Shutdown is ‘Uniquely Hard’ on Guardsmen

By Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn (Ret.)

The continuing government shutdown is uniquely hard on the Soldiers and Airmen of the National Guard. 

We have thousands of full-time Guardsmen nationwide who wear their uniform and rank every workday but, unlike their active-duty brothers and sisters, they have yet to be paid in October. 

They are Dual-Status Technicians, a special classification of federal government workers. To us, they are Soldiers and Airmen, indistinguishable from those on active duty and essential to everyday force readiness. 

Some are still required to work despite the lack of pay. Others are furloughed, their responsibilities piling up, which reduces the Guard’s readiness to respond to state or nation. Most are frustrated. Many now worry about how they will pay their bills. 

We also have hundreds of thousands of drill-status Guardsmen who don’t know when they will gather next for a unit training assembly. 

Training time is precious in the Guard. Every day is important. Our part-time Soldiers and Airmen must do in 39 days to stay ready what their active-component counterparts have a full year to accomplish. Readiness will suffer. 

They, too, are frustrated. Their service rhythm has been interrupted. They’re also missing a paycheck. 

There’s a way for Congress to remedy this: Compromise, come up with a stopgap budget and reopen the government. In lieu of that, pass legislation in the House (H.R. 5401) and the Senate (S. 3002) that would at least pay all the full-time troops.  

Service members should not be a bargaining chip when negotiating the federal budget. 

The author is the NGAUS president. The above was released today to the press as an association statement.  

Note: NGAUS members can lend their voice to association efforts to urge Congress to pay all the full-time troops by contacting their elected representatives through the Write to Congress feature on the NGAUS website.