Some of our stress

Government Shutdown?

What Would a Government Shutdown Mean for You?

By Heidi G. Evans


You’ve probably heard: If Congress can’t approve a budget by the end of Friday, the government could shut down. Potentially disturbing news – we're all starting to follow this more closely than Lindsay Lohan’s legal troubles or Charlie Sheen’s Twitter feed.


If it happens, your military spouse will still go to work, wherever “work” is – under the sea, in the Afghan mountains, in a Pentagon office or anywhere else. And you'll keep carrying your military identification. The guard shack will still be there.



Will we get paid?

The biggest question for many of us is: Will we get paid on time?



So far, the answer isn't totally clear.



Here’s the good news: We've confirmed that there WILL be a paycheck on April 15 that will cover at least April 1 through April 8, according to Steve Burghardt, public relations for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, or DFAS. Congress did appropriate funds to pay service members though April 8. This means you will at least receive a pay deposit for a bit more than one-half the normal amount.



But with Congress still in limbo, DFAS has received “no guidance” from the Department of Defense for pay beyond April 8. That may be because they anticipate it won’t be a problem. In past government shutdowns, notably in 1995, measures were taken to ensure service members were paid.



Beyond that, there is no official announcement about military pay.



“We have not been able yet to arrive at a conclusive determination about how everyone’s pay would be impacted by this,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell in a statement released Tuesday. “We are still working through that. So I don’t have a definitive answer for you to relay to our forces in Iraq or Afghanistan. Unfortunately, that’s still an issue that's being worked.”



There may be some leeway on this. Example: a Saturday shutdown may not affect military pay because there could be time to recover and distribute pay. We are placing calls with the Department of Defense to determine the drop-dead date for military pay and will post that information when we receive it.



Help from politicians?

Sen. Kay Hutchinson (R-Texas) and five co-sponsors have put forth a bill (S.724) to “appropriate such funds as may be necessary to ensure that members of the Armed Forces, including reserve components thereof, and supporting civilian and contractor personnel continue to receive pay and allowances for active service performed when a funding gap caused by the failure to enact interim or full-year appropriations for the Armed Forces occurs, which results in the furlough of non-emergency personnel and the curtailment of Government activities and services.”



As of now, the bill is in committee. It’s likely, given the time pressure, that it could move quickly toward a vote. More details here: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s112-724



In addition, several congressional reps have backed the Ensuring Pay for Our Military Act, which would prevent any interruption in pay, allowances or benefits for service members, including the Coast Guard. This measure was sent to committee – actually two committees – where it languishes as of 1 p.m. Wednesday. Eighty members of Congress are currently backing the act according to the office of Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga).



If you’d like to see the status of this act, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ or the nonprofit http://www.govtrack.us/congress/legislation.xpd and enter the bill code: HR1297.



In the meantime, legislators are encouraging military members, even those deployed, to email and contact their representatives in Congress and express their support for this measure. Find the contact information here: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml .



Our best hope may be a budget agreement. Talks between Congressional leaders and the president fizzled Tuesday, but continue monitoring the media for the latest news. We will let you know when an agreement is reached.



Other closures that could affect military families

A shutdown would likely do more than just interrupt paychecks: You might want to get your commissary and exchange shopping done before Friday. Both of these stores may close during a government shutdown. It’s time to stock up on milk, meat and produce, especially if you live in Hawaii or other expensive areas.



Other things that could stop:

Accepting applications for assistance with the VA.

Passport applications.

Processing of income tax refunds.

Operation of national parks, museums and monuments.



No word yet on daycare centers or DOD schools. So the best rule of thumb is this: In a government shutdown, always call to check whether a federally-funded facility is open before traveling there. For example, call ahead to the gym, MWR, installation library, installation activity center, family support center or a military recreation area like a beach. Also call ahead regarding housing offices for military-owned housing (including repairs) and any club-type facilities. Expect limited services if these facilities are open at all.