As a government shutdown continues, military relief organizations are working to prevent a financial crisis for hundreds of thousands of service members and their families facing disrupted paychecks.
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance have mobilized emergency assistance programs, offering interest-free loans and financial counseling to bridge the gap for personnel serving without guaranteed pay during the political impasse.
Since Oct. 10, Coast Guard Mutual Assistance has processed more than $900,000 in interest-free payroll loans for 370 civilian employees, with an average loan of $2,470. The nonprofit serves the entire Coast Guard workforce, including civilians who did not receive their mid-month paycheck despite active-duty members being paid through a last-minute presidential intervention.
"Missing a paycheck is more than an inconvenience—it can be a crisis for many military families," said retired Navy Rear Adm. Dawn Cutler, chief operations officer for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. "We've mobilized our resources to provide support with compassion, dignity, and care."
The relief society, with 213 locations throughout the United States and globally, can provide zero-interest loans of up to $2,000 to eligible service members. The organization prioritizes support for those without access to payroll protection plans or interest-free loans from financial institutions.
President Donald Trump signed an executive memorandum Oct. 15 directing the Pentagon to redirect roughly $8 billion in unused Department of Defense research and development funds to ensure approximately 1.3 million active-duty military members and activated reservists received their mid-month pay. Trump called the prospect of unpaid troops "a serious and unacceptable threat to military readiness."
However, future pay periods remain uncertain without a funding bill, as the stopgap fund reallocation was only a temporary fix.
The federal government shut down Oct. 1 after Congress failed to enact fiscal year 2026 appropriations by the deadline. The impasse stems from partisan conflict over budget priorities, with Republicans and Democrats clashing over federal spending levels, a GOP push to rescind previously approved foreign aid funds, and whether to extend Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies set to expire.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP leaders have demanded Senate Democrats pass a "clean" stopgap funding bill that would extend government funding temporarily into November. Democrats have refused to support any funding measure unless it includes an extension of ACA health care subsidies for approximately 24 million Americans.
Republicans control the White House and both chambers of Congress but lack a 60-vote Senate supermajority, giving Democrats the ability to filibuster GOP funding bills. The Senate has attempted and failed about 10 times to advance various funding measures.
About 150,000 federal employees in California, plus 160,000 military members, are impacted by the closure. Social Security benefits will continue, but customer service may suffer. National parks remain open with limited services. Air travel may face delays as TSA agents work unpaid. Santa Monica officials said they anticipate no disruptions to city services or programs, including federally-funded housing vouchers
By law, military and national security operations are considered essential government functions. All active-duty service members and Guard and Reserve members on active federal orders must continue reporting for duty without pay because their work is deemed critical to protecting national security.
However, nearly 400,000 of the Pentagon's approximately 800,000 civilian employees have been furloughed, sent home without pay as their jobs were not designated essential. Those civilian employees who remain on the job in roles such as shipyard maintenance, certain intelligence positions or health care providers on base are working as excepted personnel without paychecks.
Monthly drill weekends have been canceled or postponed for many reserve units because the military cannot pay traditional reservists for training assemblies without appropriations.
Permanent change of station moves and non-essential travel orders have largely been delayed unless deemed essential to a mission. Training exercises and schools not immediately mission-critical are being postponed, especially when they rely on civilian instructors or contractors who are furloughed.
About 25% of military families report having less than $500 in savings, and a similar number experience food insecurity, meaning even a one-cycle missed paycheck can cause serious hardship.
Several financial institutions serving military customers have offered relief measures, including short-term, no-interest loans to cover delayed paychecks. The Defense Department worked with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service to allow commissary grocery purchases on the Military Star credit card with zero interest and no payments for 90 days during October.
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society offers assistance covering essential living expenses such as food, gas, utilities, childcare and other urgent needs. Service members are encouraged to visit their nearest full-service office for personalized assistance.
Office locations and contact information can be found at nmcrs.org/locations. To make a donation or for more information, visit nmcrs.org.
Coast Guard Mutual Assistance offers interest-free loans during pay suspension to help cover essential expenses such as rent, insurance, childcare and groceries. Active-duty members, reservists, civilian employees, Coast Guard Academy cadets and full-time NAF/WG employees are eligible.
Support amounts equal up to one month's Basic Allowance for Housing for military members, with equivalent rates for civilians. Members can apply online through the CGMA portal, with funds issued via ACH transfer or Zelle. Repayment begins once pay is restored, typically within two months.
"The Coast Guard is like a family, and CGMA embodies, in essence, the tradition of passing-the-hat to support a fellow shipmate in need," said Eiric Kellogg, a furloughed program evaluator in Washington who received CGMA assistance.
To support Coast Guard personnel, donations can be made online at mycgma.org/donate or by mail to Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, 1005 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 220, Arlington, VA 22201. For more information, visit mycgma.org.
Both organizations also recommend service members contact their financial institutions about payroll protection plans, contact insurance companies about deferred payments, delay non-essential purchases, notify landlords and creditors about the situation, and avoid high-interest pay advance products.