Military families struggle amid Schumer government shutdown uncertainty

It’s bad enough that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is playing politics with an unnecessary government shutdown. But his actions have real-world repercussions for American soldiers and their families, leaving many in limbo and desperate for answers.

Military families are struggling with the uncertainty brought on by this shutdown and are hoping relief will come soon. Many services on military bases were temporarily closed, impacting families who were in the process of moving across the country and world to serve their country.

Republicans have repeatedly proposed and voted in favor of a clean, continuing resolution to fund the government without any partisan policy bias. But their rivals won’t give up.

SOCIAL SECURITY, AIRPORTS, FOOD STAMPS: HOW ARE YOU AFFECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN?

The government shutdown began on October 1, and US troops are among those hardest hit. About 1.3 million active-duty service members, including active-duty National Guard and reserve personnel, initiated the shutdown and continued to work without pay, but President Donald Trump’s order to “use all available funds to PAY our Soldiers on October 15” ended that concern, with at least many soldiers receiving their paychecks with research money used for other purposes.

Although soldiers received redacted emergency paychecks on Oct. 15, general anxiety among soldiers during the shutdown is reflected in a 30% increase in demand nationwide this month for the Armed Forces YMCA, which operates nearly two dozen food banks near military installations in the United States. At some food banks, demand is so high that they are forced to close early because they run out of food. In some places, queues began to form more than six hours before food banks opened.

Additionally, despite Trump’s order ensuring that 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 are much more dependent on on-base services than military families stationed in the United States. Many of these military installations overseas were forced to temporarily shut down services due to Schumer’s shutdown.

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For example, Ramstein Air Base in Germany temporarily closed its library, aquatics center, UNITE program for morale and recreation, the Military and Family Readiness Center Spouse Center, and civilian personnel office. Other US military bases abroad with some services temporarily closed include RAF Lakenheath, US Army Garrison Benelux, US Army Garrison Ansbach, US Army Garrison Bavaria, US Army Garrison Wiesbaden and Naval Air Station Sigonella.

MORNING GLORY: SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN MUST END

Anyone familiar with the military lifestyle knows that frequent moves between bases around the world are a recurring fact of life. Many service members and their families are currently struggling with Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, as a U.S. Air Force official explained that airmen who received PCS orders before October 1 were allowed to continue relocating, but airmen who received orders after the shutdown began were put on hold to move.

The military faces a similar problem. Even PCS shipments, which were ongoing even though some orders arrived before October 1, were stopped. This is extremely concerning because the shutdown began immediately after the majority of PCS orders were shipped; This means that many families are waiting to move to new homes across the country and around the world, staying in base hotels and spending weeks or even months without the comforts of home.

Those who need to make PCS moves during the shutdown are facing financial difficulties amid uncertainty. One organization estimates that military families spend an average of $8,000 on moving expenses, beyond what the government covers; This is a huge financial burden for families who are unsure when they will receive their paychecks. Moving costs are an especially big concern for young military families, who often have little savings.

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While military families and personnel are encouraged to spend less money, they wonder when their next paycheck will arrive and how they can best prepare their families for continued negative news.

Among the worst consequences of Schumer’s shutdown are those affecting military personnel and facilities. Our soldiers and their families deserve better than this.