Active duty troops may go without pay if the government shutdown drags on, but cuts in basic government support for veterans and military families will hit harder.
Up to three quarters of a million federal workers could be furloughed if the current impasse over funding the federal government continues. And unlike the last two government shutdowns, in 2018/2019 and 2013, active duty military personnel will also miss paychecks starting October 15th if Congress doesn’t act, but they will be required to serve nonetheless. In addition, many military families depend on other government services to make ends meet, like federal nutrition assistance. There is a bill being considered that would guarantee military pay even during the shutdown, but as of this writing its fate was uncertain.
The government shutdown means short-term hardships for military families and a wide swath of other federal employees, but active duty military personnel and veterans of recent wars will be hit even harder, and for a longer time period, under the provisions of the so-called “big beautiful bill” that passed earlier this year. Only a tiny share of the increased Pentagon spending contained in the bill – about 5% – will go to help military families. And cuts elsewhere in the budget will mean a net loss for many of these families, as pillars of the social safety net like nutrition aid are slashed.
The situation for veterans is even worse. Cuts in food assistance and health care will hit them harder, because they are more dependent on these programs.
