Do members of the military get paid?
The President signed H.R. 3210, the Pay Our Military Act, which ensures that our military personnel on active duty, including reserve component personnel on Federal active duty continue to be paid through a potential shutdown.
Do military operations overseas be affected?
According to the House Committee on Armed Services, in developing the Department’s shutdown plan, the Secretary of Defense would ensure mission accomplishment of critical activities that are needed to prosecute the war in Afghanistan, including preparation of forces for deployment, and to ensure safety of human life and protection of property including operations for the security of our nation. These activities would be considered “exempt” from shutdown. The Service Secretaries and heads of DoD Components, under the DOD guidance, would also have flexibility to determine what activities should be exempt. How would services and benefits for military families be impacted? According to the House Committee on Armed Services, though the shutdown would have a direct impact on families, according to guidance issued by the Department of Defense, among the exempt activities that would continue are: • Inpatient care in DOD hospitals and acute and emergency outpatient care in DOD hospitals and treatment facilities, but not things like elective surgeries or other procedures.
• Department of Defense schools, “to the extent required by law.”
• Legal assistance for deploying and deployed service members.
• Morale, Welfare and Recreation activities supporting exempt activities. For example, operation of mess halls, physical training, and child care activities required for readiness; and any activity funded solely through non-appropriated funds.
Are resources be available to troops? (ammunition, vests, equipment, etc.)
According to the House Committee on Armed Services, the Department’s guidance does not identify every exempt activity, but makes it clear it would be applied in the context of a Department at war, with decisions guaranteeing robust support for those engaged in war, and with assurance that the lives and property of our nation’s citizens would be protected.
What happens to military installations? Are they or would they be closed?
According to the House Committee on Armed Services, the Department of Defense and each of the Service Secretaries would have latitude in determining which operations and activities are exempt from the shutdown. According to DOD guidance, military operations and activities determined necessary for national security, including administrative, logistical, medical, and other activities in direct support of such operations and activities would be exempt.
Do defense contract operations continue?
According to the House Committee on Armed Services, DOD guidance is that contractors performing under a contract that was fully obligated prior to the expiration of appropriations may continue to provide contract services, whether in support of exempt activities or not. However, new contracts may not be executed unless the contractor is supporting an exempt activity.
