TAMPA, Florida — While negotiations on Capitol Hill continue and an Oct. 1 deadline grows closer, military families in the Tampa Bay area are bracing for a potential government shutdown and what it would mean for them.
On Friday, servicemen, women and workers at MacDill Air Force Base will get their paychecks, but that could be the last one until a spending bill gets signed. A unique and disheartening reality of the political back and forth.
“It weighs heavily on my heart," Suzy Malloy, a member of the Blue Star Families organization who lives on MacDill AFB, said. Her husband and son are both active-duty military.
"We're getting hit on all sorts of angles," she said.
Though Malloy says it’s mainly the young families that will feel the brunt of a shutdown.
"Being a young, enlisted spouse back in the day, I know what it's like to live paycheck to paycheck," she added.
It’s not just income – many military families, like Malloy’s once did also rely on other government assistance now up in the air.
"I know a lot of young military families still rely on WIC and SNAP benefits," she explained. "And those two will also cease if this government shutdown continues.”
From no paychecks to commissaries, shops and even daycare services potentially closing, a lot of what’s impacted on base depends on how contracts are written.
Regardless, servicemen and women will still work each day without pay some even longer hours, so the biggest blow could be to morale. "It impacts your overall feeling of belonging when you're not valued because you're not getting paid," Suzy recalled.
“This kind of irresponsible government shutdown will have an outsized impact on the Tampa Bay region," U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa) said.
As talks continue, Castor, whose district includes MacDill Air Force Base, says without funding, we're approaching a type of “chaos” we haven't seen before, pointing the finger at GOP leadership.
“[The military] will be operating their missions without getting paid. And think about what that means right now with trying to buy groceries and pay your rent. It's just irresponsible and maddening,” Castor added.
It's maddening but those like Suzy who've been through a shutdown before say the key is: "Don't stress because it's out of your control. It will be what it will be. And we'll get through this together."
To be clear, military members will get paid, eventually, but like many Americans, people live paycheck to paycheck. If a shutdown does impact military pay, some companies like USAA and Navy Federal Credit Union are offering financial assistance, in the form of no-interest loans.
10 Tampa Bay also talked with Feeding Tampa Bay, which helped federal workers and families in previous government shutdowns.
In a statement, Feeding Tampa Bay President Thomas Mantz said, "During any situation where our community needs additional support we are there. Our organization provided food and services to ensure our neighbors were able to manage through the disruption the previous government shutdown caused and we can be counted on to respond in the same way if necessary.”
It's still possible for Congress to pass a measure to pay active-duty military, without passing the full defense budget. They did so previously in 2013.
A spokesperson from MacDill Air Force Base says, "Continuing resolutions have devastating impacts on the Air and Space Forces. We need Congress to pass timely appropriations to adequately equip our Airmen and Guardians, ensure military readiness, launch new investment programs and reduce uncertainty with our industry and international partners."
Adding, "In particular, the proposed FY24 budget advances investments in Air Force and Space Force capabilities that directly support the National Defense Strategy and cannot be delayed if we intend to maintain our strategic advantage."