TRUMP'S OPPOSITION TO FEDERAL BUDGET COULD CAUSE A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HURTING TROOPS & MILITARY FAMILIES
An all too familiar prospect is once again involving the military community. A looming government shutdown could be around the corner and as a result, military families would be affected. Sadly, when the government doesn’t extend its federal budget, politics get in the way, and our service members suffer. Now, there’s a possible government shutdown that could occur in December 2024 that could affect compensation, healthcare, childcare, base services, and more for military families and those working in defense in 2025.
How the December 2024 Government Shutdown Could Affect Troops
If there is no legislation passed by midnight on December 20, 2024, Christmas, the New Year, and 2025 are going to be a lot less jolly.
What would start as a partial shutdown the weekend no extension is passed, paychecks would be delayed and recreational activities on base would shutter as families look to put together family gatherings and grab last-minute gifts.
Congress has to extend the federal budget into spring 2025 and while it looked like both the House and Senate were ready to keep the government operating on December 18, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump didn’t agree with the plan and it was shuttered.
Now, lawmakers have less than two days, no voting scheduled during this period, and federal offices are shifting to preparing employees for a possible shutdown. Here’s how military families could be most impacted should a shutdown occur:
Delayed Paychecks
Duty calls but that doesn’t mean you’re getting paid for it. Active duty military would still be reporting for duty if there is a shutdown; however, there will be no paychecks issued until the budget is extended.
In the immediate, this wouldn’t be a huge impact for most, there would be noticeable effects beginning the first week of January when the next round of paychecks would be delayed.
An unfortunate prospect made even worse, considering the NDAA will likely be signed by President Joe Biden and provide a 4.5% pay raise.
Specialty pay and stipends would also be delayed and should it sadly apply, there have been delays to death gratuities for qualifying families in the past.
Disrupted Resources and Services Around Base
Several services on base could be disrupted due to the potential government shutdown beginning in December 2024.
If you need healthcare services or dental care, you’ll still have access to resources; however, elective procedures aren’t available during a shutdown. You’ll either need to postpone these procedures or cancel them.
Furthermore, if you receive healthcare in the private sector using TRICARE, you’re also still covered.
Keep in mind that wounded warriors in need of specialty medical care can still receive treatment but there could be fewer hours of operation if staffing is an issue.
Whether or not child care and morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) facilities are available is a bit more complex:
In the past, child care facilities shutting down has been more of a base-by-base situation. If there is a government shutdown, families won’t know for sure if their options on base are available until December 23, 2024.
MWR facilities and base exchanges are typically not affected because they receive taxpayer money to keep operating as well as sales revenue. However, some exceptions may apply.
As for commissaries, families can expect them to remain open due to cash reserves; however, should the shutdown last several months, these reserves could be exhausted and cause them to close.
Furthermore, if you are stationed overseas and don’t have a lot of resources for food, historically speaking, you can expect your commissary to remain open regardless.
The VA
Some good news for the military community involves the VA, which is funded in advance and shouldn’t be disrupted if the government shutdown in December goes through.
It should be noted that hours and appointment availability might have some tweaking during a shutdown, but VA hospitals will still be open for healthcare.
There are department information hotlines that might shut down and some staff working at the VA central office staff could be displaced until the federal budget is passed.
Housing
If you reside on base, you can rest assured that your services will remain intact. This is because housing and food services are listed as exceptions under the DoD's recent shutdown guidelines, released in late 2023.
Education & Schools
Schools that are under the operation of the DoDEA are classified as essential, and will remain open for the duration of the regular school year if a government shutdown was to occur. If your child attends an on-base day care, you may want to check with the on-base Child Development Center to check for closures.
Government Shutdown in December 2024 Could Also Affect Civilian Workers
Finally, active duty military members may feel the effects of the potential government shutdown, but so too could civilian defense workers.
Not everyone who works in the defense industry will be required to come in, unlike active-duty troops, but around half of the 700,000+ personnel will be deemed “essential,” working without receiving a paycheck until the shutdown is fixed.
Key programs may stop during this time and back pay isn’t guaranteed, a similar situation for active duty troops, though historically, Congress has provided these funds after the budget has passed.
However, contractors and subcontractors would simply lose paychecks until the government shutdown in December is resolved.
Key Considerations to Keep in Mind in the Event of a Government Shutdown
Active-duty military personnel are considered essential. Thus, they will continue to report to duty.
Some military services and benefits deemed not essential may be suspended or provided in a limited capacity during the shutdown.
Essential services, such as medical care and emergency response will continue to operate as normal. Be sure to check back for more updates as the situation continues to evolve.
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