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Military Pay during the Government Shutdown

Rep. C.W. “Bill” Young, R-Fla., chairman of the House defense appropriations subcommittee, warns that the troops’
morale and readiness will suffer even though the Defense Department does not shut down when its funding stops.

“All military personnel will continue to serve and accrue pay, but will not actually be paid until appropriations are
available,” Young said. The October mid-month payday would be the first in jeopardy.

Additionally, he said most travel and permanent change of station moves “would be delayed or canceled” and benefits
for line-of-duty deaths also would be suspended.

Military hospitals and clinics will remain open but would scale back on operations, “impacting routine medical and dental
procedures,” Young said. He did not specifically mention any impact on Tricare health insurance benefits, but in past
government shutdowns, payments to medical providers were delayed but treatment was still available.

Maintenance for facilities and weapons would stop, Young said, and most defense and service civilian employees would
be “furloughed until appropriations are available.”

“Readiness and morale of our armed forces will suffer,” he said. “The impact of a shutdown on the department and the
military and civilian families — many of whom live paycheck to paycheck — is simply catastrophic.”

It sucks that all of these politicians ask so much of the Men and Women in uniform but then turn around and put the pay
and benefits in their political crossfire. There is a good chance that there will be a last minute deal to keep the funds
going but better safe. See also Memorandum for potential government shutdown