- Active military have been paid so far during the government shutdown.
- That could change later in November.
- Stores that serve the military will likely shut down after Thanksgiving.
Support for the United States military is relatively the same across political lines.
“Similar shares of Republicans (64%) and Democrats (60%) view the military positively. However, there are ideological differences in these views among Democrats,” according to data from Pew Research.
The study showed that most Americans, in fact, believe the military has a positive impact:
- Adults under 30 are the only age group in which a larger share says the military has a negative (53%) than positive (43%) impact.
- Seven in 10 adults ages 50 and older say that the military is having a positive impact.
- Of those ages 30 to 49, 57% believe the same.
- By a wide margin (68% positive to 30% negative), conservative and moderate Democrats express a positive view of the military.
- Liberal Democrats are roughly evenly divided (50% positive to 49% negative).
- The military is seen positively by 67% of moderate and liberal Republicans and 63% of conservative Republicans.
Despite those positive feelings, Congress cannot come together to reopen the government, which could soon have an outsized impact on U.S. soldiers who face a potential double whammy.
First, funding to pay active military could run out (and eventually will, depending upon the length of the shutdown. Second, the on-base commissaries, essentially mini department stores that sell items to active-duty and retired military, could close.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty
On-base commissaries could close
Most U.S. military bases have a commissary that acts as a sort of miniature department store for those serving their country. I was lucky enough to visit the U.S. Coast Guard base in Staten Island, New York, earlier this year and got a chance to see the commissary.
It sold everything from Coast Guard casual gear (T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and more) to basic groceries, liquor, and other household items. Prices were much lower than at public stores, and being able to shop at the commissary is a massive benefit for both active and retired military.
“Some military leaders are telling their troops to prepare for their on-base commissaries to close by early December if the government shutdown continues. As many as 168 locations at bases across the continental U.S. could be affected,” Task and Purpose reported.
The operator of those stores, however, has insisted they will stay open through Thanksgiving.
“Our stores will be open to serve our customers through Thanksgiving,” Kevin Robinson, a spokesperson for the Defense Commissary Agency, or DECA, told Task & Purpose.
Two senior DECA officials laid out a likely December shutdown scenario in an Oct. 24 webinar.
“The Defense Commissary Agency depends on appropriations for covering operational costs. The appropriations have expired, except that DeCA has the authority to tap into the reserve funds, and we will hear about the status of those reserve funds,” said Executive Director of Sales, Marketing and eCommerce Jim Flannery during the meeting.
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Overseas commissaries would stay open longer.
The current plan is to “shut down, on Dec. 5, 168 stores, and we would have 67 stores remain open,” he added.
Key points about military pay during a government shutdown
- Active-duty military personnel are considered excepted/essential employees, so they continue to serve their duties, even if appropriations lapse.
Source: Bob Latta’s Website - By law, under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, military members working during a lapse in appropriations must receive retroactive pay for the work performed once the shutdown ends.
- Retired military members and beneficiaries (e.g., recipients of survivor benefits) are not affected by the funding lapse; they continue to receive their regular payments on time.
Source: Bipartisan Policy Center - As of the current 2025 shutdown, the Department of Defense (DoD) was able to use unused research & development funds (around $8 billion) to cover upcoming active-duty payroll payments so far.
Source: Reuters - Also, a private donation (of about $130 million) was accepted to help supplement troop pay during the shutdown.
Source: Politico - However, officials have warned that this is not guaranteed indefinitely; there is doubt about whether future pay periods (e.g. mid-November) will be covered unless new appropriations or stop-gap funding is passed.
Source: Military Times - In prior shutdowns (and under law), once appropriations resume, all missed wages are authorized to be paid retroactively.
“November 14 may be the first time in history that members of all military branches will miss a paycheck due to a government shutdown. For the second time during the shutdown, the Trump administration reallocated funds to pay active-duty troops on October 31,” Bipartisan Policy reported.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has publicly shared the same date.
“I think we’ll be able to pay them beginning in November, but by Nov. 15 our troops and service members who are willing to risk their lives aren’t going to be able to get paid,” Bessent said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”
If that happens, military members could lose their paychecks and their commissary access within a couple of weeks of each other.
“We are thinking in terms of we are sprinting through Thanksgiving,” Flannery said. “So business as usual, meeting the needs of our patrons, let them enjoy the Thanksgiving gathering that they normally would, and then right after Thanksgiving, the first part of December, start winding down.”
