Indianapolis—
As the politicians in Washington continue to debate the budget, federal employees in Indiana are trying to prepare for the potential of lost wages.Non-essential government employees will be on furlough, meaning they do not report to work and have no guarantee that they'll be paid. Active duty soldiers will be paid, but those paychecks will be delayed and that's a tough reality for many military families.
"We're going to be struggling," said Stephanie, the wife of an active duty soldier who asked Fox59 News not to use her last name.
For nearly three years now, Stephanie has raised her two young children while stationed in Germany, apart from her husband Jesse, who is serving in Afghanistan. During that time Stephanie has also been away from her family back in Indiana.
Now, with a government shutdown ticking closer with each passing hour, she said she feels fortunate to be staying with family but worried that she might not be able to afford a plane ticket home, among other things.
"I'm shocked," Stephanie said of the potential of a shutdown. "You know, my husband joined the military to serve the country and I'm really proud of him. I worry about him every day, and now on top of that I have to worry about if I'm going to be able to pay our bills this month. If I'm going to be able to afford groceries."
Active duty military families are far from the only defense employees facing uncertainty. The 4,200 Hoosiers employed at The Defense Finance and Accounting Service in Lawrence, which distributes those paychecks to the military, now likely face furlough too.
Many members of the Indiana National Guard could face furlough as well. In fact, since the budget deadline comes at midnight on Friday, the national guard training for soldiers this weekend will be allowed to start but could be cut short Saturday.
"So they'll show up and we have the authority to pay them for one training assembly, until noon, and then we have to release them," said COL Brian Copes, Chief of Staff for the Indiana National Guard. "Then the remainder of the training assembly would be scheduled later in this year."
Active duty soldiers don't have to worry about furlough, but military leaders are still busy trying to ease the concerns of those who can't afford late paychecks.
"The Secretary of Defense, speaking in Baghdad to the troops, assured them that they would get paid," Copes said. "He acknowledged that there would be a delay if there is a shutdown, and he hopes, indeed, that the elected officials will reach an agreement on this."
"I'm hurt that it's even being considered," Stephanie said.
Stephanie said her frustration extends to both sides of the aisle in Washington. In fact, she said she doesn't like to talk about the politics involved, especially when speaking to her husband.
"I don't want to, you know, tell him that I'm worried," she said. "I want him to focus on his mission so he can come home safe."
According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, if there is a shutdown:
- The Internal Revenue Service will stop processing paper tax returns.
- The Small Business Administration will stop making loans.
- Federal home loan guarantees will be put on hold, among other things.
- The National Institutes of Health would stop accepting new patients and would put clinical trials on hold.
- U.S. troops would be paid through Friday, but after then, paychecks to members of the military, including those in war zones, would stop.
There is more information on the impact of a government shutdown online.
