And what whiskey pairs best with this madness? Asking for me.
So here is the thing, I had a lovely monthly bloat blog all typed up about my first ever MilSpouseFest experience, but then the government decided to go all budget blind on us and here we are looking at another shutdown. So, I have poured myself an appropriate size glass of whiskey for such an occasion and went exploring on the internet to find information and resources for you.
It is wildly cliche to say, but the best plan is to have a plan.... taking stock of your fridge... have enough shutdown wine... locate your base and support group Facebook pages....
WHAT IS A SHUTDOWN?
What is a shutdown? Besides the obvious definition of "annoying and life disrupting." To put this into real plain English; it is when Congress has failed to enact the 12 annual appropriation bills. These bills are needed to fund federal agencies because without an appropriation (or approval), federal agencies are not allowed to spend or obligate money. And without approval to spend or obligate said money, federal agencies will cease all non-essential functions until Congress gets it's act together. I mean, agrees and approves of these approrpation bills.
HOW DOES THIS IMPACT MILITARY FAMILIES?
It would be nice to say that it doesn't, but unfortunately, that is just not true. And for some, it may feel like there is not a part of thier lives that won't be affected. So, in an attempt to make sense of it all, I have broken it down as simply as I can to give this to you as straight as I can... as whiskey and information was intended.
PAYCHECKS
"Although active-duty troops (and Guard and reservists on active-duty orders) are expected to show up for work during a shutdown, they do not get paid unless Congress passes a separate piece of legislation to do so. As of Sept. 22, 2023, Congress had no clear path to passing a defense budget, threatening troop paychecks." says Military.com
PAYCHECK SUPPORT:
Several banking institutions, such as USAA, Navy Federal Credit Union, and Marine Federal Credit Union, have been known to advance military pay to their customers during government shutdowns. Contact your bank to inquire about their policies for situations like these.
USAA offers a one-time, no-interest loan equal to the amount of your net pay. For details about this program visit USAA's Shutdown Program page. (https://www.usaa.com/inet/wc/ent-gov-shutdown-assistance-landing-mktv)
PCS/TDY
This isn't the first time around that we've worried about a shutdown. In 2019, military families on PCS orders or troops preparing for a TDY had travel put on hold. In 2021, it was warned that it may happen again, but it was ultimately avoided. So, prepare for potentially the same delay or hold in 2023.
MEDICAL CARE
ON BASE: Unless it is an emergency or inpatient hospital services, your appointment may be canceled. Give your clinic a call or follow your local medical group's Facebook page for more, current information.
OFF BASE: No effect as Tricare will continue to operate without interruption. Even though, Tricare is going to Tricare and it may seem like otherwise.
The Defense Health Agency (DHA) has authorized its Tricare contractors to continue delivering health care to its 9.4 million beneficiaries, so Tricare beneficiaries seeking medical care from private providers should feel no significant effects. You can also visit tricare.mil for current information on shutdown impact for health plans and military hospitals and clinics.
DoDEA SCHOOLS & CHILDCARE
If your child attends school on base, classes will remain in session, but extracurricular activities, including sports, will be canceled.
If your child attends an on base day care (child development center, CDC), please contact your local CDC or check their website as it will be a case-by-case basis on which centers will stay open and which will stay closed.
COMMISSARIES
Overseas commissaries and a few remote U.S. Commissaries will remain open during the shutdown. What qualifies as a "remote U.S. Commissary?" It is a location "where no other sources of food are reasonably available for military personnel." If you have the means to stock up on some items, plan to do so. To check status of commissary, visit commissaries.com
FOOD SUPPORT:
We understand that food insecurity is one of the many battles that military families face, and if the commissary is your main source of food for your families this can be very scary. Here are a few groups that I found that could potentially help during this time.
Military Family Advisory Network: Food Distributions (https://www.mfan.org/topic/food-insecurity/food-assistance)
Soldiers Angels - Service Member and Veteran food assistance (https://soldiersangels.org/get-support/fooddistributions/)
Feeding America - Find Your Local Food Bank (https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank)
EXCHANGES
Today I learned, Exchanges are funded through a completely different system, so they will not be impacted by the shutdown. Meaning, you can still get gas and whiskey at the shoppette's. Go us.
OTHER PROGRAMS
In addition to the list above, bases also have MWR Activities and Family Advocacy & Family Support Centers. Whether these actives and centers will be open is a base-by-base, case-by-case. Your best bet is to find their website or Facebook pages and turn on the notifications or subscribe to their emails for updates.
Resource:
HOW ABOUT SOME HOPE AND SUPPORT?
Now that we have covered all of the gross, gloomy info, let's talk about available resources. Here is a list of quick info to help get us to the other side of this shutdown.
Military OneSource will remain fully operational. Call specialists are available at 800.342.9647. OCONUS calling options are on their homepage.
Military Family Life Consultants (MFLC) will also remain operational, although they may be affected by limited access to base facilities.
Financial Institutions that may be able to help with short-term financial needs include:
Air Force Aid Society (AFAS)
Army Emergency Relief (AER)
Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA)
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS)
USAA (Government Shutdown Program)
The Red Cross, Military Family Support (https://www.redcross.org/about-us/our-work/military-families.html)
Need to talk? There are resources to help with unknown stress and anxiety this may cause on you. Reaching out to talk is a must, because we need you.
GiveAnHour.org, offers free online, confidential, mental health support.
Veteranscrisisline.net, or dial 988 and press 1.
Military One Source, dial 800-342-9647 or live chat on the website.
It is wildly cliche to say, but the best plan is to have a plan. So whether that be taking stock of your fridge and doing an early grocery run, or making sure you have enough shutdown wine, or even taking a moment to locate your base and support group Facebook pages, it is a good idea to make sure you are set up.
And although I did just throw a lot of information to you, there is one thing, above all, to remember: you are not alone. Together, with the help of this wild military village we are all a part of, we will get through whatever Congress throws our way. We've trained for this already with last minutes moves, changes to orders, quick notice deployments and unexpected house repairs during unplanned TDY's. Ain't nothing they got that we can't or haven't handled before.
As for what whiskey pairs best with with this madness? I would recommend Wild Turkey 101 because it's a classic straight bourbon that doesn't have time to be messing around. Just like us with this shutdown craziness.
Cheers.
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