The proposed military pay raise for fiscal 2021 in the Defense Department's budget request, released Monday, is 3%, the second-highest pay raise for troops since 2010. The 3% raise, following 2020's 3.1% bump, ensures that the troops will be "well compensated" and underlines DoD's recognition that military and civilian personnel "are our most valuable resource" in carrying out the 2018 National Defense Strategy to counter China and Russia, according to the Pentagon's budget overview. The total Pentagon budget request for fiscal 2021 totals $705.4 billion, part of a defense spending package with a $740 billion topline. Read more on Military.com.