The men and women of the Coast Guard and their families know what to expect when they check their bank accounts tomorrow.
A deposit of $0.
Jan. 15 is a normal military payday, but due to the government shutdown, the Coast Guard will not get paid as scheduled.
“Unfortunately, without an appropriation, a continuing resolution, or another legislative measure, the Coast Guard will not be able to meet the 15-payroll.” A post on the service’s lapse in appropriations webpage states.
And, that’s got Coastie spouses feeling more than a little anxious about their financial futures as the shutdown drags on with no end in sight.
“If there is not an appropriation by Jan. 19, we’ve heard we also won’t get paid at the end of the month,” said spouse Stephanie Lisle.
RELATED CONTENT: How to help Coast Guard families during government shutdown
Lisle and her Coast Guard husband have four children and are currently stationed in Long Island, New York, one of the most expensive areas to live in the country.
Spouse Kierra Liske opted to move back in with her dad after her husband was deployed to the Middle East last year.
“They love their jobs,” she said. “They are proud of what they are doing. They are working without being paid.”
The couple has no children and Liske said her job has allowed them to save an emergency fund, which she doesn’t want to deplete with her husband out of the country. She is quick to point out not every Coast Guard family is able to bank an emergency fund.
“They don’t make a lot of money,” she said.
Many food banks, local businesses and military support groups like Coast Guard Mutual Aid Assistance are stepping in to help out impacted Coastie families.
SEE RELATED: Food Banks prepare to support Coast Guard Families during shutdown
The federal government entered into a partial shutdown Dec. 22 as Congress and President Donald Trump remain at odds over Trump’s request from $5 billion in funding to build a wall along the country’s southern border. No talks between the two sides are scheduled at this time.
Unlike the other branches of the armed forces, the Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security and is not funded during the partial government shutdown.
Want to get more connected to the great stories and resources Connecting Vets has to offer? Click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
