It’s bad enough that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is playing politics with his needless government shutdown. But his actions are having real-world repercussions for American troops and their families, leaving many in limbo and desperate for answers.
Military families are struggling with the uncertainty that this shutdown has brought and hoping that relief comes soon. Many services are temporarily closed on military bases, with the shutdown affecting families that had been in the process of moving across the country and the globe in the service of their country.
Republicans have repeatedly offered and voted in favor of a clean continuing resolution to fund the government with no partisan policy riders. But their opponents won’t budge.
SOCIAL SECURITY, AIRPORTS, FOOD STAMPS: HOW ARE YOU AFFECTED DURING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN?
The government shutdown began Oct. 1, with U.S. troops among the most affected. Approximately 1.3 million active-duty troops, including active-duty National Guard and reserve personnel, began the shutdown continuing to work with no pay, but President Donald Trump’s order "to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15" ended this concern, at least, with many troops receiving their paychecks with repurposed research money.
Despite troops receiving these emergency repurposed paychecks on Oct. 15, the general anxiety among service members during the shutdown is reflected by a 30% increase in demand this month throughout the country at the Armed Services YMCA, which runs nearly two dozen food banks near military installations across the United States. At some food banks, demand is so high that they must close early because they run out of food. At others, lines have begun forming more than six hours before the food banks open for the day.
Additionally, despite Trump’s order that ensures troops are paid in the meantime, the U.S. military is still under heavy stress, especially at military bases abroad, where service members and their families depend far more on-base services than military families stationed in the United States do. Many of these military facilities abroad have had to temporarily close services because of Schumer’s shutdown.
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Ramstein Air Base in Germany, for example, has temporarily closed its library, aquatics center, UNITE program for morale and recreation, Military and Family Readiness Center Spouse Hub, and civilian personnel office. Other U.S. military bases abroad with some services temporarily closed include RAF Lakenheath, U.S. Army Garrison Benelux, U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden and Naval Air Station Sigonella.
MORNING GLORY: SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER MUST END HIS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Anyone familiar with the military lifestyle knows that frequent moves between bases located all over the globe are a recurring fact of life. Many troops and their families are currently struggling with Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, as a U.S. Air Force official revealed that airmen who received PCS orders before Oct. 1 are allowed to continue relocating, but those who received orders after the shutdown started are on hold to move.
The Army is facing a similar issue. Even in-progress PCS moves have been halted despite some orders arriving before Oct. 1. This is exceptionally concerning because the shutdown began just after the majority of PCS orders were sent out, meaning many families are waiting to move into their new homes across the country and the world, staying at on-base hotels and spending weeks or even months without the comforts of home.
Those required to make PCS moves during the shutdown are facing financial hardships because of the uncertain environment. One organization estimates that on average, military families spend $8,000 outside of what the government covers in moving expenses — a very large financial burden for families unsure when they will receive their paychecks. Moving expenses are an especially large concern for younger military families who often have very little in savings.
While military families and personnel are urged to spend less money, they are left to wonder when their next paycheck will come, and how best to prepare their families for continuing negative news.
Among all the negative consequences of the Schumer shutdown, some of the worst are those affecting military personnel and installations. Our service members and their families deserve better than this.
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