, but MAVNI still is frozen to new applicants.

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New in 2018: Trump’s promised military buildup set to begin in earnest

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New in 2018: Lawmakers gear up for military pay and benefits fights

The annual pay raise and ongoing military housing reform proposals will once again be a defense budget focus in 2018.

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New in 2018: National Guard unit to lead Pacific Pathways for first time

The Army is working out how to balance the Guardsmen's civilian jobs with the training.

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New in 2018: Army cyber expands training, gains EW soldiers

The Army’s growing cyber career field will gain the service’s electronic warfare soldiers in 2018.

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