You have seen the news. The government could get shutdown. This could mean that the Military will not get paid on October 15th like they should be. The pay will be delayed.
Luckily, three banks that a lot of Military members bank with are going to help people out. While I am so thankful for this and while it will allow most of us to not feel the pinch as badly, it still really sucks for morale.
No one in our Military was drafted. Every single person who serves made the decision to do so on their own. The Military is the job they decided to do and how they are supporting their families. In some cases the Military member is the only one bringing in a paycheck. Having that regular paycheck is the pay off for a difficult life. If your spouse is deployed, you will receive extra money which helps with what you are dealing with. This can be a good time to pay off debt, save for the future or just catch up on bills.
So whether the Military member is deployed or not, that money is very important. To not get paid is a huge slap in the face.
While it is true that you should have an emergency fund, some do not. While it is true that you should be prepared for something like this, some are not.
But beyond whether a family has enough money this October, what does not paying the Military do to morale? It crushes it. From the single soldier serving in Afghanistan to the Mom of four trying to hold it together while her husband is deployed for the fourth time. To not get paid feels like a blow. To have to figure out how to make a paycheck stretch that much more is added stress Military families don’t need.
I just pray that everything will work out, that the Military will get paid and that our government can see how important it is that we always, without a doubt, pay those that put their lives on the line for their country.
