With the U.S. government still in a partial shutdown, many military families are asking the same question: Will service members be paid on October 15? The concern is real because government shutdowns usually disrupt federal worker paychecks, and that includes Department of Defense employees.
This time, the administration has said troops will still receive their pay. Officials confirmed that unused funds from research and development have been shifted to make sure paychecks go out. While that might bring relief to many families, it also raises questions about how long this workaround can last if the shutdown continues.
What officials are saying about military pay
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent made it clear earlier this week that the shutdown is taking a toll. Speaking to Fox Business Network, he said, “This is getting serious. It’s starting to affect the real economy.”
He explained that in order to make sure service members are paid, other parts of the government are being put on hold. Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo, and other federal services are facing delayed payments or furloughed workers so that available funds can be directed toward the military.
In other words, troops are being prioritized, but the trade-off is that other federal workers and programs are going without.
What the president has promised
President Trump also spoke directly on the issue. In a Truth Social post on October 11, he wrote that he had instructed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to “use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th.” He added, “We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.”
That reassurance is important, but there is still a catch. Reuters reported that legislation must normally be passed to process troop paychecks on time. Because October 13 falls on Columbus Day, Congress was not in session, meaning no legislation could move forward that day. That has left some uncertainty about how smoothly the payments will be handled.
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How many service members are affected
The numbers are significant. About 1.3 million active-duty members of the U.S. military are directly affected by pay delays. On top of that, hundreds of thousands of National Guard members and civilian employees who support military operations also rely on these paychecks.
For many families, missing even one paycheck can be devastating. On October 9, a military spouse confronted House Speaker Mike Johnson during a C-SPAN appearance, telling him she was “very disappointed” in his party’s handling of the shutdown. She said her two children with severe medical conditions “could die” if her family did not get paid on time.
Her words show just how personal this issue is for the people behind the numbers.
Are military members still working
Yes, all active-duty service members are still reporting for duty. Their work is considered essential for national security, so they are not furloughed even during a shutdown and that means:
- Troops will continue their duties without disruption.
- Paychecks are expected on Oct. 15, but with delays in government processing, some families worry.
- If pay is held up, troops are legally guaranteed back pay once the shutdown ends.
Congress also sets military pay rates, and lawmakers are debating a 3.8% raise for service members as part of the upcoming defense authorization bill. That bill is expected to pass later this year with bipartisan support.
